Editing Niamey (section)

==History==
{{see also|Timeline of Niamey}}
[[Image:Mittelholzer-niamey.jpg|thumb|left|Niamey in December 1930. The large house in the centre is the French governor's residence. Air photo taken by Swiss pilot and photographer [[Walter Mittelholzer]].]]
Probably, Niamey originated in the 18th century as a cluster of small villages (Gaweye, Kalley, Maourey, Zongo and Foulani Koira).<ref name="Bradt">Geels, Jolijn, (2006) ''Bradt Travel Guide - Niger'', pgs. 93-113</ref> Niamey was of little importance until the French developed it as a colonial centre in the late 1890s. The town, then with an estimated population of some 1,800, was chosen as the capital of the newly created Military Territory of Niger in 1905, however, the capital was shifted to the more established city of [[Zinder]] in 1912.<ref name="Bradt"/> Zinder's proximity to the Nigerian border and distance from French-controlled ports prompted the French to move the capital back to Niamey in 1926, by which time the city had some 3,000 inhabitants.<ref name="Bradt"/> A series of devastating droughts prompted influx from the countryside into the city, leading to significant population growth, and by 1945 the population was about 8,000.<ref name="Bradt"/>

Prior to 1926-27 the [[French Upper Volta|Upper Volta]]-Niger [[Burkina Faso-Niger border|border]] ran along the Niger river, meaning that Niamey lay directly on the boundary.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=November 18, 1974 |title=International Boundary Study No. 146 – Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)–Niger Boundary |url=https://library.law.fsu.edu/Digital-Collections/LimitsinSeas/pdf/ibs146.pdf |journal=International Boundary Studies}}</ref>

[[File:Niger, Niamey, Place du Liptako-Gourma (2).jpg|thumb|Place du Liptako-Gourma]]
At the time of independence in 1960 the population had grown to around 30,000.<ref>Britannica, [https://www.britannica.com/place/Niamey Niamey], britannica.com, USA, accessed on July 7, 2019</ref><ref name=sahel20110701>[http://www.lesahel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7753:installation-du-conseil-de-ville-de-niamey-et-election-des-membres--Mr Assane Seydou Sanda-elu-maire-de-la-ville-de-niamey&catid=34:actualites&Itemid=53 Installation du Conseil de ville de Niamey et élection des membres : M. Assane Seydou Sanda, élu maire de la ville de Niamey]. Laouali Souleymane, Le Sahel (Niamey). 1 July 2011</ref><ref name="Bradt"/> The period from 1970 to 1988 was one in which the economy of Niger boomed, driven by revenue from the [[uranium]] mines at [[Arlit]]. As a result, the population of Niamey grew from 108,000 to 398,365 inhabitants and the city expanded from {{cvt|1367|ha|acre}} in 1970 to {{cvt|4400|ha|acre}} by 1977, in the process annexing peripheral villages such as [[Lazaret, Niger|Lazaret]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LjzZ_rVv_2MC&pg=PA30 |title=Villes et organisation de l'espace en Afrique |pages=30–31 |first1=Jérôme |last1=Aloko-N'Guessan |first2=Amadou |last2=Diallo |first3=Kokou Henri |last3=Motcho |publisher=Karthala Editions |year=2010 |isbn=978-2-8111-0339-2}}</ref> Continuing droughts also caused many rural Nigeriens to move to the growing city.<ref name="Bradt"/>

In 1992 Niamey and its immediate hinterland were split off from Niamey Region to form the much smaller Niamey Capital District, enclaved within the new [[Tillabéri Region]].<ref name="Statsoid">According to [http://www.statoids.com/une.html Statsoid] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724154849/http://www.statoids.com/une.html |date=2009-07-24 }}: "~1992: Tillabéry Region split from Niamey (whose FIPS code was NG05 before the change). Status of Niamey changed from Region to capital district."</ref>

On April 9, 1999, Niger President [[Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara]] was ambushed, shot and killed during [[1999 Nigerien coup d'état|Nigerien coup d'état]] by soldiers, reportedly members of the Presidential Guard at the [[Diori Hamani International Airport]] as he was going to board a helicopter.

By some estimates, the population had reached 700,000 in 2000.<ref name="Bradt"/> In 2011, government press estimated the total urban population at over 1.5&nbsp;million. A major cause of the increase has been in migration for work and during droughts, as well as a high birth rate.<ref name=sahel20110701 /> This last factor means that demographically a majority of the city's citizens are young people.<ref name=sahel20110701 />

In July 2023, the [[National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland|Niger junta]] began renaming street names from the colonial era to more local names, such as replacing the name of [[Charles de Gaulle]] with that of Bakary.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abdou Tasawa |first=Gazali |url=https://www.dw.com/fr/au-niger-la-junte-militaire-rebaptise-des-rues-de-niamey/a-70507221 |title=Au Niger, la junte militaire rebaptise des rues de Niamey |date=15 October 2024 |access-date=16 October 2024 |lang=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Njie |first=Paul |last2=Fleming |first2=Lucy |date=16 October 2024 |title=Niger drops French place names to honour local heroes |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7x9eprvvwo |access-date=1 May 2025 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> The same month, the junta's leader, [[Abdourahamane Tchiani]], declared the dissolution of local governments, replacing the mayor of Niamey, Oumarou Dogari, with an army official.<ref name="AFP 2024">{{Cite news |last=<!--not stated--> |date=5 April 2024 |title=Niger’s Junta Chief Dissolves Local Councils |url=https://www.voaafrica.com/a/niger-s-junta-chief-dissolves-local-councils/7557973.html |access-date=1 May 2025 |work=[[Voice of America]] |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]]}}</ref> The same month, hundreds rallied in Niamey to demand the withdrawal of the US military from the country.<ref>{{cite news|title=Niger protesters demand US troop withdrawal |date=13 April 2024 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/niger-protesters-demand-us-troop-withdrawal/a-68812727 |website=[[Deutsche Welle]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240413204833/https://www.dw.com/en/niger-protesters-demand-us-troop-withdrawal/a-68812727 |archive-date=13 April 2024 |access-date=14 April 2024}}</ref> The US withdrew from its base in Niamey in July 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=<!--Reuters--> |date=8 July 2024 |title=US troops pull out of Niger's Air Base 101 |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/us-troops-pull-out-nigers-air-base-101-2024-07-07/ |access-date=1 May 2025 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>