(Federal Republic of Nigeria)
General information
Geographical position. Nigeria is a state in West Africa. It borders on Niger in the north, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west. In the south it is washed by the Gulf of Guinea.
Square. The territory of Nigeria covers 923,768 square meters. km.
Main cities, administrative divisions. The capital of Nigeria is Abuja (the city was specially built to become the capital instead of Lagos in 1991). The largest cities: Lagos (1,500 thousand people), Ibadan (1,484 thousand people), another 20 cities have a population of more than 250 thousand people, and 57 cities have a population of more than 100 thousand people. Nigeria is a federation of 30 states and a capital district.
Political system
Nigeria's political system is in transition. The head of state and government is the president.
Relief. Plains and plateaus predominate (the highest altitude is 2,042 m - Vogel Peak).
Geological structure and minerals. Nigeria is rich in mineral resources. The country's subsoil contains reserves of oil, natural gas, iron ore, coal, tin, lead, and zinc.
Climate. Nigeria has 2 distinct climate zones. Along the coast the climate is hot and very humid throughout the year. In the north of the country, the temperature varies significantly depending on the time of year, and the humidity becomes less.
Inland waters. The main river of Nigeria is the Niger, as well as its tributaries - Benue, Kaduna and Sokoto. Lake Chad is partly located in Nigeria.
Soils and vegetation. In the south of the country there are dense tropical forests dominated by mahogany and oil palms. In the savannah area, the forest gives way to thick grass and trees such as baobab and tamarind. Semi-desert vegetation predominates in the far north of the country.
Animal world. The swamps and tropical forests of the south of the country are home to a large number of snakes and crocodiles. In the north of the country there are antelopes, camels and hyenas.
Population and language
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. The country's population is about 110.532 million people, the average population density is about 120 people per 1 sq. km. Ethnic groups: Hausa -21%, Yoruba -20%, Ibo - 17%, Fulani - 9%, Edo, Ijaw, Ibibio, Nule, Tiv, Kanuri, about 250 more ethnic groups. Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani, Kanuri, Tiv.
Religion
Muslims - 50%), Christians - 40% (Catholics, Methodists, Anglicans), pagans - 10%.
Brief historical sketch
In the north of modern Nigeria from the 8th century. There were Yoruba and Ifa states. In the 11th century The Bornu Empire converted to Islam and by the 13th century. became one of the centers of Islam in the region. The western states of the empire (the Hausa states) fell under the control of the Shongai Empire, but with the weakening of both empires at the end of the 16th century. they gained independence and dominated the region until the 19th century. At the same time, the Yoruba, Ife, Oyo and Edo states existed in the south of modern Nigeria, and the Ibo states existed in the east. The first Europeans appeared in the region in the 17th century, and by the 18th century. Several fortified trading posts of Portugal and Great Britain arose on the coast. The British were the first to penetrate into the interior of the country in 1795 and 1796. After several agreements with local rulers in southern Nigeria in the 60s of the XIX century. A British protectorate was formed. By 1900, several more British protectorates had emerged, united in 1906.
In 1947, Nigeria was granted the right to self-government, and in 1954, after recognizing the ethnic and cultural identities of individual regions, Nigeria became a federation. On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained independence. In 1967, the eastern region of the country started a civil war, demanding independence, but by 1970 all pockets of resistance were suppressed. Also in 1967, a military regime was established in Nigeria, which lasted 13 years. The country returned to civilian rule in October 1979, but on December 31, 1983, a coup brought the military back to power. Since 1995, a gradual weakening of the military regime began, but the political situation in the country remains difficult.
Brief Economic Sketch
Nigeria is an agricultural country with a developed oil industry. Main export crops: cocoa, oil palm, peanuts, cotton, rubber, sugar cane; for domestic consumption - grains, yams, cassava. Animal husbandry. Meat farming. Fishing. Extraction of oil, tin, columbite. Food-flavoring and textile industries. Oil refining, chemical, engineering, metallurgical, woodworking enterprises. Crafts. Export: oil, cocoa beans, rubber, oil palm products.
The currency is the naira.
Brief sketch of culture
Art and architecture. Lagos. National Museum of Nigeria (contains a rich collection of art objects from almost all periods of the country's development). Museums in Benin City, Ibadan, Ilorin, Jos and Kaduna also have rich collections.
The official name is the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Located in western Africa. Area 923.8 thousand km2, population 120 million people. (2001). The official language is English. The capital is Abuja. Public holiday - Independence Day on October 1 (since 1960). The currency is the naira (equal to 100 kobo).
Member approx. 60 international organizations, incl. The UN (since 1960) and its specialized organizations, the AU, the British Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the OIC, the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, etc.
Sights of Nigeria
Archaeological site Sungbo's Eredo
Geography of Nigeria
Located between 2°40′ and 14° east longitude and 14° and 4° north latitude, bordered on the west by Benin, on the north by Niger, on the northeast by Chad, on the east and southeast by Cameroon, and washed on the south by waters of the Gulf of Guinea of the Atlantic Ocean. The coastline (853 km) is relatively straight, slightly indented, with the exception of the Niger Delta region. 2/3 of Nigeria's territory are vast, level plateaus, the rest are plains. The narrow coastal plain turns into stepped plateaus: Yoruba, Udi, Jos, etc. Peaks: Vogel (2042 m), Shere (1735 m), Wadi (1698 m). North of the Jos Plateau the terrain declines into the Hausa High Plain.
Nigeria is one of the world's top ten oil exporters (reserves 22.5 billion barrels - about 3% of the world's total). Natural gas reserves are 124 trillion m3 (10th place in the world). The subsoil is rich in coal, uranium, iron ore, columbite, tin, lead, manganese, zinc, gold, tungsten, limestone, asbestos, graphite, kaolin, mica and other types of raw materials.
The soil in Nigeria is infertile. The coastal plain is covered with red-yellow laterite soils, the Yoruba Plateau and Northern Plateau are covered with red laterite soils, the northern lowland areas are covered with red-brown soils, and the northwestern areas are covered with black soils of dry savannas.
