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Nigeria
Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 923,770 sq km
land: 910,770 sq km
water: 13,000 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,047 km
border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
Coastline: 853 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 30 nm
Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
Natural resources: petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 33%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 44%
forests and woodland: 12%
other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 9,570 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Environment—current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification; recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities
Environment—international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 113,828,587 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 25,613,974; female 25,397,166)
15-64 years: 52% (male 30,272,539; female 29,197,611)
65 years and over: 3% (male 1,678,732; female 1,668,565) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.92% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 41.84 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 12.98 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 69.46 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.3 years
male: 52.55 years
female: 54.06 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.02 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Nigerian(s)
adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups: Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.1%
male: 67.3%
female: 47.3% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
conventional short form: Nigeria
Data code: NI
Government type: republic transitioning from military to civilian rule
Capital: Abuja
note: on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially moved from Lagos to Abuja; many government offices remain in Lagos pending completion of facilities in Abuja
Administrative divisions: 30 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Federal Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe
note: the government has announced the creation of six additional states named Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nassarawa, and Zamfara as part of the process of transition to a civilian government
Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960)
Constitution: 1979 constitution still partially in force
Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Abdulsalami ABUBAKAR (since 9 June 1998) will remain chief of state and head of government until 29 May 1999 when President-elect Olusegun OBASANJO will be inaugurated
head of government: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Abdulsalami ABUBAKAR (since 9 June 1998) will remain chief of state and head of government until 29 May 1999 when President-elect Olusegun OBASANJO will be inaugurated
cabinet: Federal Executive Council
elections: the president is elected by popular vote for no more than two four-year terms; election last held 27 February 1999 (next election to be held NA 2003)
election results: Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) won the election with NA% of the vote, Olu FALAE (APP-AD) NA%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats, three from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory; members elected by popular vote to serve seven-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve seven-year terms)
elections: Senate—last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); House of Representatives—last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—PDP 61, APP 24, AD 20, other 4; House of Representives—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—PDP 206, APP 74, AD 68, others 12
note: the National Assembly was suspended by the military government following the military takeover on 17 November 1993; the new civilian government which was elected on 20 February 1999 is expected to be inaugurated on 29 May 1999
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Provisional 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: political parties, suppressed by the military government, were allowed to form in July 1998; three parties were registered by the Provisional Ruling Council for participation in local, state and national elections; All People's Party or APP [Mahmud WAZIRI]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Soloman LAR]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Ayo ADEBANJO]
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, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wakili Hassan ADAMU
chancery: 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400
FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William H. TWADDELL
embassy: 2 Eleke Crescent, Lagos
mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
telephone: [234] (1) 261-0097
FAX: [234] (1) 261-0257
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green
Economy
Economy—overview: The oil-rich Nigerian economy continues to be hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management. Nigeria's unpopular military rulers have failed to make significant progress in diversifying the economy away from overdependence on the capital intensive oil sector which provides 30% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 80% of budgetary revenues. The government's resistance to initiating greater transparency and accountability in managing the country's multibillion dollar oil earnings continues to limit economic growth and prevent an agreement with the IMF and bilateral creditors on a staff-monitored program and debt relief. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Growth in 1999 may become negative because of continued low oil prices and persistent inefficiencies in the system.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$106.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 1.6% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$960 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 33%
industry: 42%
services: 25% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 34.1% (1992-93 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 31.4% (1992-93)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 42.844 million
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 15%
Unemployment rate: 28% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $13.9 billion (1998 est.)
expenditures: $13.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA 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)
Electricity—production: 13.78 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 60.94%
hydro: 39.06%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 13.74 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 50 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish
Exports: $9.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
Exports—partners: US 35%, Spain 11%, Italy 6%, France 6% (1997 est.)
Imports: $9.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: machinery, chemicals, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food and animals
Imports—partners: US 14%, UK 11%, Germany 10%, France 8%, Netherlands 5% (1997 est.)
Debt—external: $32 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $39.2 million (1995)
Currency: 1 naira (N) = 100 kobo
Exchange rates: nairas (N) per US$1—21.886 (December 1998), 21.886 (1998), 21.886 (1997), 21.895 (1995), 21.996 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 405,100 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: average system limited by poor maintenance; major expansion in progress
domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, cellular network, and a domestic communications satellite system with 20 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations—3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 1 coaxial submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 82, FM 32, shortwave 10 (1998 est.)
Radios: 17.2 million (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (government-controlled)
Televisions: 6.1 million (1998 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 3,557 km
narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)
note: years of neglect of both the rolling stock and the right-of-way have seriously reduced the capacity and utility of the system; a project to restore Nigeria's railways is now underway
Highways:
total: 51,000 km
paved: 26,000 km (including 2,044 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,000 km (1998 est.)
note: many of the roads reported as paved may be graveled; because of poor maintenance and years of heavy freight traffic (in part the result of the failure of the railroad system), much of the road system is barely useable
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 and harbors: Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri
Merchant marine:
total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 371,499 GRT/631,425 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 13, chemical tanker 3, oil tanker 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 72 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 18 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 25,967,281 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 14,890,337 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 1,201,738 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $236 million (1999)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 0.7% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Cameroon over land and maritime boundaries around the Bakasi Peninsula is currently before the International Court of Justice; maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed jurisdiction over oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea
Illicit drugs: facilitates movement of heroin en route from Southeast and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and North America; increasingly a transit route for cocaine from South America intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets
*Information obtained from the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Fact Book.
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