The Federal Republic of Nigeria is located in West Africa. This is the most populated state on the continent and one of its most powerful economies. This article will focus on the state structure of Nigeria, the population, language features, major cities and attractions of the country.
Nigeria on a map of Africa: geographic features
The area of the country is 924 thousand square kilometers (10th place 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 last country is exclusively water - it passes along the lake of the same name.
853 kilometers - this is exactly the total length of the coastline of the state of Nigeria. On the map you can also see that the country's coast is densely indented with deep bays, lagoons and numerous channels. According to them, by the way, ships can pass from the border with Benin and up to the border with Cameroon, without leaving the oceans. The largest ports of Nigeria are Lagos, Port Harcourt, Bonnie.
The two largest rivers of the country (Niger and its left tributary Benue) divide Nigeria into two parts: southern (plain) and northern (slightly elevated, plateau). The highest point - Mount Chappal-Waddy (2419 meters) - is located near the border with Cameroon.
The capital of Nigeria and the largest cities
In Nigeria today, there are two hundred cities. 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 is another major city - Ibadan. At least 2.5 million people live in it, most of which are representatives of the Yoruba people. In northern Nigeria, the largest settlement is Kano.
The capital of Nigeria, the city of Abuja, is only the eighth in terms of population in the state. By the end of the twentieth century, Lagos was very crowded. Therefore, the country's authorities decided to move the capital inland. The choice fell on the small town of Abuju, located within the picturesque plateau of Jos. To design a new capital, invited architects from Japan. Today, the residence of the president of the country is located in Abuja, there are 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 Parliament of Nigeria has 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 the armed forces. 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 metropolitan area.
Coat of arms, flag and national currency
“Unity and faith, peace and progress” - this is the slogan that contains the official emblem of Nigeria, approved in 1979. It looks like a black shield with a white fork-shaped cross in the center. According to the configuration of this cross, one can guess the direction (figure) of the two main rivers of Nigeria on the map - Niger and Benue. Silver horses support the shield on both sides, and a red eagle proudly sits above it - a symbol of strength and greatness. The coat of arms of Nigeria is located in a green meadow, which is dotted with the national flower of this country - Costus spectabilis.
The flag of Nigeria was approved even earlier - in October 1960. The canvas consists of three vertical stripes - white in the center (symbolizes the world) and two green on the sides (symbol of the natural wealth of Nigeria). This option was developed by a student at Ibadan University, Michael Akinkunmi. In his original project, the sun was also on the white strip, but the commission decided to remove this element.
The national currency of Nigeria is the Nigerian naira, which includes coins and banknotes of various 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 buffaloes, as well as some natural attractions. The coin of Nigeria 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 can enter the top five world leaders in terms of population (now Nigeria is only seventh in this indicator). On average, one Nigerian woman gives birth to 4-5 children in her life.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria does not have very good demographic indicators. So, the country ranks third in the world in terms of HIV infection, 10th in terms of infant mortality. In terms of average life expectancy, Nigeria is the 220th in the world.
The country has a very difficult religious composition: 40% are Christians, 50% are Muslims. On this basis, clashes, killings 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 throughout the country.
Nigeria communicates in more than 500 languages. The most common of them are efik, yoruba, edo, igba, house. Mostly they are used for private communication, some are studied even in schools (in certain regions of the country). The official language of Nigeria is English.
Economy and standard of living in Nigeria
The modern economy of Nigeria can be described in one single word: oil. The largest deposits in all of Africa have been explored here. The national economy, incomes and financial system of the republic are closely related to the extraction of this natural wealth. The state budget of Nigeria is 80% filled through the sale of oil and petroleum products.
Despite the presence of rich deposits of "black gold", Nigerians live extremely poorly. Over 80% of the country's population lives on two dollars a day. Moreover, the problem of water and electricity shortages is very acute in the state.
An important component of the national economy is the tourism sector. In Nigeria there is something to see: virgin rainforests, savannahs, 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 the working population of Nigeria is employed in the industrial sector. It produces oil, coal and tin, produces cotton, rubber products, textiles, palm oil and cement. Developed food, chemical industry, as well as the production of shoes.
Oil in Nigeria was discovered at the beginning of the twentieth century. Today, a number of multinational corporations, as well as the National Oil Company of the country, are engaged in its production. Only a third of the “black gold” extracted from the bowels is exported - to the USA and countries of Western Europe.
Of course, the lion's share of Nigeria's exports is oil and petroleum products (almost 95%). Cocoa and rubber are also exported abroad. The main trading partners of Nigeria are the USA, Brazil, India, China, the Netherlands, Spain.
Tourism in Nigeria: features, nuances, dangers
Why is Nigeria attractive for tourists? First of all, by its beautiful nature. In this country you can admire waterfalls, go to the real jungle or go on a savannah safari. Prices for excursions are usually very low. Locals 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 impede the development of tourism in the country. It:
- significant poverty of the population;
- high crime rate;
- frequent religious conflicts and terrorist attacks;
- bad roads.
Nevertheless, tourists come to Nigeria and leave here about 10 billion dollars annually.
The Embassy of Nigeria is located in Moscow, on Malaya Nikitskaya Street, 13.
The main tourist attractions of the country
In the Republic of Nigeria, there are two sites that are under the protection of UNESCO: the cultural globe Sukur and the Osun Osogbo grove.
In the vicinity of Oshogbo, on the banks of the Osun River, there is a unique grove where you can see sculptures, shrines and other works of art by the Yoruba people. In 2005, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The grove, in addition to historical and cultural, also has natural value. This is one of the few sites of "high forest" that survived in southern Nigeria. About 400 plant species grow here.
The capital of the state, Abuja, is also interesting for tourists. The most expressive buildings in this city are the Central Bank and the National Mosque. The latter was built in 1984. This is a huge building with a large central dome and four minarets, the height of which reaches 120 meters. Interestingly, non-Muslims can get into 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 will sway the entire economy of the state.
180 million people live in Nigeria (as of 2015). About 80% of them live below the poverty line. Nigeria speaks 500 languages, although English is official.