NIGERIA.Arena

NIGERIA.Arena

Introduction

INTRODUCTION

The Federal Republic of Nigeria lies on the Gulf of Guinea with geographic coordinates of 1000 North, 800 E, and has borders with Benin (west), Niger (north), Chad (north-east across Lake Chad) and Cameroon (east), 1.045km (650 miles) long and 1.126km (700 miles) wide.

Area: 923.768 km2 (356,669 sq miles)
Land: 910,770 km2 Water: 13,000 km2
Land Boundary (total): 4,047 km: Benin:773km Cameroon: 1,690km Chad:87km Niger:1,497km
Coastline: 853km.

PHYSICAL FEATURES

Physical
The coastal region is low-lying, with lagoons, sandy beaches and mangrove swamps. Inland the country rises to the central Jos Plateau at 1,800m (6.000ft). The Adamawa Massif, bordering Cameroon, rises to 2,042m (6,699feet) at Bimlang (Vogel Peak).

Climate
Tropical; hot and humid on the coast, with greater extremes of temperature inland and cold nights in the north during becember and 3anuary. The rainy season is March-November in the south and May-September in the north. In the dry season the Harmattan wind blows from the Sahara

Rivers & Drainage
Nigeria has several important rivers, notably the Niger and its main tributary, the Benue, both of which are navigable. The Niger forms a delta some 100km (60 miles) wide, running into the sea west of Port Harcourt. In the north-east rivers drain into Lake Chad.

Natural resources:
petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas.

VEGETATION & ECOSYSTEMS

Vegetation & Wildlife
Mangrove and fresh water swamps in coastal areas, merging into an area of rainforest. containing hardwoods and oil palms. Moving north, the savannah and plateau regions have grasslands and hardy trees such as the boobob and tamarind. There is semi-desert vegetation in the north-east. Approximately 17% of the country is forested, of which 76% is savannah woodland, 20% tropical rainforest and 4% swamp forest. Forest coverage fell by 0.7% p.a. during the 1980s. In the north, forest depletion has been caused by overgrazing, bush fires and the use of wood as fuel, but there has been government-sponsored planting in an attempt to arrest the southward advance of the Sahara. Oil palms occur naturally and, being valuable, are often spared when forests are cleared.

Wildlife
The Yankari National Park is an important stop-over for migrating birds (Some 600 species call there), and also has a large elephant population. The Okomo Sanctuary is home to the endangered white-throated monkey. On the grasslands of the savannah are camels, antelope, hyenas and giraffes.

PEOPLE & SOCIETY

Population: 110,532,242 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:45% (male 24,871,855; female 24,661,134)
15-64 years:52% (male 29,420,428; female 28,343,557)
65 years and over:3% (male 1,627,452; female 1,607,806) (July 1998 est.)
Ethnic divisions:
non-Africans 27,000
north:Hausa and Fulani
note:Hausa and Fulani, Yoruba, and Ibos together make up 65% of population
southwest:Yoruba
southeast:Ibos
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani

Main Towns
Abuja (Federal Capital since 1991, 378,000), Lagos (1.3m), Ibadan (1.3m), KQno (0.7m), Koduna, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Enugu (figures from 1991 census).

ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE

Capital: Abuja
Lagos has been the administrative & economic capital until the 12th of December 1991 when the administrative capital was officially moved from Lagos to Abuja, but Lagos still remains the economic capital.

Administrative divisions:36 states & 1 capital territory(FCT).
FCT: Federal Capital Territory(FCT) of Abuja
States:: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara.

Type of government:
Democratically-elected government. The 4th civilian republic since independence.

Executive branch:
President/Head of state and Head of government:Commander in Chief of Armed Forces and Defense Chief (rtd. Gen.) Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo (since 29 May 1999);
Vice President: Atiku
Cabinet: Federal Executive Council
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly
Senate:suspended after military takeover of 17 November 1993
House of Representatives:suspended after military takeover of 17 November 1993
Judicial branch:Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Armed Forces Ruling Council; Federal Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee
Political parties and leaders:NPP, PDP, AD.

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C (suspended), CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

LEGAL SYSTEM

The system is made up of three codes: customary law, Nigerian statute law and English law. There are some regional variations, especially between the Christian south and Muslim north. There are four levels of customary courts, the highest of which acts as a court of appeal. In Muslim areas judges undertake legal training in Islamic law. Each state has a Hi9h Court, presided over by a chief judge. Of equal status is the Federal Revenue Court, which handles tax, corporation, banking and copyright issues. Appeals from these courts are heard in the Federal Court of Appeal. The highest court is the Supreme Court, presided over by the chief justice with up to 15 other judges. In cases of conflict between federal and state legislation, federal legislation prevails.

ECONOMY & DEVELOPMENT

GDP:purchasing power parity - $132.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP real growth rate:3.3% (1996 est.)
GDP per capita:$1,300 (1996 est.)
GDP composition by sector:(1996 est.)agriculture:39% industry:31% services:30%
Inflation rate (consumer price index):12% (1997 est.)

Labor force:42.844 million (agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 15%)
Unemployment rate:28% (1992 est.)
Budget:revenues:$13.9 billion expenditures:$13.9 billion (1998 est.)

Industries:crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel
Industrial production growth rate:4.1%(1996 est.)