The climate is tropical, equatorial-monsoon. The arrival of the “dry season” or “rainy season” is determined by the tropical front, i.e. zone of contact of winds: blowing from the north, from the deserts, hot, dry and carrying a lot of dust “har-mattan” and humid monsoons originating in the south of the Atlantic. The maximum temperature of the “dry season” (December-January) on the coast with high humidity is +35°C, in the north with lower humidity +31°C, “rainy season” (April-May) +23°C and +18°C respectively. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in the Niger Delta and in the eastern part of the coast - up to 4000 mm, the least in the northeast, in the Maiduguri region - less than 600 mm per year. In the central part of the country their level is approx. 1200 mm per year, in the far north and northeast - up to 500 mm.
Nigeria is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Niger River, which connects with its main tributary, the Benue, in the center of the country. Other important rivers in the country are Sokoto, Kaduna, Anambra, Katsina Ala, Gongola, Ogun, Oshun, Imo and Cross. Lake Chad is located in the northeast.
A narrow strip of mangrove and freshwater swamps on the coast gives way to a forested zone (mahogany and oil palm) with tropical wet forests grading to deciduous dry tropical forests. The zone of wet (Guinean tall grass), park (with sparse trees - kaya, isoberlinia, mitragyna) and desert (dry Sudanese with characteristic umbrella acacias, baobabs and tamarinds, as well as thorny bushes) savannah occupies approx. 1/2 of the territory. The Hausa High Plain is a semi-desert.
Nigeria has 274 species of mammals, incl. elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses, leopards, hyenas, numerous species of antelope, scaly anteater, chimpanzee, gorilla, as well as other species of monkeys - monkeys, baboons, lemurs, etc. The swamps and tropical forests of the south of the country are home to a large number of snakes and crocodiles. The world of birds is bright and rich (over 680 species).
Population of Nigeria
Population growth 1.91% (2002 estimate). Fertility rate 39.22%, mortality 14.1%, infant mortality 72.49 people. per 1000 newborns. Life expectancy is 50.59 years, incl. women 50.6 and men 50.58 years. Age structure: 0-14 years - 43.6%, 15-64 years - 53.6%, 65 years and older - 2.8% of the population. In the entire population, there are 3% more men than women. The cities are inhabited by approx. 1/3 of the population, 57.1% of adults are literate, incl. 67.3% men and 47.3% women (est. 1995).
Ethnic composition of the population of St. 250 nations, the largest: Hausa-Fulani - 29%, Yoruba - 21%, Igbo - 18%, Ijaw - 10%, Ibibio - 3.5%, Tiv - 2.5%, Bini, etc. Languages - English, Among the more than 400 local languages and dialects, the main ones spoken are Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo.
OK. 50% of the population professes Islam (Nigeria belongs to the Organization of the Islamic Conference), 40% are Christians and 10% adherents of local religious beliefs.
History of Nigeria
In the 16th century Europeans entered what is now Nigeria. Its coast, which became the center of the slave trade, was called the “Slave Coast.” The colonization of Nigeria by Great Britain ended in the first decade of the 20th century. - in 1914, a single entity “Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria” arose within the modern borders (the northern part of British Cameroon was annexed to the country in 1961) of the Federation. Nigeria became an independent state on October 1, 1960, and on October 1, 1963, the Federal Republic of Nigeria was proclaimed.
The history of independent Nigeria is characterized by a continuous series of political crises, which are based on regional, ethnic and religious contradictions, intense personal rivalry among political leaders, rampant corruption, etc. Over the 43 years of independence, 10 regimes have changed in the country, incl. For 29 years, it was led by military leaders who seized power by force. Therefore, the military leadership was almost constantly faced with the question of returning the country to civilian rule.
The military entered the political arena of Nigeria in January 1966. They overthrew the government of the First Republic, but power passed to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major General A.J. Aguiyi-Ironsi, who declared Nigeria a unitary state. On July 29, 1966, a new military coup took place, and the country was led by Lieutenant Colonel (later General) Yakubu Gowon. Despite Nigeria's return to a federal structure, mass pogroms and the exodus of the Igbo from the Northern region, as well as the withdrawal from the federation of the Eastern region - the homeland of the Igbo and their creation of a separatist state - the "Republic of Biafra" (May 1967) led to a bloody internecine war (July 1967 - January 1970). The war took approx. 2 million lives and brought victory to supporters of federalism.
The “oil boom” (by the mid-1970s, Nigeria ranked 5th in the world in oil production and became one of the world’s leading exporters) contributed to economic growth and some stabilization of the situation in Nigeria. However, Gowon's inconsistency in transferring power to a civilian government led to his overthrow. The new head of the country, General Murtala R. Muhammad, dealt a major blow to corruption, carried out administrative reform and made a number of other important decisions, the main one of which was the development of a clear program for the transfer of power to a civilian government. It was carried out by his successor, General Olusegun Obasanjo, who in 1979 surrendered his powers to the democratically elected president of the Second Republic, Shehu Shagari.
On New Year's Eve 1994, the military junta of General M. Buhari overthrew the Shagari government. The next coup in August 1985 brought General I. Babangida to power, who managed to hold general elections in 1993, which Moshood Abiola won. However, an attempt to disavow their results led to the fall of Babangida’s regime, and power was transferred to the so-called. to the interim transitional government of E. Shonekan.
The Third Republic fell when, in October 1993, power in Abuja was seized by the “Stone Age tyrant” General Sani Abacha, whose rule was characterized by a sharp deterioration in the socio-economic situation in the country, increasing corruption and embezzlement, and rampant repression. Nigeria has found itself in a period of widespread international isolation. The death of the dictator in June 1998 gave impetus to the resumption of the democratic process. Already on May 29, 1999, the military regime transferred power in the country to the President of the Fourth Republic, O. Obasanjo, elected in the general elections. In April 2003, Obasanjo was re-elected president for a second term.
