NIGERIA

LOCATION

Nigeria is in West Africa. The neighbours is Niger, Cameroon, Benin and the Atlantic Ocean. With an area of 932,768 kilometers2 it is the 14.biggest country in Africa.

Nigeria is the must populated country in Africa, It has one of the highest population densities in the world. 1 out of every 5 africans is a Nigerian.

The two major rivers that flow through Nigeria is Niger and Benue, they somekind "devide" the country into a Y.. inside this Y you can say that the three biggest sektions is: Yorubaland, Hausaland and Igboland.

STATES & CAPITALS

Nigeria is a Federal Republic consisting of 36 states.The capital is Abuja, but it was Lagos which was the capital until 1991. But however Lagos is still referred by many as the capital.

HISTORY

Nigeria has been under military rule since 1983. The military government has begun the process of transition to elected democratic government. This will culminate on 29th May 1999 with the handing over of administration at all levels of goverment to elected civilians in all States of the federation.

There are three political parties registered in Nigeria. These arePeoples Democratic Party (PDP),All People's Party (APP) and Alliance for Democracy (AD).

THE GOVERMENT

The country operates a presidential system of government with an executive president as Head of State and Government. Each of the 36 states are headed by an Executive Governor, while the 543 local governments are chairpersons. The federal capital territory is headed by a mayor.

LAND & CLIMATE

The average maximuntemperature is around 35 degrees in the North and 31 degress in the south. The average minimumtemperature is around 23 degress in the South and 18 degrees in the North.

Rainy season starts around May until September in the North, and about March to November in the South and then the dry season from around november to march. In the South, there is also a period around December till January called the Harmattan season, during which it can get cold,dry and windy.

POPULATION

Nigeria is the most populous black country in the world, - with numbers close to about 100 million people ore even more, nobody really know the right number The population will (as It look now)double every 20 years, and the presure on the ressources of the contry have been rising in the nearly 30 years that nigeria have been existing as a independence Contry. !.

Nigeria belong to more than 380 ethnic groups. Within these ethnic or language groups, there are different dialects. Members of each group are normally concentrated in one area. Now, many Nigerians live in different parts of the country and speak the language of their host.

There are three major groups with over 10 million people: Hausa-Fulani in the north, Yoruba in the sou thwest, and the Igbos in the southeast. These three dominate the regions in which they are found. Other big groups is: Kanuri, Tiv, Edo, Nupe, Ibibio and Ijaw. These ten groups amount to 80% of the hole population in Nigeria.

THE LANGUAGES

English is the official language of Nigeria, but there is around 400 dialects. The most spoken is: The Yoruba language that is widely spoken in the southwestern states. The Igbo language that is spoken in the southeastern states and the Hausa that is spoken in all of the states in the northern part of Nigeria.

RELIGION

Nigeria is a highly religious contry. There is no state religion. In all states of the federation, Christianity and Islam exist, but it is mostly in the North that the Muslims are living and the Christianize in the South.. The religions in Nigeria are approximately 45% Christian, 45% Muslim, and about 10% 'everything else', including traditional religions and beliefs. Churches and Mosques are found within a stone throw of another. There is, ho wever, a significant population that still practices traditional ways of worship.

The National Pledge

I pledge to Nigeria my country

To be faithfully loyal and honest

To serve Nigeria with all my strength

To defend her honor and glory

So help me God.