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

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Background: British influence and control over what would become Nigeria and Africa's most populous country grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960. Following nearly 16 years of military rule a new constitution was adopted in 1999 and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The government continues to face the daunting task of reforming a petroleum-based economy whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement and institutionalizing democracy. In addition Nigeria continues to experience longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Although both the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were marred by significant irregularities and violence Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence. The general elections of April 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history and the elections of 2011 were generally regarded as credible. In January 2014 Nigeria assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2014-15 term.


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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

Area
Rank: 32
Land: 910,768 km²
Water: 13,000 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries
Border countries: (4) Benin 773 km; Cameroon 1690 km; Chad 87 km; Niger 1497 km

Coastline: 853 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

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 highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources: natural gas petroleum tin iron ore coal limestone niobium lead zinc arable land

Land use
Permanent crops: 3.46%
Other: 57.57% (2011)

Irrigated land: 2,932 km² (2004)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 286.2 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; flooding

Geography
Note: the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea


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Population: 177,155,754
Rank: 8
Growth rate: 2.47% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 33
Below poverty line: 70% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups: Nigeria Africa's most populous country is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29% Yoruba 21% Igbo (Ibo) 18% Ijaw 10% Kanuri 4% Ibibio 3.5% Tiv 2.5%

Languages: English (official) Hausa Yoruba Igbo (Ibo) Fulani over 500 additional indigenous languages

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 19.3% (male 17,486,117/female 16,732,533)
25-54 years: 30.5% (male 27,697,644/female 26,285,816)
55-64 years: 3.9% (male 3,393,631/female 3,571,301)
65 years and over: 3% (male 2,621,845/female 2,861,826) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 84 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 %
Potential support ratio: 19.3 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 18.1 years
Female: 18.3 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.47% (2014 est.)
Rank: 33

Birth rate: 38.03 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 12

Death rate: 13.16 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 19

Net migration rate: -0.22 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 120

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 3.75% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: Lagos 11.223 million; Kano 3.375 million; Ibadan 2.949 million; ABUJA (capital) 2.153 million; Port Harcourt 1.894 million; Kaduna 1.524 million (2011)

Environment
Current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water air and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.3

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 10
Male: 79.02 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 68.87 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 212
Male: 51.63 years
Female: 53.66 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.25 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 13

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 14.1% (2011)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.4 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 0.53 beds/1000 population (2004)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 3.1% (2012 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 20
People living with hivaids: 3,426,600 (2012 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 2
Deaths: 239,700 (2012 est.)
Deaths rank: 1

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and E and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria dengue fever and yellow fever
Water contact diseases: leptospirosis and schistosomiasis
Respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
Aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever
Animal contact disease: rabies

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 6.5% (2008)
Rank: 146

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 24.4% (2011)
Rank: 26

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Total population: 61.3%
Male: 72.1%
Female: 50.4% (2010 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 10 years
Female: 8 years (2005)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type: federal republic

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 9 05 N 7 32 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 36 states and 1 territory*; Abia Adamawa Akwa Ibom Anambra Bauchi Bayelsa Benue Borno Cross River Delta Ebonyi Edo Ekiti Enugu Federal Capital Territory* Gombe Imo Jigawa Kaduna Kano Katsina Kebbi Kogi Kwara Lagos Nasarawa Niger Ogun Ondo Osun Oyo Plateau Rivers Sokoto Taraba Yobe Zamfara

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 October 1960 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (National Day) 1 October (1960)

Constitution: several previous; latest adopted 5 May 1999 effective 29 May 1999; amended 2010 (2010)

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law Islamic law (in 12 northern states) and traditional law

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: President Goodluck JONATHAN (since 5 May 2010 acting since 9 February 2010); Vice President Mohammed Namadi SAMBO (since 19 May 2010)
Cabinet: Federal Executive Council
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 16 April 2011 (next to be held in February 2015)
Election results: Goodluck JONATHAN elected president; percent of vote - Goodluck JONATHAN 58.9% Muhammadu BUHARI 32.0% Nuhu RIBADU 5.4% Ibrahim SHEKARAU 2.4% other 1.3%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (109 seats 3 from each state plus 1 from Abuja; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 9 and 26 April 2011 (next to be held in February 2015); House of Representatives - last held on 9 and 26 April 2011 (next to be held in February 2015)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDP 73 ACN 17 ANPP 7 CPC 6 LP 4 other 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDP 205 ACN 69 CPC 36 ANPP 28 LP 9 APGA 6 ACC 5 other 2; note - due to logistical problems elections in a number of constituencies were held on 26 April 2011

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council a 23-member independent body of federal and state judicial officials; judge appointments confirmed by the Senate; judges serve until age 65
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; Federal High Court; High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; state court system similar in structure to federal system

Political parties and leaders: Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Adamu MU'AZU]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C CD D-8 ECOWAS EITI (compliant country) FAO G-15 G-24 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA MINURSO MINUSMA MONUSCO NAM OAS (observer) OIC OPCW OPEC PCA UN UN Security Council (temporary) UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNISFA UNITAR UNMIL UNMISS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 3,519 International Court NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 986-8,400
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 362-6,541
In the us consulate general: Atlanta New York
From the us embassy: Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive Central District Area Abuja
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 5,760 Garki Abuja
From the us telephone: [234] (9) 461-4,000
From the us FAX: [234] (9) 461-4,171

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) white and green; the color green represents the forests and abundant natural wealth of the country white stands for peace and unity

National symbols: eagle

National anthem
Lyrics and music: John A. ILECHUKWU Eme Etim AKPAN B. A. OGUNNAIKE Sotu OMOIGUI and P. O. ADERIBIGBE/Benedict Elide ODIASE