Electricity:capacity:5.881 million kW(1995) production:16.21 billion kWh(1996) consumption per capita:152 kWh (1995)

Agriculture:cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, rubber, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; fishing and forest resources extensively exploited

Exports:$15 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities:petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
partners:US 40%, EC 21%

Imports:$8 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities:machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and animals
partners:EC 50%, US 12%, Japan 7%
External debt:$34 billion (1997)

Currency:1 naira (N) = 100 kobo
Exchange rates:naira (N) per US$1 - 21.886 (January 1996), 21.895 (1995), 21.996 (1994), 22.065 (1993), 17.298 (1992), 9.909 (1991)

TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS
Railways:
total:3,557 km
narrow gauge:3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
standard gauge:52 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways:
total:112,140 km
paved:31,500 km
unpaved:80,640 km (1991 est.)

Waterways:8,575 km consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks
Pipelines:crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km; natural gas 500 km
Ports:Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri
Merchant marine:
total:39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 379,210 GRT/634,851 DWT
ships by type:bulk 1, cargo 16, chemical tanker 3, oil tanker 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1.

Airports:total:72
with paved runways over 3 047 m:6
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m:10
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:10
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m:8
with paved runways under 914 m:18
with unpaved runways over 3 047 m:1
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m:20 (1995 est.)
Heliports:1 (1997 est.)

Telephones: 492,204 (1990 est.)
Telephone system:average system limited by poor maintenance; major expansion in progress
domestic:microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and 20 domestic satellite earth stations carry intercity traffic
international:satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 1 coaxial submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations:AM 35, FM 17, shortwave 0
Radios:20 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations:28
Televisions:3.8 million (1992 est.)

DEFENSE & MILITARY
Branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Police Force
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49:25,228,197
males fit for military service:14,461,304
males reach military age (18) annually:1,154,721 (1996 est.)
Military expenditures:$685 million(1996) about <1% of GDP (1992)

TRAVEL INFORMATION
Public holidays: New Year's bay (1 January), Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan, 1-2 February), Eid al-Kabir (Feast of the Sacrifice, 8 April), Good Friday to Easter Monday (10-13 April), May bay (1 May), National bay (1 October), Christmas (25-26 becember). (Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of the various phases of the moon and may vary from dates given here.)
Time: GMT plus lhr.
Currency UnitNaira (N). The official exchange rate on 5 becember 1997 was N21.89:US$1, although the market rate was much higher. The naira has been greatly overvalued for several years. The government has tried to stabilise the currency and curb the parallel market by devaluation and floating the currency in 1992 - but the naira continued to depreciate.
Currency RestrictionUnlimited import of foreign currency but must be declared on arrival; export limited to the amount declared. Import and export of local currency is limited to NSO in notes.

Electricity: 210/250 volts AC, 50Hz.
Driving and local transport: Vehicles keep to the right. International driving permit required. Cars are easy to hire in Lagos and Abuja, and chauffeur-driven cars are advised. Taxis in Lagos are yellow. Soth fare and tip should be agreed in advance.
Office hours: 0730-1530hr Monday to Friday.

GOVERNMENT
Under the terms of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which entered into effect on 31 May 1999, executive power is vested in the President, who is the Head of State. The President, who is elected for a term of four years, nominates a Vice-President and a Cabinet, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Legislative power is vested in the bicameral National Assembly, comprising a 360-member House of Representatives and a 109-member Senate, which is elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term. Nigeria is a federation of 36 states, comprising 774 local government areas. The executive power of a state is vested in the Governor of that state, who is elected for a four-year term, and the legislative power in the House of Assembly of that state.

RESOURCES
Although nearly 180,000 sq km of Nigeria is in the forest belt, only 23,000 sq km account for most of its timber resources. These forests are mainly in Ondo, Bendel and Cross River States. Nigeria exports a wide variety of tropical hardwoods, and internal consumption has been growing rapidly.
Cattle, goats and, to a lesser extent, sheep constitute important animal resources. Most of the cattle are found in the Sudan grassland belt in the far north. Poultry and pigs are increasing in importance.
Coastal waters are becoming important fishing grounds. Traditionally, however, major sources of fish have been Lake Chad in the extreme north-east, the lagoons along the coast, the creeks and distributaries of the Niger Delta and the various rivers in the country.

Mineral resources are varied, although considerable exploration remains to be carried out. Tin and columbite are found in alluvial deposits on the Jos plateau. Nigeria was, until 1968, Africa�s main producer of tin, but output has since declined. Extensive reserves of medium-grade iron ore exist, and iron and steel production is being developed.

Fuel resources include deposits of lignite and sub-bituminous coal, exploited at Enugu since 1915; however, total reserves are small. More significant are the petroleum reserves, estimates of which alter with each new discovery in the offshore area. The oil produced, being of low sulphur content and high quality, is much in demand on the European and US markets. Since Libya restricted production in 1973, Nigeria has been Africa�s leading producer of petroleum. Natural gas is also found in abundance, and has been undergoing development since the mid-1980s

POPULATION
The Nigerian population is extremely diverse. There are more than 500 spoken languages, and well over 250 ethnic groups, some numbering fewer than 10,000 people. Ten groups, notably Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Kanuri, Tiv, Edo, Nupe, Ibibio and Ijaw, account for nearly 80% of the total population. Much of the population is concentrated in the southern part of the country, as well as in the area of dense settlement around Kano in the north. Between these two areas is the sparsely populated Middle Belt.

Urban life has a long history in Nigeria, with centres of population such as Kano, Benin and Zaria dating from the Middle Ages. Recent economic development, however, has stimulated considerable rural�urban migration and led to the phenomenal growth of such cities as Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna and Port Harcourt. In December 1991 the federal capital was formally transferred to Abuja (which then had an estimated population of 107,069); however, a number of government departments and non-government institutions have remained in the former capital, Lagos. According to UN estimates, at mid-2003 Lagos had 10,103,459, Kano 2,762,800, Ibadan 2,284,396, and Kaduna 1,272,541 inhabitants

document.write('');	document.write('');