Country profile: Nigeria
With a fast growing population of over 180,000,000 and a literacy level of 68%. Nigeria remains the economic hub for business in Africa.
Geography
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon.
Geographic coordinates:
100 N, 80 E
Area:
| Total | Land | Water | Coastline |
| 923,768 sq km | 910,768 sq km | 13,000 sq km | 853 km |
Maritime claims:
| Territorial sea | : 12 nm |
| Exclusive economic zone | : 200 nm |
| Continental shelf | : 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Climate
Natural Resources
Equatorial in the south, tropical in the center and arid in the north.
Elevation Extremes:
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m.
Natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, bitumen, bauxite, arable land, etc.
Land use:
Arable land: 31.29%
Permanent crops: 2.96%
Others: 65.75% (2001)
Irrigated land: 2,330 sq km
Natural Hazards
Major Infectious Diseases
Soil Degradation
Rapid deforestation
Urban air and water pollution
Desertification
Oil pollution – water, air, and soil;
has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization.
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: Malaria
Respiratory disease: Meningococcal Meningitis
Aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: One of the most highly
endemic areas for Lassa fever (2004)
People
Populaion: + 180 million
Age structure
0-14 years:
42.3% (male 27,466,766 / female 27,045,092)
15-64 years:
54.6% (male 35,770,593 / female 34,559,414)
65 years and over:
3.1% (male 1,874,157 / female 2,055,966) (2005 est.)
Median age
Total: 18.63 years
Male: 18.71 years; Female: 18.55 years (2005 est.)
Population Growth Rate: 2.37% (2005 est.)
Birth Rate: 40.65 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death Rate: 17.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration Rate: 0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
Total: 98.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 105.69 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 91.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth
Total population: 46.74 years
Male: 46.21 years; Female: 47.29 years (2005 est.)
Total Fertility Rate: 5.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Ethnic Groups
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country is composed of
more than 250 ethnic groups.
The following are the most populous and politically influential:
Hausa and Fulani, Ibibio, Igbo (Ibo), Ijaw, Kanuri, , Tiv, Yoruba
Religions
Indigenous beliefs
Christainity
Islam
Languages
English (Official)
Hausa
Igbo (Ibo)
Yoruba
Literacy
definition: Age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 68%
Male: 75.7%
Female: 60.6% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name
Conventional long form: FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
Conventional short form: NIGERIA
Government Type: Federal Republic
Capital: Abuja
Independence: 1 October 1960
Constitution: Federal Constitution of May 1999
Administrative Divisions (36 states and 1 territory)
North West Zone: Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara
North East Zone: Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe,Taraba, Yobe
North Central Zone: Benue, Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Plateau
South East Zone: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo
South West Zone: Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo
South South Zone: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Rivers
Territory: Federal Capital Territory
Legal System
Based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12 northern states), and Traditional Law.
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal.
Executive Branch
Head of Government: President Muhammadu BUHARI (since 29 May 2015)
Cabinet: Federal Executive Council.
Elections: President is elected by popular vote for no more than two four-year terms; election last held 28 March 2015.
Legislative Branch
Bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (107 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms);
and
House of Representatives (346 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms).