National heritage


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Economy overview: Following an April 2014 statistical 'rebasing' exercise Nigeria has emerged as Africa's largest economy with 2013 GDP estimated at US$ 502 billion. Oil has been a dominant source of government revenues since the 1970s. Regulatory constraints and security risks have limited new investment in oil and natural gas and Nigeria's oil production contracted in 2012 and 2013. Nevertheless the Nigerian economy has continued to grow at a rapid 6-8% per annum (pre-rebasing) driven by growth in agriculture telecommunications and services and the medium-term outlook for Nigeria is good assuming oil output stabilizes and oil prices remain strong. Fiscal authorities pursued countercyclical policies in 2011-2013 significantly reducing the budget deficit. Monetary policy has also been responsive and effective. Following the 2008-9 global financial crises the banking sector was effectively recapitalized and regulation enhanced. Despite its strong fundamentals oil-rich Nigeria has been hobbled by inadequate power supply lack of infrastructure delays in the passage of legislative reforms an inefficient property registration system restrictive trade policies an inconsistent regulatory environment a slow and ineffective judicial system unreliable dispute resolution mechanisms insecurity and pervasive corruption. Economic diversification and strong growth have not translated into a significant decline in poverty levels - over 62% of Nigeria's 170 million people live in extreme poverty. President JONATHAN has established an economic team that includes experienced and reputable members and has announced plans to increase transparency continue to diversify production and further improve fiscal management. The government is working to develop stronger public-private partnerships for roads agriculture and power.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 31

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 35

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 180

Gross national saving:
Rank: 106

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 12.8%
Investment in fixed capital: 9.8%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 49.9%
Imports of goods and services: -22.8%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 43%
Services: 26% (2012 est.)

Agriculture products: cocoa peanuts cotton palm oil corn rice sorghum millet cassava (manioc tapioca) yams rubber; cattle sheep goats pigs; timber; fish

Industries: crude oil coal tin columbite; rubber products wood; hides and skins textiles cement and other construction materials food products footwear chemicals fertilizer printing ceramics steel

Industrial production growth rate: 0.9% (2013 est.)
Rank: 153

Labor force: 51.53 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 12
By occupation industry: 10%
By occupation services: 20% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.9% (2007 est.)
Rank: 172

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 70% (2010 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 38.2% (2010 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 50.6 (1997)
Rank: 47

Budget
Expenditures: $31.51 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 73

Taxes and other revenues: 4.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 212

Public debt: 17.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 136

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 12.2% (2012 est.)
Rank: 201

Central bank discount rate: 6% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 59

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 16.79% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 31

Stock of narrow money: $44.41 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 48

Stock of broad money: $96.34 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 53

Stock of domestic credit: $93.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 52

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 51

Current account balance: $20.35 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 19

Exports: $95.68 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 38
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 95% cocoa rubber
Partners: US 16.8% India 11.5% Netherlands 8.6% Spain 7.8% Brazil 7.6% UK 5.1% Germany 4.9% Japan 4.1% France 4.1% (2012)

Imports: $53.36 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 52
Commodities: machinery chemicals transport equipment manufactured goods food and live animals
Partners: China 18.3% US 10.1% India 5.5% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $46.41 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 43

Debt external: $13.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 86

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $76.75 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 45

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $7.444 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 55

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 24.87 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 68
Consumption: 20.38 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 69
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 177
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 179
Installed generating capacity: 5.9 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 73
Generation sources fossil fuels: 67.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 113
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 151
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 32.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 70
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 209

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 2.524 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 12
Crude oil exports: 2.341 million bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 5
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 104
Crude oil proven reserves: 37.2 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 10

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 101,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 72
Products consumption: 271,600 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 46
Products exports: 18,750 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 72
Products imports: 151,700 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 38

Natural gas
Production: 31.36 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 29
Consumption: 5.03 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 62
Exports: 25.96 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 16
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 105
Proven reserves: 5.153 trillion m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 9

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 75.96 million Mt (2011 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 418,200 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 102
Mobile cellular: 112.78 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 10

Telephone system
Domestic: the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002 resulted in faster growth but subscribership remains only about 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services growing rapidly in part responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple cellular providers operate nationally with subscribership base approaching 60 per 100 persons
International: country code - 234; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2010)

Broadcast media: nearly 70 federal government-controlled national and regional TV stations; all 36 states operate TV stations; several private TV stations operational; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; network of federal government-controlled national regional and state radio stations; roughly 40 state government-owned radio stations typically carry their own programs except for news broadcasts; about 20 private radio stations; transmissions of international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .ng
Hosts: 1234 (2012)
Hosts rank: 169
Users: 43.989 million (2009)
Users rank: 9

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 109

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 54 (2013)
Rank: 87
With paved runways over 3047 m: 10
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 12
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 9
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 3 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9
With unpaved runways: 3 (2013)

Heliports: 5 (2013)

Pipelines: condensate 124 km; gas 4,045 km; liquid petroleum gas 164 km; oil 4,441 km; refined products 3,940 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 50
Narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Rank: 27
Paved: 28,980 km
Unpaved: 164,220 km (2004)

Waterways: 8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2011)
Rank: 15

Merchant marine
Rank: 54
By type: cargo 2 chemical tanker 28 liquefied gas 1 passenger/cargo 1 petroleum tanker 56 specialized tanker 1
Foreign owned: 3 (India 1 UK 2)
Registered in other countries: 33 (Bahamas 2 Bermuda 11 Comoros 1 Italy 1 Liberia 4 North Korea 1 Panama 6 Seychelles 1 unknown 6) (2010)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries; location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European East Asian and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime