Map of Nigeria | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Nigeria has been ruled by the military since 1983.


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Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 923,770 km²
Land: 910,770 km²
Water: 13,000 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries
Total: 4,047 km
Border countries: (4) 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
Extremes 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 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Geography


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Population: 107,129,469 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 3.05% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Nigerian(s)
Adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups: Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, Ijaw

Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani

Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 45% (male 24,142,369; female 23,931,502)
15-64 years: 52% (male 28,502,597; female 27,432,816)
65 years and over: 3% (male 1,572,773; female 1,547,412) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.05% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 42.58 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 12.45 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.33 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification; recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities

Air pollutants

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: 1.02 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 70.2 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 54.65 years
Male: 53.32 years
Female: 56.03 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.17 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 57.1%
Male: 67.3%
Female: 47.3% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
Conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type: military government; Nigeria has been ruled by one military regime after another since 31 December 1983; on 1 October 1995, the present military government announced it will turn power over to democratically elected civilian authorities in October 1998

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 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

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960)

Constitution: 1979 constitution still partially in force; plan for 1989 constitution to take effect in 1993 was not implemented

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces and Defense Minister Gen. Sani ABACHA (since 17 November 1993); Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council Oladipo DIYA (since 17 November 1993); note - the chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces and Defense Minister Gen. Sani ABACHA (since 17 November 1993); Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council Oladipo DIYA (since 17 November 1993); note - the chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Federal Executive Council
Elections: none; Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council Gen. Sani ABACHA assumed power in a military coup 17 November 1993; the government's provisions for a return to civilian rule call for the election of a president by universal suffrage in the third quarter of 1998 (inaugeration planned for October 1998)

Legislative branch: National Assembly
Note: the National Assembly was suspended after the military takeover of 17 November 1993; in October 1995, the government announced a three-year program for transition to civilian rule; elections to the National Assembly are to take place in the second quarter of 1998

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

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, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Wakili Hassan ADAMU
In the us chancery: 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 986-8,400
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Walter C. CARRINGTON
From the us embassy: 2 Eleke Crescent, Lagos
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
From the us telephone: [234] (1) 261-0097
From the us FAX: [234] (1) 261-0257

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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 half of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 80% of budgetary revenues. Regime officials also appear divided on how to redress fundamental economic imbalances that result in troublesome inflation and the discouragement of investors. 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 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. Agricultural production in 1996 suffered from severe shortages of fertilizer.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,380 (1996 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 28%
Industry: 53%
Services: 19% (1995 est.)

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

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: -1% (1995)

Labor force
Total: 42.844 million
By occupation agriculture: 54%
By occupation industry commerce and services: 19%
By occupation government: 15%

Unemployment rate: 28% (1992 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $16.1 billion
Expenditures: $16 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A billion (1995 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports
Total value: $11.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
Partners: US 52%, EU 34%

Imports
Total value: $10 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
Commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and animals
Partners: EU 50%, US 13%, Japan 7%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $34 billion (1994 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: naira (N) per US$1 - 21.886 (October 1996), 21.895 (1995), 21.996 (1994), 22.065 (1993), 17.298 (1992)


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Electricity
Capacity: 5.88 million kW (1994)
Production: 14.88 billion kWh (1994)
Consumption per capita: 141 kWh (1995 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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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

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $243 million (1995 est.)
Percent of gdp: less than 1% (1995 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 65 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 51
With paved runways over 3047 m: 6
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 10
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8
With paved runways under 914 m: 17 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 14
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 12 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km; natural gas 500 km

Railways
Total: 3,557 km
Narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
Standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)

Roadways

Waterways: 8,575 km consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks

Merchant marine
Total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 353,422 GRT/600,389 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 12, chemical tanker 3, oil tanker 13, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: demarcation of international boundaries in 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 in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the ICJ

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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