Editing History of Niger (section)

==Colonization==
[[File:Carte de l'Afrique-Occidentale française, 1914.svg|thumb|right|300px|French colonial West Africa, c. 1918]]
In the 19th century, contact with [[Europe]] began when the first European explorers—notably [[Mungo Park (explorer)|Mungo Park]] (British) and [[Heinrich Barth]] (German)-explored the area searching for the mouth of the [[Niger River]]. Although French efforts at pacification began before 1900, dissident ethnic groups, especially the desert Tuareg, were not subdued until 1922, when Niger became a [[French colony]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=RÉPUBLIQUE DU NIGER {{!}} INDÉPENDANCE ! |url=https://independance.africamuseum.be/en/exhibition/context/contexte-17pays-africains/country-niger |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=independance.africamuseum.be |archive-date=15 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215125907/https://independance.africamuseum.be/en/exhibition/context/contexte-17pays-africains/country-niger |url-status=live }}</ref>

Niger's colonial history and development parallel that of other [[French West Africa]]n territories. France administered her West African colonies through a governor general at [[Dakar]], [[Senegal]], and governors in the individual territories, including Niger. In addition to conferring a limited form of French citizenship on the inhabitants of the territories, the 1946 French constitution provided for decentralization of power and limited participation in political life for local advisory assemblies.<ref>{{Cite book  |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/946751910 |title=Niger mineral & mining sector investment and business guide. |date=2007 |publisher=International Business Publications Usa |isbn=978-1-4330-3689-7  |oclc=946751910}}</ref>