Nigeria

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Nigeria

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Federal Republic of Nigeria Area 923,773 sq km/356,668 sq mi Capital Abuja Language English (official), Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba Religion Sunni Muslim 50% (in north), Christian 35% (in south), local religions 15% Time difference GMT +1 Major holidays 1 January, 1 May, 1 October, 25–26 December; variable: Eid-ul-Adha (2 days), end of Ramadan (2 days), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Prophet's Birthday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Ibadan, Lagos, Ogbomosho, Kano, Oshogbo, Ilorin, Abeokuta, Zaria, Port Harcourt Major ports Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri, Calabar Physical features arid savannah in north; tropical rainforest in south, with mangrove swamps along coast; River Niger forms wide delta; mountains in southeast Airports four principal international airports and 14 domestic airports; total passengers carried: 520,000 (2003 est) Railways total length: 3,505 km/2,178 mi; total passenger journeys: 2.6 million (1997) Roads total road network: 194,394 km/120,546 mi, of which 30.9% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 8.6 per 1,000 people (1996)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government Umaru Musa Yar'Adua from 2007 Political system emergent democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions 36 states and a Federal Capital Territory Political parties political parties, suppressed by the military government, were allowed to form in July 1998. Three parties were registered: All People's Party (APP), right of centre; People's Democratic Party (PDP), left of centre; Alliance for Democracy (AD), left of centre Death penalty retained and used for ordinary crimes Armed forces 78,500; plus paramilitary forces of 82,000 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 0.9 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 1.3 (2001 est) Health spend (% GDP) 1.3 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency naira GDP (US$) 99 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 5.2 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 74.2 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 1,040 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 9.4% (2006 est) Unemployment 2.9% (2005 est) Labour force 30.6% agriculture, 15% industry, 54.4% services (2003) Foreign debt (US$) 20.9 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners USA, China, Brazil, UK, France, Spain, the Netherlands Resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, tin, iron ore, uranium, limestone, marble, forest Industries food processing, brewing, petroleum refinery, iron and steel, motor vehicles (using imported components), textiles, cigarettes, footwear, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, cement Exports petroleum, cocoa beans, rubber, palm products, cotton and yarn, urea and ammonia, fish and shrimps. Principal market: USA 40% (2005) Imports basic manufactures, machinery and transport equipment, cereals, chemicals, food and live animals. Principal source: China 10.5% (2005) Arable land 33% (2006 est) Agricultural products cocoa, groundnuts, oil palm, rubber, rice, maize, taro, yams, cassava, sorghum, millet, plantains; livestock (principally goats, sheep, cattle, and poultry) and fisheries


POPULATION

Population 134,375,000 (2006 est) Population growth rate 2.1% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 145 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 48 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 44%, 15–59 51%, 60+ 5% (2005 est) Ethnic groups over 250 tribal groups, ten of which account for over 80% of population: the Hausa-Fulani (in the north), Yoruba (in the south) Ibo (in the east), Tiv, Nupe, Kanuri, Ibibio, Ijaw, and Edo Life expectancy 44 (men); 44 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 197 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 9 Literacy rate 74% (men); 59% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 2.7 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 1.7 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 3.9 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 220,000 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 72 (urban); 49 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 0.9 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 14.1 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 224 (1998) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 68 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 0.7 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 3.8 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

4th century BC–2nd century AD Highly organized Nok culture flourished in northern Nigeria. 9th century Northeast Nigeria became part of empire of Kanem-Bornu, based around Lake Chad. 11th century Creation of Hausa states, including Kano and Katsina. 13th century Arab merchants introduced Islam in the north. 15th century Empire of Benin at its height in south; first contact with European traders. 17th century Oyo Empire dominant in southwest; development of slave trade in Niger delta. 1804–17 Islamic Fulani (or Sokoto) Empire established in north. 1861 British traders procured Lagos; spread of Christian missionary activity in south. 1884–1904 Britain occupied most of Nigeria by stages. 1914 North and south protectorates united; growth of railway network and trade. 1946 Nigerians allowed limited role in decision-making in three regional councils. 1951 Introduction of elected representation led to formation of three regional political parties. 1954 New constitution increased powers of regions. 1958 Oil discovered in southeast. 1960 Achieved independence from Britain within the Commonwealth. 1963 Became republic with Nnamdi Azikiwe as president. 1966 Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi of Ibo tribe seized power and imposed unitary government; massacre of Ibo by Hausa in north; Gen Gowon seized power and restored federalism. 1967 Conflict over oil revenues led to secession of eastern region as independent Ibo state of Biafra; ensuing civil war claimed up to a million lives. 1970 Surrender of Biafra and end of civil war; development of oil industry financed more effective central government. 1975 Gowon ousted in military coup; second coup put Gen Olusegun Obasanjo in power. 1979 Civilian rule restored under President Shehu Shagari. 1983 Bloodless coup staged by Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari. 1985 Buhari replaced by Maj-Gen Ibrahim Babangida; Islamic northerners dominant in regime. 1992 Multiparty elections won by Babangida's Social Democratic Party (SDP). 1993 Moshood Abiola (SDP) won first free presidential election but results suspended; Gen Sani Abacha imposed military rule and dissolved political parties. 1995 Commonwealth membership suspended in protest at human-rights abuses by military regime. 1998 Abacha died; succeeded as head of state by Gen Abdulsalam; moves towards political liberalization. 1999 Olusegun Obasanjo elected president; Nigeria rejoined Commonwealth. 2000 Violent clashes between Christians and Muslims as Islamic law (Sharia) adopted in number of states; ethnic conflict between militant Yoruba separatists and Hausas. 2002 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in Cameroon's favour in territorial dispute with Nigeria over oil-rich Bakassi peninsula. 2003 President Obasanjo (a Christian) re-elected; People's Democratic Party (PDP) won parliamentary majority. 2004 State of emergency declared in state of Plateau after further religious conflict. 2006 Militants in Niger Delta attacked oil facilities and kidnapped foreign oil workers; more religious violence. 2007 Umaru Yar'Adua elected president and his ruling PDP won parliamentary elections; allegations of ballot rigging.


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