Nigeria is a country in West Africa having boundaries with Niger and Chad Republic in the north, Cameroon on the eastern part, Benin Republic on the western border and the Atlantic ocean at the southern end. Below are some facts about Nigeria…
Where is Nigeria?
Nigeria, officially called the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country located in West Africa.
What is the capital of Nigeria?
The capital of Nigeria is Abuja. Built in the 1980s, Abuja is one of the most well planned cities in the country. It became the capital of Nigeria on December 12, 1991, replacing Lagos. The city is home to major attractions in the country such as the Nigerian National Mosque and the Nigerian National Christian Center.
What is the largest city in Nigeria?
Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria covering an area of 385.9 square miles. It is the third-most populous city in Africa with an estimated population of 7,937,932. As of now, it is the second-fastest growing city in Africa. It was once the capital of the country, and is the economic and financial capital of the country at present.
What countries border Nigeria?
Nigeria is bordered by the Republic of Benin on the west, Chad and Cameroon on the east, and by Niger in the north. On the south it borders the Gulf of Guinea
How big is Nigeria?
Nigeria is a country covering a total area of 356,667 square miles. As of 2019, the country has an estimated population of 208 million; it is the seventh-most populous country in the world.
What are the main ethnic groups in Nigeria?
Nigeria is a country of rich ethnic diversity composed of over 250 ethnic groups. The three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. The other major tribes in the country include Edo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Ebira Nupe and Tiv. Also there are minority groups of British, American, East Indian, Chinese, white Zimbabwean,Japanese, Greek, Syrian and Lebanese immigrants in Nigeria.
What are the administrative divisions of Nigeria?
Nigeria is a country comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory. The states are further divided into 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Who are the political leaders of Nigeria?
The government of Nigeria is a presidential federal republic.
President – Muhammadu Buhari
Vice President – Yemi Osinbajo
What currency is used in Nigeria?
The Naira denoted by the ISO 4217 code NGN) is the official currency of Nigeria. It is subdivided into 100 kobo.
What is the official language of Nigeria?
English is the official language of Nigeria and is extensively used for education, business transactions and for official purposes. Despite being the first language, English is not spoken at all in some rural areas. Because the majority of the population of the country stays in rural areas, indigenous languages such as the Yoruba and Igbo are spoken by the majority. A derived language called the Nigerian Pidgin English, also called the ‘Pidgin’ or Broken English is also a popular lingua-franca in the country.
What is the religion of Nigeria?
Nigeria is a multi-religious country. Fifty percent of the population practice Islam while the rest adhere to Christianity. The other minority religions in the country include Hinduism, Judaism, the Baha’i Faith, and Chrislam (a syncretic faith that contains elements of Christianity and Islam).
What is the economy of Nigeria like?
Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa. It is classified as an emerging market owing to its rich reserves of natural resources, and well-developed financial and communications sectors. The transportation sector and stock exchange of the country add to the finances. The Nigerian Stock Exchange is the second-largest in Africa. Petroleum is a major product playing a significant role in the economy of the country; it is the twelfth-largest producer of petroleum in the world.
Manufactured products like leather, textiles, t-shirts, plastics and processed food enhance the economy of the country. Agriculture is also important, employing almost sixty percent of Nigerians. Cocoa, sugar cane, yams, maize, palm oil, groundnuts, coconuts, citrus fruits, pearl millet, and cassava are the major agricultural products.
However, health care, education, and general living conditions in Nigeria are poor, and these pose a serious threat to the otherwise advancing country.
When is the national day of Nigeria celebrated?
The national day in Nigeria is celebrated on October 1 every year. The day is celebrated to commemorate the independence of Nigeria from the United Kingdom on this day in 1960. The country was declared a Republic on October 1, 1963.
Remembrance Day – January, 15th
Children’s Day – May, 27th
Time – GMT +1Hour
Niger River is West Africa’s Largest River.
The longest and largest river in West Africa is the river Niger from where Nigeria derives her name. River Niger spans about 4,180 km (2,600 mi) from its source is in the Highlands of Guinea in southeastern Guinea. It courses in a crescent through Mali, Niger, on the border with Benin and then through Nigeria, and eventually emptying into the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean after passing through a massive delta, known as the Niger Delta or the Oil Rivers.
One of the Oldest Locations of Human Existence
Evidence from archaeological discoveries have shown that there was a history of human existence in Nigeria which has been dated to as far back as 9000 BC. The Nok civilization (around 500 BC-200 AD) is the earliest known civilization here.
Home Of Nollywood
Nollywood is the name given to the Nigerian movie industry and it has recently been ranked the second largest producers of movies in the world; just trailing behind Bollywood; the Indian film industry and ahead of America’s Hollywood. Nollywood produces up to 200 movies every single week and her movies has won half of the yearly awards for best picture since 2005.
Largest Diversity of Butterfly
Nigeria boasts in being the most suitable habitat for the worlds largest diversity of the most colorful creatures – the butterflies. It is widely believed that the areas surrounding Calabar, Cross River State in the southern part of the country harbors the world’s largest diversity of butterflies.
Ogun State Has The Highest Number of Universities in Nigeria
Ogun State is one of the states in the western part of the country and it has a total of nine registered universities, making it the state with the highest number of Universities in Nigeria
The Longest Bridge in Africa
The Third Mainland Bridge (in Lagos State) connecting Lagos Island to the mainland is the longest bridge in Africa—it measures about 11.8km. The bridge starts from Oworonshoki which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi expressway and Lagos-Ibadan express way, and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island. There is also a link midway through the bridge that leads to the Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba. The bridge was built by Julius Berger Nigeria PLC and opened by President Ibrahim Babangida in 1990