Government and political system of Nigeria
Nigeria is a republic, the Constitution of 1999 is in force.
Nigeria is a federation of 36 states (Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina , Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara), as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The largest cities: Lagos (13 million inhabitants), Ibadan, Ogbomosho, Kano, Oshogbo, Ilorin, Abeokuta, Port Harcourt, Zaria, Ilesha, Onicha, Iwo.
Government in Nigeria is carried out by three branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial. The highest legislative body is the National Assembly, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The highest body of executive power is the president, who is the head of state, the head of the executive power of the Federation, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation. The President appoints a member of the same political party from which he is running for the post of Vice President. Ministers of the National Executive Council - the government of the Federation - are appointed by the President and then confirmed by the Senate. Executive authorities include the State Council, which exercises advisory functions under the president. The head of state and the highest executive body is the president. O. Obasanjo took office for a second four-year term on May 29, 2003. Vice President - Atiku Abubakar.
The President and deputies of the National Assembly are elected for a term of 4 years. The President is elected for no more than two terms. A candidate must obtain at least 1/4 of the votes in elections in at least 2/3 of the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory. The Senate (109 members) consists of three senators from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory. The House of Representatives (360 members) is elected from constituencies of approximately equal population size. The Senate and House of Representatives have their own speaker and deputy, elected by senators and members of the house from among themselves.
Prominent political leaders of Nigeria:
Nnamdi Azikiwe is the first indigenous Governor-General of the independent Federation of Nigeria. (1960-63), first President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. (1963-66);
Tafawa Balewa - first prime minister of independent Nigeria (1960-66);
General Yakubu Gowon - head of the military regime (1966-75), returned and strengthened the federal structure of Nigeria, under his leadership the federal government won the internecine war of 1967-70;
General Murtala R. Muhammad - head of the military regime (1975-76), the most revered statesman in Nigeria. He launched a fight against corruption, carried out administrative reform, decided to move the capital to the geographical center of the country, and developed a schedule for the transfer of power to a civilian government;
General Olusegun Obasanjo - head of the military regime (1976-79), president of the Fourth Republic (1999 - present). During his first stay in power, he continued the initiatives of M. Muhammad and transferred (for the first time in Africa) power in the country to the legally elected civilian government of Shehu Shagari (1979-83). In 1999 and 2003 (re)democratically elected to the presidency. He brought the country out of political and economic isolation, ensured economic growth, gave a social orientation to government policy, created a legislative framework for the fight against corruption, etc.;
General Sani Abacha - head of the military regime, president (1993-98), introduced a tough police regime, launched repression, including the physical elimination of opponents, which led to a decline in the prestige and well-known isolation of Nigeria in the international arena; during his reign, Nigeria reached 1-1 1st place in the world in terms of the level of corruption of the state apparatus.
Executive power in the states is vested in governors, who are elected for a term of 4 years and must receive at least 1/4 of the votes in elections in at least 2/3 of local government areas.
There is a multi-party system in place. 30 parties were allowed to participate in the 2003 general elections (in 1999 - 3), but only the People's Democratic Party, the All-Nigeria People's Party, the Union for Democracy, the United People's Party of Nigeria, the National Democratic Party, and the People's Salvation Party are represented in the National Assembly.
Leading business organizations: National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture - NASSIMA, chambers of commerce and industry in all states of Nigeria, bilateral chambers of commerce and industry with leading foreign partners, etc. Among other public organizations, the Nigerian Labor Congress stands out.
The administration's internal policy is aimed at democratizing Nigerian society, fighting corruption, and resolving ethnic and religious differences. At the heart of modern economic and social policies are the tasks of reviving the declining economy, raising the standard of living of the population, returning Nigerians to productive work and creating new employment opportunities, orienting the country to benefit from economic globalization, and turning Nigeria into the center of the West African economy.
The government's foreign policy is aimed at strengthening the authority of the country, which is emerging from international isolation after a long period of military regimes in power. Priority attention is paid to the African direction. Obasanjo is one of the authors of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) document. The document attempts to encourage African countries towards closer regional and continental integration and, in particular, to make the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) an effective instrument in this process. Nigeria takes an active part in peacekeeping operations in the West African region. As the leader of the ECOWAS peacekeeping contingent, she made a major contribution to the successful completion of the military conflict in Liberia and is actively engaged in unblocking the crisis in Sierra Leone. Nigerians support the initiatives of UN Secretary General K. Anna to reform this organization and advocate giving Africa two seats as permanent members in the updated Security Council, while laying claim to one of them.
Nigeria's armed forces are the largest in sub-Saharan Africa. Their number is 76.5 thousand soldiers and officers (1999), incl. There are 62 thousand ground forces, 9.5 thousand air forces and 5 thousand naval forces. Recruitment is carried out on a voluntary basis. Nigeria actively participates in UN peacekeeping operations, incl. forms the basis of the UN military contingent in Liberia (since 1990) and Sierra Leone (1997-2000).
Economy of Nigeria
Nigeria is an agricultural country with a developed oil industry. Despite significant natural and human resources, the lack of political stability, corruption, as well as the extremely low level of management at the macroeconomic level led to a long period of stagnation of the national economy. The dynamics of the country's economic development during the years of independence were determined by the extensive industrial development of hydrocarbon resources and the decline in agricultural production. Within the framework of the international division of labor, Nigeria has lost its role as a leading supplier of certain types of agricultural raw materials to the world market, maintaining its monocultural character and raw material orientation. The economy has acquired a stable fuel and mineral specialization, becoming one of the world's main net exporters of oil.
