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  Introduction
  Geography
  People
  Government
  Economy
  Communications
  Transportation
  Military
  Transnational Issues

In general, information available as of 1 January, 2004
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2004.


This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004


Map of Nigeria

Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Nigeria
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The 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. Despite some irregularities, the April 2003 elections marked the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's history.
   Geography    Nigeria
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Africa
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 923,768 sq km
water: 13,000 sq km
land: 910,768 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4,047 km
border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
853 km
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, arable land
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 30.96%
permanent crops: 2.79%
other: 66.25% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
2,330 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
periodic droughts; flooding
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
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
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
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
   People    Nigeria
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
137,253,133
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 29,985,427; female 29,637,684)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 37,502,756; female 36,205,442)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,944,260; female 1,977,564) (2004 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 18.1 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 17.9 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.45% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
38.24 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
13.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
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: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 70.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 73.55 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 50.49 years
male: 50.35 years
female: 50.63 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.32 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.8% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.5 million (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
170,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Nigerian(s)
adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68%
male: 75.7%
female: 60.6% (2003 est.)
   Government    Nigeria
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
conventional short form: Nigeria
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
republic transitioning from military to civilian rule
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices have now made the move to Abuja
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
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, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
1 October 1960 (from UK)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
new constitution adopted May 1999
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in some northern states), and traditional law
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Federal Executive Council
elections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than two four-year terms; election last held 19 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (107 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (346 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.6%, ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 73, ANPP 28, AD 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP 27.4%, AD 9.3%, other 8.8%; seats by party - PDP 213, ANPP 95, AD 31, other 7; note - two constituencies are not reported
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Audu OGBEH]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Jibril Muhammad AMINU
consulate(s) general: Atlanta and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385
telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400
chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard Franklin JETER
embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja
mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205
FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green
   Economy    Nigeria
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, is undertaking some reforms under the new civilian administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and the country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. The government has lacked the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. During 2003, however, the government deregulated fuel prices and announced the privatization of the country's four oil refineries. GDP growth probably will rise marginally in 2004, led by oil and natural gas exports.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $110.8 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.4% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 41.2%
industry: 15.7%
services: 43.1% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
60% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
50.6 (1996-97)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
66 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
28% (1992 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $3.4 billion
expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.2% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15.67 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:
Definition Field Listing
fossil fuel: 61.9%
hydro: 38.1%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
14.55 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
20 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.256 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
27 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.007 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$21.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 33.2%, Spain 7.4%, Brazil 6.4%, Indonesia 6%, France 5.7%, India 4.8%, Japan 4% (2002)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$14.54 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
UK 9.5%, US 9.4%, China 9.3%, France 8.7%, Germany 6.5%, South Korea 6.1%, Netherlands 5.2%, Italy 4.7%, Brazil 4.5% (2002)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$30.9 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
IMF $1 billion (2000)
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
naira (NGN)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
NGN
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
nairas per US dollar - 129.22 (2003), 120.58 (2002), 111.23 (2001), 101.7 (2000), 92.34 (1999)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Nigeria
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
702,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,607,900 (2002)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by poor maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been made
domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19 earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular facilities and the Internet are available
international: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.ng
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,030 (2002)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
420,000 (2002)
   Transportation    Nigeria
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 3,557 km
narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)
Highways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 194,394 km
paved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways)
unpaved: 134,326 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing
8,575 km
note: consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
condensate 105 km; gas 1,660 km; oil 3,634 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,808 GRT/608,076 DWT
foreign-owned: Norway 2, Pakistan 1, Togo 1, United States 1
registered in other countries: 26 (2003 est.)
by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
70 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 3 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 18 (2003 est.)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2003 est.)
   Military    Nigeria
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age (2004 est.)
Military manpower - availability:
Definition Field Listing
males age 15-49: 32,665,407 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 15-49: 18,763,229 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males: 1,452,231 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$469.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.9% (2003)
   Transnational Issues    Nigeria
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission to resolve differences bilaterally and have commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of the boundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the Bakasi Peninsula; 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, the unresolved Bakasi allocation, 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; several villages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Benin; Lake Chad Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, which remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and militias
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity, remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004


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