4 32 '30 "N 7 59' 00" E / 4.54167, 7.98333

Federal Republic of Nigeria (in)
Federal Republic of Nigeria (en)
Coat of arms of Nigeria ( Flag of Nigeria ) ( Arms of Nigeria )
National motto : Peace and Unity, Strength and Progress (In French : Peace and Unity, Strength and Progress)
Official language	English
Capital	Abuja 9 10'N, 7 10'E
Largest city	Lagos
Form of State	Republic Federal
- President - Vice President	Goodluck Jonathan Namadi Sambo
Area - Total - Water (%)	Ranked 32 th 923 768 km 2 1.4%
Population - Total ( 2009 ) - Density	Ranked 8 th 152 217 350 inhab. 137 inhabitants / km 2
Independence - Date	The United Kingdom October 1, 1960
Demonym	Nigerian Nigerian
HDI ( 2006 )	0.448 (low) ( 159th )
Currency	Naira ( NGN )
Time Zone	UTC 1
National anthem	Arise Oh Compatriots, Nigeria's Call Obey
Internet domain	. Ng
Indicative Telephone	+234

Nigeria or Nigeria, in long form the Federal Republic of Nigeria or the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in English located in the Gulf of Guinea is by far the most populous country of Africa with over 152 million . The value of its total GDP in the second place position in Africa in 2008 , behind South Africa and ahead of Algeria. Despite the holding of elections by universal suffrage, democracy is not established, the last election that led to massive fraud by international observers.

Since 1991 , the capital of Nigeria is the new city of Abuja. The country is part of the ECOWAS. Its inhabitants are Nigerian . In Nigeria, people speak Hausa , the Yoruba , the Igbo and Fulani among other languages, but the official language is English.

The Noks are the dominant civilization of the ^sixth century BC. BC to ^the third century , it diffuses into the regions of Ife and Benin. From the ^seventh to the ^eleventh century : Installing Civilization Hausa in the north and Yoruba in the southwest. The Kanem Empire (until XIV ^century ) and the Kanem-Bornu (at its peak in the ^sixteenth century ) from the Lake Chad has dominated northern Nigeria for over 600 years, thriving on their position terminal for north-south trade between the Berbers of North Africa and peoples of the forest regions. In the early ^nineteenth century , Usman dan Fodio has brought most of the northern regions of the country under the control of an Islamic empire ruled from Sokoto.

The kingdoms of Oyo in the southwest and Benin in the southeast have designed political systems developed during the ^fifteenth , ^sixteenth and ^seventeenth centuries. The regions of Ife and Benin are also known for their productions artistic ivory, wood, bronze and copper. In 1486 The Portuguese establish contacts with the kingdom of Benin.

In 1553 the English destroyed the Portuguese ships and the ^seventeenth to ^nineteenth century European traders establish coastal ports for the flourishing traffic in slaves towards the Americas. This trade has been replaced by that of raw materials during the ^nineteenth century.

The Government of UK establishes a legal status for the Royal Niger Company in 1886. In 1900 , this territory is divided into several protectorates , and became a colony in 1914. In response to nationalism amount after the Second World War , the British endow the country with a representative government in 1951 and a federal constitution in 1954.

In 1958, Taiwo Akinkunmi dials the Nigerian flag.

Nigeria gained independence in total 1960. The country was then divided into 3 regions with wide autonomy.

The first republican constitution of 1963 left the country within the Commonwealth. In 1966 a coup fomented by various military groups brought to power General Ironsi, origin Ibo , who was assassinated a few months later. The leaders of this new coup enlarge the power of the federal government and change the subdivision of the country which now consists of 12 states. The Ibo, the majority ethnic group of eastern countries, are so bloody reprisals race that result in 1967 to the secession of the Republic of Biafra. Follows a terrible war (see Biafra War ) which ended with a surrender of the independence 12 January 1970.

