Tahoua (Region)
The Tahoua region is one of the seven regions of Niger and is located in the central west of the country. Its capital is Tahoua. The region has 3,327,260 inhabitants ( 2012).
Geography
Tahoua is bordered to the northeast on the Niger Agadez region, to the southeast by Niger's Maradi region, to the south by the Nigerian state of Sokoto, in the southwest of the Niger Dosso regions and Tilabéri and to the northwest by the Malian regions Gao and Kidal. In its geological structure of the region is predominantly attributable to the Mesozoic era. In the southwest on the border of the regions of Dosso and Tilabéri include a section for the Tertiary era.
More cities in addition to Tahoua are Abalak, Birni - N'Konni, Illela and Madaoua.
History
The Tahoua region dates back as an administrative unit in 1964 created the department of Tahoua. From 1981 to 1988, the future president Tandja Mamadou was prefect of the department. 1998 Tahoua was converted as all previous Nigerien departments in a region. At the same time emerged from the former arrondissements departments, which is why there is still a department called Tahoua, Tahoua district, however, the former corresponds to and represents an administrative level below the present region. The south of the region was affected by the hunger crisis in Niger during the years 2004-06.
Population
The area of the Tahoua Region in 1960, the year of independence of Niger, approximately 687,000 inhabitants. The census in 1977 was 993 615 inhabitants, the census in 1988 1,305,417 inhabitants and the 2001 census, 1,972,729 inhabitants. The census in 2012 was 3.32726 million inhabitants.
The largest ethnic group in the region are the Hausa with 78 % of the total population, followed by the Tuareg with 18%. Other ethnic groups in Tahoua are Fulbe with 3% as well as Arabs and Zarma - Songhai, each of 1 %.
Economy and infrastructure
The south of the region is relatively wet and fertile, the northern dry and desert-like. As in the entire Niger there is the problem of desertification in Tahoua. Most residents live on agriculture. Furthermore, emigrants carry through money transfers substantially to the economy.
In the Tahoua region, there are 2097 primary schools, of which 16 are private schools. The gross enrollment rate was in the school year 2009/2010 70.7 % ( nationwide 72.9 % ) in girls 55.9 % ( nationwide 63.9 %). At a primary school teacher average of 42 students ( 39 nationwide ) came. The primary school completion rate was 46.6 % ( nationwide 49.3 % ) in girls 31.3 % ( nationwide 41.5 %).
Subdivision
The Tahoua region is divided into twelve departments Abalak, Bagaroua, Birni - N'Konni, Bouza, Illela, Keita, Madaoua, Malbaza, Tahoua, Tassara, Tchintabaraden and Tillia.