The symbiosis of the modern and traditional (informal) sectors of the economy, the significant scale of “shadow” business, controlling up to 76% of GDP, complicate reliable statistical analysis and limit the assessment of trends in its development. In 2001, GDP was estimated to be equivalent to US$105.9 billion, i.e. OK. $840 per capita. Nigeria is classified as one of the least developed countries in the world. Approximately people live below the poverty line. 45% of the population (2000). Nevertheless, the average annual growth rate of GDP (on average 3% in the 1990s and 3.5% in 2001) slightly exceeded the population growth rate, and there was a tendency for the country to slowly emerge from the period of economic stagnation. Inflation remained high (14.9% in 2001), which prevented stabilization at the macroeconomic level.
In the sectoral structure of the economy, agriculture accounts for 39% of GDP (2000), and employs the vast majority of the economically active population - 70% (1999). For industry, these figures are 33 and 10%, respectively, for the service sector - 28 and 20%.
Agriculture has been in deep decline over the past decades, having lost the ability to adequately provide the country's population with food and other products, as well as produce marketable products, the export of which would provide the country with significant foreign exchange earnings. Droughts and crop failures in the 1960s, increased migration from rural to urban areas, as well as increased income from the exploitation of oil resources, which made it possible to reorient the tastes of the population towards imported food, led to stagnation of the industry. The rise of agricultural production is hampered by an inadequate land use system: there are very few large modern agro-industrial enterprises in the country and the main production is concentrated on small farms while maintaining communal land ownership, which in northern Nigeria is complicated by the presence of feudal remnants. In combination with low soil fertility, inaccessibility of irrigation and the use of fertilizers, unsatisfactory marketing practices have also become a brake, leading to the formation of low purchase prices for agricultural products.
Agriculture in Nigeria produces commercial (export) crops, incl. (thousand tons, 2000) cocoa beans - 225, peanuts - 2783, soybeans - 372 (Nigeria occupies one of the leading places in Africa in their production), as well as oil palm products, cotton, rubber, sugar cane. Food crops are also grown for domestic consumption, incl. yam - 25,873, cassava - 32,697, corn - 5476, sorghum - 7520, millet - 5960, rice - 3277, etc.
Among cash crops, only cocoa continues to play a significant role in the country's commodity exports. Nigeria is one of the leading producers of cocoa beans and cocoa products, 4th in the world after Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia. The steady demand for Nigerian cocoa on the world market is explained primarily by its special taste.
The development of agricultural production and exports is among the priorities of the civil government, which is launching a massive campaign to achieve complete self-sufficiency in agricultural products and expand the volume of its exports across a wide range, incl. by ensuring guaranteed purchase prices, lending to producers, improving planting material, improving storage methods for products, using chemical fertilizers, etc.
The basis of livestock farming is (thousand heads, 2000): cattle - 19,830, goats - 24,300 and, to a lesser extent, sheep - 20,500. Most livestock farms, with approx. 90% of the livestock are located in the far north of the country, in the Sudan belt, in a zone of high-grass savannahs that serve as good pastures and are characterized by the absence of tsetse flies. The role of pig farming (4855 thousand heads) and poultry farming (126 million units, 2000) is increasing.
Fishing and seafood production are carried out in the waters of the coastal shelf of the Gulf of Guinea, in Lake Chad, in lagoons, rivers, as well as numerous water streams in the river delta. Niger. The fish catch reaches approx. 250 thousand tons (40% of the country's needs).
The petroleum industry is a leading sector of the Nigerian economy, producing approx. 20% of GDP, provided by approx. 65% of budget revenues and 95% of foreign currency earnings from foreign economic transactions. In accordance with the OPEC quota, Nigeria produces 2.0-2.1 million barrels. oil per day.
Exploration, development and production of oil both in the continental part of the country and on the coastal shelf are carried out mainly by joint companies formed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and foreign oil corporations, among which the leading place is occupied by Royal Dutch Shell (40-50% of production) , as well as Exxon, ENI, Agip, Elf Aquitaine, etc. Along with equity participation, financing of the oil industry is also carried out through the sale of NNOC's share in a number of such enterprises, carried out as part of the privatization program, as well as on the basis of production sharing contracts.
The gas industry has the potential to become another source of foreign exchange earnings. While Nigeria is forced to burn up to 75% of the gas accompanying oil production, approx. 12% of its quantity is pumped back into oil wells and only approx. 13% is used for industrial and domestic needs.
In 2000, the installed capacity of the Nigerian electricity sector was approx. 5900 MW, 15.9 billion kWh produced, incl. 64% of electricity comes from thermal power plants and 36% from hydroelectric power plants. The country's electric power industry is characterized by disruptions in the supply of electricity to consumers, incl. its periodic shutdowns. On a small scale (19 million kWh, 2000), Nigeria exports electricity to neighboring countries.
The capacity of the coal industry allows the annual production of approx. 150 thousand tons of coal. Other branches of the mining industry are also developed. Iron ore, tin concentrate, bauxite, columbite, copper and gold are produced. Among non-metallic minerals, bentonite, gypsum, magnesite, phosphates, talc, and barite are developed. Precious and semi-precious stones are mined in small quantities: sapphires, topazes and aquamarines.
The manufacturing industry is based on the principle of import substitution and is mainly limited to the production of consumer goods. Considering the high import component in raw materials and semi-finished products (approx. 60%), in the last two decades the capacity of manufacturing enterprises has been used at 25-30%. These include automobile assembly, metallurgy, certain types of textile industry, production of sugar, paper, plastics, etc.
The main type of transport is automobile, providing 95% of cargo and passenger transportation. In 2001, Nigeria's highway network reached 193.2 thousand km, incl. 59.9 thousand are paved roads, of which 1,194 km are expressways, and 133.3 thousand km are dirt roads.
The total length of railways is 3557 km (2001). Of these, 3505 km are narrow gauge (track width - 1067 mm) and only 52 km have a standard gauge (1435 mm). Two main railway lines stretch from south to north: Western, connecting Lagos with Nguru, and Eastern, Port Harcourt with Maiduguri. The first highway has a branch connecting Zaria to Kano. In addition, in the center of the country the highways are connected to each other by a section of track.