In 1975 a coup, without bloodshed, brought Murtala Ramat Mohammed to power. He promised a swift return to democracy, but is killed in an abortive coup and replaced by his second Olusegun Obasanjo. A new constitution was established in 1977 and the first elections coming in 1979 , won by Shehu Shagari.

A new coup in 1983 plunges the country under the dictatorship of the Supreme Military Council. In 1993 , after elections annulled by the military government, General Sani Abacha arrives at the head of state. At his untimely death in 1998 , Abdulsalami Abubakar came to power and reinstate the constitution of 1979. In 1999 , the first democratic elections in 16 years are won by Olusegun Obasanjo, who was reelected during the turbulent elections of 2003. In 2007 elections once again brought to power agitated the designated successor of President Olusegun Obasanjo: Umaru Yar'Adua.

Umaru Yar'Adua died May 5, 2010 following the illness. Ebele Goodluck Jonathan succeeds him officially May 6, 2010. The National Assembly approved May 18, 2010 the appointment of Namadi Sambo as Vice President of Nigeria.

Politics

Nigeria is a federal republic under the Constitution dating from May 1999. The current president both head of state and head of government, is Goodluck Jonathan vested upon the death of Umaru Yar'Adua May 5, 2010. He is a member of the Popular Democratic Party.

The country is subject to strong tensions between Muslims and Christians. The Ibos of Nigeria constitute a major political majorities. The Ijaw , ethnic group living in the Niger Delta where oil is extracted, rebelled against the government they accuse of complicity in the pollution of the environment. MEND, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, well armed and well trained in commando tactics, attacks by removing foreign engineers cons ransoms. For the government, MEND is a criminal group that has nothing to do with the minority Ijaw.

Since late 2005, rumors buzzed constitutional amendment. The amendment was to allow President Obasanjo to make a third mandate. In May 2006, led among others by Senators Uche Chukwumerije reject the constitutional amendment, which is a stinging defeat for the ruling People's Democratic Party of President. The Vice-President Abubakar had opposed this measure and has been removed from PDP.

Subdivisions

See also the list of cities in Nigeria

Geography

Map of Nigeria (source: The World Factbook - CIA )

Located on the Gulf of Guinea , Nigeria has 4047 km of land borders and 853 km of coastline. It is bordered to the west by Benin (773 km) east by Cameroon (1690 km) north of the Niger (1497 km), and the Chad to the northeast (84 km).

The country is divided into a southern equatorial climate which is the most important cities. The central part is composed of savanna and plateau and it is in the eastern part of the country that we find the highest point: Chappal Waddi Mount (2 419m). As for the north, the climate is arid because is in the Sahel , on the edge of the desert of Sahara.

The subsoil is rich in natural resources including oil and gas are the main source of income of the country. The country is the largest producer of black gold in Africa. The Nigeria also produces a number of metals (tin, iron, lead, zinc ...) and coal.

Economy

Member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Nigeria is the only country in the world with significant oil resources to present a budget deficit.

A report by the nongovernmental organization Global Financial Integrity of the March 26, 2010, sales for the first time leakage of funds linked to illegal financial practices outside Africa . Nigeria is cited as the country is by far ., the most subject to leakage of funds through illegal financial practices. It is estimated that from 1970 to 2009, capital flight from Nigeria amounted to 89.5 billion, at an average rate of 10 billion per year .

The report also indicates that although much attention is usually paid to the processes of corruption (Nigeria is ranked at the 130th place worldwide ranking of 180 in 200p of Transparency International ), in analyzing the flow trans- border illicit funds involved in these processes is about 3% of the total over the whole of Africa (no figures given by country). Criminal practices related to drug trafficking, racketeering, and cons, how come 30 to 35%. The methods of evasion of tax, primarily through the techniques of commercial and financial trickery are by far the major component constituting 60 to 65% of the total. These massive and illegal leaks are facilitated by an opacity global financial system. .

According to the winner of the "Nobel Prize of Economics" 2001 Joseph E. Stiglitz , economic inefficiency has also caused the flight of a hundred billion dollars from investing abroad rather than domestically.

In fact, barely a quarter of the population benefits from oil revenues.

