Published November 30, 2011 | By Annie Janus and Tierney Anderson

Niger has faced severe drought and famine on multiple occasions, notably in 1974, 1995, 2005 and 2010. In the past such events often coincided with political upheaval, and 2010 was no different. After extending his term past constitutional limits, the then-president was overthrown in a military coup in February 2010. Although progress remains highly tenuous, there have been some positive signs: The military committee immediately acknowledged the ongoing famine, utilized food stores and embraced international aid and assistance. A new constitution was approved and internationally supervised free and fair elections were held in March of 2011. Despite democratic progress, northern Niger remains locked in a low level insurgency, whose local tribesman are affiliated with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

June 20, 2011
By J. J. Messner
The Failed States Index

If the Failed States Index were a championship, then Somalia would be the undisputed four-time champion (or cellar-dweller, depending on how you look at it). In the seven years of the Failed States Index, Somalia has had the ignominious distinction of occupying the worst spot for the past four years straight. Despite having a relatively functional and pretty much autonomous ‘state’ in the north, Somaliland, the country as a whole still manages to score badly enough to make up for that glimmer of unrecognized hope. Worse still, the country is in no danger of losing its position anytime soon. A combination of widespread lawlessness, ineffective government, terrorism, insurgency, crime, abysmal development and a penchant for inconveniencing the rest of the world by taking their merchant vessels hostage has given Somalia a score that – much as they seem to try – neither Chad, Sudan, Zimbabwe nor the Democratic Republic of Congo can hope to match.