Nigeria Country Information
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Homeland Charities, Inc. Nigeria Country Information |
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| Background |
| Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999 and a peaceful transition to civilian government completed. The new president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth and political stability. |
| Geography | Top of Page |
| Location: | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon |
| Geographic coordinates: | 10 00 N, 8 00 E |
| Area: | Total: 923,768 sq km; land: 910,768 sq km; water: 13,000 sq km Area–comparative: 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: 12 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: | Natural gas, Petroleum, Tin, Columbite, Iron ore, Coal, Limestone, Lead, Zinc, Arable land |
| 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 |
| Environmental Issues: | Soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification |
| People | Top of Page |
| Population: | 126,635,626 |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 43.71% (male 27,842,225; female 27,514,197) 15-64 years: 53.47% (male 34,456,738; female 33,259,194) 65 years and over: 2.82% (male 1,780,862; female 1,782,410) (2001 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.61% (2001 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 39.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death rate: | 13.91 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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 male(s)/female Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | 73.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | Total population(2001 est.):51.07 years Male: 51.07 years Female: 51.07 years |
| Total fertility rate: | 5.57 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| Ethnic groups: | Nigeria, which is 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% |
| Religions: | Muslim 50% Christian 40% Indigenous beliefs 10% |
| Languages: | English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani |
| Literacy: | Total population(1995 est.): 57.1% Male: 67.3% Female: 47.3% |
| HIV/AIDS Epidemiology | Top of Page |
| Adult prevalence rate: | 5.9% (2002 est.) |
| People living with HIV/AIDS: | 3.5 million (2002 est.) |
| Deaths: | 250,000 (1999 est.) |
| Government | Top of Page |
| Country name: | Federal Republic of Nigeria Conventional short form: Nigeria |
| Government type: | Republic transitioning from military to civilian rule |
| Capital: | Abuja |
| Administrative divisions: | 36 states and 1 territory*: Abia, Abuja Federal Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra Bauchi, Bayelsa, 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 |
| Independence: | 1 October 1960 (from UK) |
| Constitution: | NA 1999 new constitution adopted |
| Legal system: | Based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in some northern states), and traditional law |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | Chief of state & Head of government: President Olusegun Obasanjo Cabinet: Executive Council (By popular vote for two four-year terms |
| Legislative branch: | Bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats, three from each state and one from the FCT); House of Representatives (360 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) |
| 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: | All People's Party or APP; Alliance for Democracy or AD; People's Democratic Party or PDP |
| Nigerian Representation: | Chief of mission: Ambassador Jibril AMINU 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 Telephone: (202)986-8400 FAX: (202)775-1385 |
| U.S. Representation: | Chief of mission: Ambassador Howard Franklin Jeter Embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja P.O.Box 554, Lagos Telephone: [234](9)523-0916 FAX: [234](9)523-0353 |
| Economy | Top of Page |
| GDP overview: | Purchasing power parity - $117 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP: | 3.5% - real growth rate(2000 est.) |
| GDP - per capita: | Composition by sector: Agriculture: 40% Industry: 40% Services: 20% (1999 est.) |
| Poverty: | 45% below poverty line(2000 est.) |
| Household income: | Lowest 10%: 1.6% Highest 10%: 40.8% (consumption by percentage share)(1996-97) |
| Inflation rate: | 6.5% (consumer prices)(2000 est.) |
| Labor force: | 66 million (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 28% (1992 est.) |
| Budget: | Revenues: $3.4 billion Expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 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: | 1.5% growth rate(2000 est.) |
| Agriculture: | Cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish |
| Exports: | $22.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports: | Commodities - petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber |
| Exports: | Partners - US 36%, India 9%, Spain 8%, Brazil 6%, France 6%, (1999) |
| Imports: | $10.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports: | Commodities - Machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals |
| Imports: | Partners - UK 11%, Germany 10%, US 9%, France 8%, China 6% (1999) |
| Debt - external: | $32 billion (2000 est.) |
| Economic aid: | ODA $250 million (1998) |
| Military expenditures: | 10% of GDP:(FY00) |
| Source CIA World Fact Book | Top of Page |
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