Nigeria has developed port systems, incl. the Delta port complex, including Warri, Koko and Sapele, the Tin Can and Apapa ports in Lagos, as well as ports in Port Harcourt, Calabar, Onne. Bonny and Burutu have ports for oil shipments. In 2002, the country's merchant fleet had St. 43 vessels with a displacement of 1000 tons and above, incl. 6 Foreign Ships Using the Nigerian Flag of Convenience. The fleet includes 29 oil tankers, one specialized tanker and four chemical tankers, 7 dry cargo carriers, one bulk carrier and a container ship. The length of river routes within the framework of inland water transport is 8575 km.
Pipeline transport is represented by oil pipelines with a length of 2042 km, oil product pipelines - 3000 km and gas pipelines - 500 km.
The country has five international airports: Lagos (named after Murtala Muhammad), Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Calabar. In addition, the country has up to 14 airports for local traffic. There are several civil airlines operating in the country.
There are 83 medium-wave, 36 ultra-short-wave and 11 short-wave radio stations (2001), 3 television stations, incl. 2 stations and 15 repeaters under state control (2002), 23.5 million radios and 6.9 million televisions are in use (1997), there are 500 thousand telephone lines (2000), 200 thousand cellular subscribers (2001), 11 Internet providers and 100 thousand Internet users (2000).
There are more than 90 commercial, trading and industrial banks operating in Nigeria. In addition to them, there are numerous financial organizations. At the head of the banking system is the Central Bank of Nigeria, which is responsible for developing monetary policy and exercises control over the banking system.
Nigeria's public debt, estimated at the beginning. 2003, amounted to 5.3 trillion naira (approx. 42.2 billion US dollars), incl. internal debt - 1.6 trillion (12.7 billion) and external - 3.7 trillion naira (29.5 billion US dollars). The civilian government advocates for foreign debt relief from the world's poorest countries, including Nigeria.
Nigerians assign one of the important places in the foreign economic sphere to the diversification of trade relations and the search for new partners, as well as foreign investors.
Science and culture of Nigeria
The Nigerian Academy of Sciences was established in 1977 - ca. 100 active members. Scientific research is coordinated by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Along with special scientific centers (such as the Institute of Tropical Agriculture), there are research centers at universities, as well as at ministries and departments of the country.
Since 1982, the Nigerian education system has been built in accordance with the “6-3-3-4” formula. From the age of 6, children receive primary education for six years (compulsory since 1992), then three years of secondary and three years of higher secondary education. Along with higher secondary schools, there are 56 teachers' colleges and 26 polytechnics. Four-year higher education is represented by 33 universities. The task has been set to completely eradicate illiteracy. Education is mainly funded by the state.
Nigeria is a country of ancient culture: the terracotta sculpture of the “Nok culture”, the bronze of Benin and Ife, as well as other cultural monuments, are widely represented in the museums of Lagos, Ife, Kano and other cities of the country with a rich exhibition.
Nigeria is one of the literary centers of the African continent. Along with the traditions of oral folk art, English-language literature developed. Nigeria is the homeland of Nobel Prize winner in literature (1986), playwright and poet Wole Soyinka. The names of such Nigerian writers as Chinua Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi, Christopher Okigbo, Ken Saro-Wiwa and others are world famous.
Nigeria is located in West Africa. It is the most populous state on the continent and one of its most powerful economies. This article will discuss the state structure of Nigeria, population, linguistic features, major cities and attractions of the country.
Nigeria on the map of Africa: features of geographical location
The country's area is 924 thousand square kilometers (10th largest on the continent in size). The state is located on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea (region - West Africa). Nigeria borders four other countries: Niger, Benin, Cameroon and Chad. It is curious that the border with the latter country is exclusively water - it runs along the lake of the same name.
853 kilometers - this is exactly the total length of the coastline of the state of Nigeria. You can also see on the map that the coast of the country is densely indented with deep bays, lagoons and numerous channels. According to them, by the way, ships can pass from the border with Benin all the way to the border with Cameroon without going into the World Ocean. The largest ports in Nigeria are Lagos, Port Harcourt, Bonny.
The country's two largest rivers (Niger and its left tributary Benue) divide Nigeria into two parts: southern (flat) and northern (slightly elevated, plateau). The highest point, Mount Chappal Waddy (2419 meters), is located near the border with Cameroon.
Capital of Nigeria and largest cities
There are currently two hundred cities in Nigeria. Ten of them can be considered millionaires.
Lagos is the largest city not only in Nigeria, but throughout Africa. According to various estimates, from 10 to 21 million people live in it. Until 1991, it was the capital of Nigeria. About 50% of the country's total industrial potential is still concentrated here.
About 100 kilometers north of Lagos there is another large city - Ibadan. It is home to at least 2.5 million people, most of whom are representatives of the Yoruba people. In northern Nigeria, the largest population center is Kano.
The capital of Nigeria, Abuja, is only the eighth most populous in the state. By the end of the twentieth century, Lagos was severely overpopulated. Therefore, the country's authorities decided to move the capital inland. The choice fell on the small town of Abuja, located within the picturesque Jos Plateau. Specialist architects from Japan were invited to design the new capital. Today, Abuja is home to the residence of the country's president, government offices, a university and several research institutes.
Features of government
De jure, the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a democratic multi-party state, although de facto all power in the country belongs to one People's Democratic Party (PDP). The Nigerian Parliament consists of two chambers. The total number of deputies is 469 people. Parliament is re-elected every four years.
The President of Nigeria is considered the head of state and leads. He is elected for four years by direct and secret popular vote.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria gained its independence in 1960. Before that, it was one of the British colonies. The modern country is divided into 36 states and one capital territory.
Coat of arms, flag and national currency
“Unity and faith, peace and progress” is the slogan that contains the official coat of arms of Nigeria, approved in 1979. It looks like a black shield with a white fork-shaped cross in the center. From the configuration of this cross one can guess the direction (drawing) of the two main rivers of Nigeria on the map - Niger and Benue. The shield is supported on both sides by silver horses, and a red eagle sits proudly above it - a symbol of strength and greatness. The coat of arms of Nigeria is located on a green clearing, which is dotted with the national flower of this country - Costus spectabilis.
It was approved even earlier - in October 1960. The cloth consists of three vertical stripes - white in the center (symbolizing peace) and two green on the sides (symbolizing the natural resources of Nigeria). This version was developed by Michael Akinkunmi, a student at the University of Ibadan. His original design also featured the sun on the white stripe, but the commission decided to remove this element.
The national currency of Nigeria is the Nigerian naira, which includes coins and banknotes of different denominations. On the money of this African country you can see various traditional images: women with jugs on their heads, local folk drummers, fishermen and buffalos, as well as some natural attractions. The Nigerian coin is called kobo.
Population, religions and languages
About 180 million people inhabit Nigeria today. Demographers predict that by the middle of this century the state could become one of the top five world leading countries in terms of population (currently Nigeria ranks only seventh in this indicator). On average, one Nigerian woman gives birth to 4-5 children in her lifetime.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria does not have very rosy demographic indicators. Thus, the country ranks third in the world in terms of HIV infection, 10th in terms of level. In terms of average life expectancy, Nigeria is 220th in the world.
The country has a very complex religious composition of the population: 40% are Christians, 50% are Muslims. On this basis, clashes, murders and terrorist attacks often occur in the state. One of the main sources of religious terror in Nigeria is the radical organization Boko Haram, which advocates the introduction of Sharia law throughout the country.
More than 500 languages are spoken in Nigeria. The most common of them are Efik, Yoruba, Edo, Igba, Hausa. They are mainly used for private communication, some are even studied in schools (in certain regions of the country). The official language of Nigeria is English.
Economy and standard of living in Nigeria
Nigeria's modern economy can be summed up in one word: oil. The largest deposits in all of Africa have been explored here. The national economy, income and financial system of the republic are closely connected with the extraction of this natural wealth. Nigeria's state budget is filled by 80% from the sale of oil and petroleum products.
Despite the presence of rich deposits of "black gold", Nigerians live extremely poorly. More than 80% of the country's population lives on two dollars a day. At the same time, the state faces a very acute problem of water and electricity shortages.
An important component of the national economy is the tourism sector. There is a lot to see in Nigeria: virgin tropical forests, savannas, waterfalls and a huge number of historical and cultural monuments. However, the development of tourism infrastructure remains at a very low level.
Industry and foreign trade
About 70% of Nigeria's working population is employed in the industrial sector. Here they mine oil, coal and tin, produce cotton, rubber products, textiles, palm oil and cement. The food and chemical industries, as well as the production of footwear, are developed.
Oil was discovered in Nigeria at the beginning of the twentieth century. Its production today is carried out by a number of transnational corporations, as well as the National Oil Company of the country. Only a third of the “black gold” extracted from the depths is sent for export - to the USA and Western European countries.
Of course, the lion's share of Nigeria's exports is oil and petroleum products (almost 95%). Cocoa and rubber are also exported abroad. Nigeria's main trading partners are the USA, Brazil, India, China, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Tourism in Nigeria: features, nuances, dangers
Why is Nigeria attractive to tourists? First of all - its beautiful nature. In this country you can admire waterfalls, go into real jungles or go on a safari through the savannah. Prices for excursions are usually very low. Local residents do not advise tourists to visit the Niger Delta, as well as the northern regions of the country, where the radical organization Boko Haram is very active.
In general, there are several factors that greatly hinder the development of tourism in the republic. This:
- significant poverty of the population;
- high crime rate;
- frequent religious conflicts and terrorist attacks;
- bad roads.
Nevertheless, tourists come to Nigeria and leave about $10 billion annually.
The Nigerian Embassy is located in Moscow, on Malaya Nikitskaya Street, 13.
Main tourist attractions of the country
In the Republic of Nigeria there are two sites that are under the protection of UNESCO: the Sukur cultural ball and the Osun-Osogbo grove.
In the vicinity of the city of Oshogbo, on the banks of the Osun River, there is a unique grove in which you can see sculptures, shrines and other works of art of the Yoruba people. In 2005 it became UNESCO. The grove, in addition to its historical and cultural value, also has natural value. It is one of the few areas of "high forest" remaining in southern Nigeria. About 400 plant species grow here.
The capital of the state, Abuja, is also interesting for tourists. The most impressive buildings in this city are the Central Bank building and the National Mosque. The last one was built in 1984. This is a huge building with a large central dome and four minarets, the height of which reaches 120 meters. It is interesting that non-Muslims can also enter this mosque.
Conclusion
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is located in West Africa and has wide access to the Atlantic Ocean. The main wealth of the country is oil, the production of which is the basis for the entire economy of the state.
Nigeria has a population of 180 million (as of 2015). About 80% of them live below the poverty line. There are 500 languages spoken in Nigeria, although English is the official language.
Total
% water surface
923,768 km²
1,4
Grade ()
Density
152,217,341 people (8th)
167 people/km²
Total()
Per capita
206.7 billion (30th)
1 324
Story
On October 1, 1960, Nigeria became an independent state. The first government of independent Nigeria was based on a coalition of the parties NSNC and SNK, the representative of the SNK, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, became prime minister. After Nigeria was declared a republic in 1963, Nnamdi Azikiwe (representative of the NUIS) took over as president. The opposition was represented by the Action Group led by Obafemi Awolowo. Regional governments were headed by: in the North - the leader of the NNC, Ahmadu Bello, in the West - S. Akintola from the Action Group and in the East - the representative of the CNIS, M. Okpara. In 1963, a fourth region, the Midwest, was created in the eastern part of Western Nigeria. In the elections held in 1964 in this region, the NSIS won.
Geographical information
General geography
The country's highest point, Mount Chappal Waddy (2419 m), is located in Taraba state near the Nigerian-Cameroon border.