Late September 2005 , the World Bank has helped recover 700 million diverted in banks in Switzerland by Sani Abacha and his clan while he was in power.

Overall, the standard of living is average for African countries. But, thanks to its oil resources and its large population, Nigeria is the continent's second largest economy after South Africa.

In 2007 , the World Bank gives the following ranking for the first African countries:

State	GDP
South Africa	277 581 million U.S. dollars
Nigeria	165 690 million U.S. dollars
Algeria	135 285 million U.S. dollars
Source: World Bank ranking of countries by GDP (2007) , World Development Indicators database (World Bank), July 1, 2008.

Oil

The oil was discovered in Nigeria in 1956 in the Niger Delta. This oil is interesting because it is a crude, "said Bonny Light, sweetened with low content of sulfur , which is easily refined . The country then joined the OPEC in 1970. The city of Port Harcourt is the main production site in the country which has attracted many workers. Nigerian oil - produced 40% by Shell - represents 95% of export earnings and 80% of national income. It places Nigeria among the top six oil-exporting countries with an income of more than 34 billion euros in 2006 . But paradoxically, the country is often a shortage of fuel and many refineries are underutilized or untapped.

The processes of oil companies in the region, supported by the Nigerian state, have been strongly criticized, and tensions between residents and police have resulted in several killings and assassinations. In the 1990s has created the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) to fight non-violently against the actions of Royal Dutch Shell. After the executions of five of their leaders (including Ken Saro-Wiwa on 10 November 1995 ), the movement has gradually extinguished. A group still active and most violent was born in the years that followed, the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).

This is ^the 5th producer of the OPEC and ^the 10th globally . Daily production, however, decreased by 2.5 million barrels in 2006 to 1,700,000 in mid May 2009, due to sabotage organized by MEND.

Demographics

Demographic changes between 1961 and 2003 (figure in FAO , 2005 ). Population in thousands.

With a population estimated at 152 million in 2009, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. It accounts for one sixth of the continent's population on only one-thirtieth of its size (about 3%). Although over 75% of the population lives in rural areas, at least 24 cities have more than 100 000 inhabitants. The variety of customs, languages and traditions of the 250 ethnic groups make up the country gives it a rich diversity.

The north is mainly populated by Hausa people , who are predominantly Muslim. Other major ethnic groups in this part of the country are the Nupe , Tiv , and Kanuri. The Yoruba are the dominant ethnic group in the south, they are Christians for more than half, to about one quarter Muslim, the rest generally follow an ancestral religion. Finally the south-east is dominated by the Ibo majority Christians.

Health

On malaria , the polio , the cholera , the meningitis , the AIDS diseases are pervasive in Nigeria. Life expectancy is about 44 years. Infant mortality is 20.1% . There were 37 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants in 2007 .

Culture

witch doctors Lassa (Nigeria)

Education

Primary school lasts six years . The literacy rate was 57% in 2005 according to the National Empowerment Development Strategy, or 53.3% of adults over 15 years in 2006 according to the National Bureau of Statistics. It is higher among men (61.3%) than women (45.3%). The literacy rate has steadily declined from 1999 (64.1%) and 1991 (71.9%). The study shows that it is much higher in southern and particularly south-east (73.5%) than in the north-west (23.2%, men 31.0, women 15.4%) .

Miscellaneous

Codes:

• according to the list of country codes IOC , Nigeria has the following code NGR
• according to standard ISO 3166-1 (country codes list), Nigeria for alpha-2 code NG
• according to standard ISO 3166-1 (country codes list), Nigeria has the alpha-3 code NGA
• according to the list of international codes of plates , Nigeria has the following code WAN
• according to the list of country codes used by NATO , Nigeria for alpha-2 code NI
• according to the list of country codes used by NATO , Nigeria for alpha-3 code NGA
• according to the list of prefixes ICAO aircraft registration , Nigeria has the following code 5N
• according to the list of prefixes ICAO airport codes , Nigeria has the following code DN

References

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