North of the Maritime Plain, the country's territory turns into a low plateau - the Yoruba plateau to the west of the Niger River and the Udi plateau to the east. Next is the Northern Plateau, the height of which varies from 400-600 m to more than 1000 m. The highest is the central part of the plateau - the Jos Plateau, the highest point of which is Mount Shere (1735 m). In the northwest, the Northern Plateau passes into the Sokoto Plain, in the northeast into the Born Plain
Cities
In Nigeria, at least six cities have populations of more than 1 million (Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Benin City). Lagos is home to more than 10 million people and is one of the largest cities in Africa and the world.
State structure
Technically, Nigeria is a multi-party republic, but it is also believed that in reality the People's Democratic Party (PDP) controls almost all levers of power.
Legislature
Bicameral National Assembly (National Assembly, the National Assembly).
The upper house is the Senate (109 seats). Senators are elected by a majority system in 36 three-member and one single-member districts. The President of the Senate is elected by indirect voting from the senators.
Lower house - House of Representatives (360 seats). Deputies are elected using a majority system of relative majority. The term of office of all deputies is 4 years.
73 seats in the Senate and 213 in the House of Representatives are controlled by the pro-presidential People's Democratic Party (PDP) (centrists). The All People's Party (Conservatives) has 28 and 95 seats, respectively.
Executive branch
The president is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He is elected by direct universal suffrage for a term of 4 years and can hold office for no more than two consecutive terms. In May 2006, the Senate refused to approve a constitutional amendment allowing the president to serve a third term.
Armed forces
The total strength of the Nigerian Armed Forces is 85 thousand people.
Ground forces - 67 thousand people; five divisions (2 mechanized infantry, 1 tank, 1 amphibious landing, 1 airborne amphibious landing), as well as a guards brigade (stationed in the capital).
Air Force - 10 thousand people. (according to foreign experts, the aircraft fleet is not combat-ready).
Naval forces - 8 thousand people; 1 frigate, 1 corvette, 2 missile boats, 3 patrol vessels.
Foreign policy
Administrative division
Nigeria is divided into 36 states. state) and one Federal Capital Territory ( Federal Capital Territory), which in turn are divided into 774 local government areas ( Local Government Area, LGA) .
| States Nigeria | ||
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Population
Peoples of Nigeria
Nigeria's population is 152.2 million (estimated as of July 2010, 8th place in the world).
Annual growth - 2%.
Fertility - 4.8 births per woman.
Infant mortality - 93 per 1000 (11th highest in the world).
Average life expectancy is 46 years for men, 48 years for women (220th place in the world).
Infection with the immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is 3.1% (2007 estimate, 2.6 million people - 3rd place in the world).
Ethnic composition: more than 250 aboriginal peoples and tribes. The largest ethnic groups are: Yoruba - 21%, Hausa and Fulani - 29%, Igbo - 18%.
Religions: about 50.4% of the population are Muslims (Hausa and part of the Yoruba), 48.2% are Christians (Igbo and most of the Yoruba), the rest adhere to traditional beliefs.
Literacy of the population over 15 years of age is 68% (2003 estimate).
Languages
The official language of Nigeria is English; Edo, Efik, Adawama Fulfulde, Hausa, Idoma, Igba, Central Kanuri, and Yoruba are also widely spoken among the population. In total, there are 527 languages in Nigeria, of which 514 are living, 2 are second without native speakers, 11 are dead. Nigerian dead languages include Ayawa, Basa-Gumna, Holma, Auyokawa, Gamo-Ningi, Kpati, Mawa, Kubi and Teshenawa.
Local languages are used mainly for communication and in the media, and some languages are also taught in schools. The majority of the country's population speaks two or more languages.
For various Nigerian languages in the 1980s. A pan-Nigerian alphabet based on the Latin was developed.
Religion in Nigeria
The majority of Nigerians are Muslims - more than 50%, Protestants - 33%, Catholics - 15%. There are two dominant religions in Nigeria. Islam dominates in the north of the country, and is also widespread in the southwestern part, among the Yoruba people. Protestantism and indigenous syncretic Christianity are also common among the Yoruba, while Catholicism is predominant among the Igbo people. Protestantism and Catholicism are practiced by the following peoples: Ibibio, Annang (English) Russian and efik. Twelve states in Nigeria have Sharia law.
Religious clashes in Nigeria
Religious clashes occur between members of different religious groups, such as Muslims and Christians. The Nigerian government is also involved in the conflict, regularly sending troops and police to stop the massacres. The northern part of Nigeria (where the majority is Muslim) has lived under Sharia law since 1999.
Culture
Cinema
Nigeria has the second-largest production of feature films in the world (872 films in 2006), second only to India (1,091 films) and ahead of the United States (485 films). . The Nigerian film industry is called Nollywood by analogy with Hollywood. The average cost of producing a feature film in Nigeria is about $15,000.
Economy
Rich in oil, Nigeria has long suffered from political instability, corruption, poor infrastructure and poor economic management. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its complete dependence on the oil sector, which accounts for 95% of foreign exchange earnings and 80% of government revenue. In the last few years, the government has begun to carry out reforms, in particular the privatization of the country's largest oil refineries, and abolished government regulation of prices for petroleum products. The government is also encouraging private sector development of infrastructure in the country.
GDP per capita in 2009 was $2.4 thousand (13th place in Black Africa, 177th place in the world). Below the poverty level - 70% of the population. 70% of workers are employed in agriculture, 10% in industry, and 20% in the service sector.
Tourism
Tourism is one of the important components of the country's budget. The country has tropical forests, savannas, waterfalls, and many sites of cultural and historical significance. However, a number of regions of the country suffer from power shortages, poor quality roads and dirty drinking water.
Connection
Communications are rapidly developing; there are over 73 million mobile subscribers in the country.
Agriculture
Cocoa, peanuts, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber are cultivated; livestock is raised: sheep, goats, pigs; fishing is developed.
Industry
Extraction of oil, coal, tin, columbite; production of palm oil, cotton, rubber, timber; processing of hides and leather, textile production; cement and other building materials; food industry; shoe production; chemical products and fertilizers; aluminum production.
Oil industry
Oil was discovered in Nigeria in 1901. Industrial development of the deposits began in 1956.
The oil sector provides Nigeria with up to 20% of GDP, up to 95% of export earnings and provides up to 80% of budget revenues. In 2003, oil revenues amounted to about $22 billion. By 2006, Nigeria's oil income reached 2.4 billion euros, and Nigeria itself was in 6th place in oil production in the world
Nigeria is one of the main suppliers of oil to Western Europe and is the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to the United States. In June 2004, Nigerian oil supplies to the United States reached 1.2 million barrels per day, representing 9.3% of American crude oil imports.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the activities of foreign companies have been hampered by non-governmental armed groups, such as MEND, Bakassi Boys, African Egbesu Boys, Niger Delta People's Volunteers, carrying out explosions and taking foreign workers (expats) hostage. In 2009, amid the global recession, it was reported that attacks by Nigerian militants on oil production facilities were having a significant impact on world oil market prices.
International trade
Exports in 2009 - $45.4 billion - oil and oil products (95%), cocoa, rubber.
The main buyers are the USA 42%, Brazil 9.5%, India 9%, Spain 7.3%, France 5.1%.
Imports in 2009 - $42.1 billion - industrial products, chemical products, vehicles, consumer goods, food.
The main suppliers are China 16.1%, the Netherlands 11.3%, the USA 9.8%, the UK 6.2%, South Korea 6.1%, France 5.1%, Germany 4.4%.
Transport and communications
The Nigerian satellite "Nigeria Sat-1" was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in September 2003 to participate in the international Earth monitoring system - "Disaster Monitoring Constellation".
Nigeria has become the third (after South Africa and Algeria) country on the continent to have its own spacecraft.
Currency unit
File:0.5-1-2 Naira.jpg
Nigerian coins
The Nigerian naira was introduced into circulation in the country on January 1, 1973, replacing the Nigerian pound.
Crime
Kidnappings of foreign citizens for ransom are quite common in Nigeria. Most kidnappings occur in oil-bearing areas in the south and southeast of the country. Rebel groups are active here, opposing the extraction of Nigerian hydrocarbons by foreign corporations.
Sport
The national sport, as in many countries, is football. The football team has achieved significant success, taking part in four World Cups in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010, and winning the African Cup in 1980 and 1994. In 1996, Nigeria won gold at the Olympics, defeating Argentina in the final. In 2005, the Nigerian national team played in the final of the World Under-20 Football Championship. In 2007, Nigeria won the World Under-17 Football Championship for the third time (Brazil has the same number of victories). Many Nigerian footballers play in European championships.
see also
Notes
- Riots in Nigeria continue to claim thousands of lives
- 138 people have already died in religious clashes in Nigeria
- Muslims and Christians clash in Nigeria
- In Nigeria, clashes between Christians and Muslims, in which hundreds of citizens of the country recently died, have stopped
- Nigerias Mächtige rüsten zum Showdown (German)
- Entsetzen über Massaker an Christen in Nigeria (German)
- Nigerian President Yar'Adua is dead, says state TV (English)
- Lenta.ru: In the world: The results of the presidential elections provoked unrest in Nigeria (Russian)
- CIA The World Factbook. Nigeria (English). Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Afrikas Riese gerät ins Schlingern (German)
- ICFNL Constitution Of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
- UN List of UN member states (Russian). Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2008.
- Nationsencyclopedia.com Nigeria. International cooperation (English) . Retrieved September 9, 2008.
- Statoids States of Nigeria (English). Archived
- Ethnologue Languages of Nigeria (English). Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved September 6, 2008.
- Mapsofworld.com Nigerian Language (English). Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 3, pp. 810-811)
- http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf
- Nigeria: Facts and figures, BBC News(April 17, 2007).
- Analysis of the UIS International Survey on Feature Film Statistics
- African movie spam. Lenta.ru (Russian)
- Archibong, Maurice. Nigeria: Gold mine waiting to be tapped, The Sun Online, The Sun Publishing Ltd.(March 18, 2004).
- Nigeria starts taking tourism sector seriously, afrol.com, afrol News.
- Nigeria's oil revenues reach €2.4 billion
- “Oil prices have increased significantly,” RosBusinessConsulting dated June 30: “Oil prices have risen amid another attack by Nigerian militants on Royal Dutch Shell oil production facilities.”
- Nigerian rebels kidnapped two German citizens. Lenta.ru (April 19, 2010). Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
Links
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Useful information for tourists about Nigeria, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of Nigeria, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions in Nigeria.
Geography of Nigeria
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a state in West Africa. It borders in the west with Benin, in the north with Niger, in the northeast with Chad, and in the east with Cameroon.
The Niger and Benue rivers divide the country into two parts: the coastal plain is located in the southern part, and low plateaus predominate in the northern part. The highest point in the country, Mount Chappal Vaddi (2419 m), is located in Taraba state near the Nigerian-Cameroon border.
State
State structure
Nigeria is a presidential republic. The president is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. A bicameral national assembly (Congress), consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Language
Official language: English
There are about 400 local languages and dialects, the most common languages being Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo.
Religion
About 50% of the country's population are Muslims, 40% are Christians (the majority are Protestants), about 10% of Nigerians adhere to traditional African beliefs (animalism, fetishism, cult of ancestors, forces of nature, etc.)
Currency
International name: NGN
Naira is equal to 100 kobo. The circulation of other currencies is officially prohibited, although in reality almost all hard currencies in the world are accepted in markets and private shops.
Using credit cards and tourist traveler's checks is difficult and is only possible in the capital. Currency exchange can only be done in banks and official exchange offices.
Tourism in Nigeria
Purchases
Everywhere, both in the market and in stores, you can and should bargain.