Federal Republic of Nigeria: capital, flag, peoples, language, geography. Nigeria
Nigeria- state in West Africa on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. It borders in the west with Benin (border length 773 km), in the north - with Niger (1497 km), in the northeast - with Chad (87 km), in the east - with Cameroon (1690 km). Area - 923,768 km². The capital is Abuja.
The Niger and Benue rivers divide the country into two parts: the coastal plain is located in the southern part, and low plateaus predominate in the northern part. A large territory of the country is occupied by the Primorsky Plain, formed mainly by river sediments. In the west of the plain along the coast there is a chain of sand spits that connect with each other and the Gulf of Guinea.
The highest point in the country, Mount Chappal Vaddi (2419 m), is located in Taraba state near the Nigerian-Cameroon border.
Climate in Nigeria
The climate in southern Nigeria is equatorial monsoon; in the central part - tropical humid; in the north - tropical dry. Average annual temperatures: +26..+28 °C.
Rainy season (cold season) is from March to October. Largest quantity precipitation falls on the coast (up to 4000 mm per year), in the central part of the country 1000-1400 mm, and in the extreme northeast - only 500 mm. In the north of the country, precipitation usually occurs from June to September.
The dry period (hot season) is from November to March. During this period, the harmattan wind blows from the northeast, bringing daytime heat and sharp daily temperature changes from the desert areas of the mainland (during the day the air warms up to +40 °C or more, and at night the temperature drops to +10 °C).
Last changes: 05/19/2013Population
The population of Nigeria is 152.2 million people (2010). The country is the largest country in Africa by population, ranking only 14th on the continent in terms of territory.
Average life expectancy is 46 years for men, 48 years for women.
Ethnic composition: more than 250 aboriginal peoples and tribes. The largest nationalities are: Yoruba - 21%, Hausa and Fulani - 29%, Igbo - 18%.
Language
The official language is English.
The languages Edo, Efik, Adawama Fulfulde, Hausa, Idoma, Igba, Central Kanuri, and Yoruba are also widely spoken among the population. There are a total of 421 languages in Nigeria, of which 410 are living, 2 are second without native speakers, 9 are dead.
Local languages are used mainly for communication and media mass media, some languages are also taught in schools. The majority of the country's population speaks two or more languages.
Religion
About 50.4% of the population is Muslim (Hausa and part of the Yoruba), about 48.2% is Christian (Igbo and most of the Yoruba), the rest adhere to traditional beliefs.
The northern part of Nigeria (where the majority is Muslim) has been living under Sharia law since 1999.
Religious clashes periodically occur between Muslims and Christians. The Nigerian government is also involved in the conflict, regularly sending troops and police to stop the massacres.
Religious clashes have existed in Nigeria since it was a colony of the British Empire. However, the most violent clashes began after the northern parts of the country received the right to life under Sharia law. The local Christian minority began to be persecuted. The city of Jos has become the center of the fiercest fighting between representatives of two religious faiths. In 2010, more than 500 people died in Jos, one of the deadliest clashes in the city's history.
Last changes: 05/19/2013About money
Naira(NGN) is the monetary unit of Nigeria, equal to 100 kobo.
There are banknotes in circulation in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 naira of various years of issue.
Outside Nigeria, local money “naira” has no value (except as a souvenir), so it is recommended to exchange all local money before leaving Nigeria.
Currency exchange can be done in banks and exchange offices (on the street it is not recommended, since the probability of fraud is very high; there are a lot of counterfeit US dollars in circulation).
Using credit cards and travel checks is difficult and is usually only possible in the capital and other large cities. Paying with a credit card is a very risky operation, even in hotels, there is a high probability of your confidential data being stolen from the card.
Last changes: 05/19/2013Communications
Dialing code: 234
Internet domain: .ng
Telephone city codes
Abuja - 9, Benin City - 52, Lagos - 1, Kano - 64
How to call
To call from Russia to Nigeria, you need to dial: 8 - dial tone - 10 - 234 - city code, subscriber number.
To call from Nigeria to Russia, you need to dial: 009 - 7 - area code - subscriber number.
Last changes: 05/19/2013Where to stay
Almost all hotels in Nigeria require payment for the entire stay before checking into the room. This even applies to Sheraton and Hilton. Usually you have to pay 125% of the room price, the balance (deposit) will be returned upon departure.
Please note that paying with a credit card is a very risky operation, even in expensive hotels there is a high probability of your sensitive card data being stolen (and subsequently used).
Last changes: 05/19/2013Sea and beaches
There are a great many beaches in Nigeria, but they are mostly “wild” and very dirty. Although I must admit that the coast is very beautiful. There are no beach resorts either.
Last changes: 05/19/2013History of Nigeria
People have inhabited the territory of Nigeria since ancient times. Somewhere in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. In the central part of the country on the Jos plateau, the Nok civilization was formed, marking the transition from the Stone to the Iron Age. Some cultural features (figurines of horses, riders and wheeled carts) make it possible to connect the emergence of Nok with the influence of the Mediterranean ancient center of civilizations. After the mysterious disappearance of the Nok civilization, its traditions were preserved by the Yoruba peoples, who created the early state associations of Ife, Oyo and the Benin Kingdom.
In the 8th century, the nomadic Zaghawa Nilotes in the territories of central Sahara created the vast state of Kanem-Borno, whose power extended from Libya to Nigeria. In 1085, the rulers of Kanem-Borno, under the influence of Arab merchants, converted to Islam. The basis of the state's economy was transit trans-Saharan trade and the collection of tribute from conquered tribes.
In the 14th century, the loose nomadic empire of Kanem-Borno collapsed. On its ruins in northern Nigeria and the adjacent territories of Niger, the Hausa city-states were formed. In the 15th century, northwestern Nigeria became part of the Muslim Songhai Empire (centered in Timbuktu), which soon collapsed under the onslaught of Moroccan troops. The Hausa states regained their independence. At the beginning of the 19th century, they were united during the Fulani jihad into a single state of Sokoto.
Europeans appeared on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea in the 15th century. The first of them were the Portuguese. Unlike other regions of the world, Europeans did not try to gain a foothold in this territory, build their cities here, or convert the local population to their faith. On the contrary, they contributed to the strengthening of the native kingdoms (Oyo, Benin) by involving them in the world market. Exotic fruits and ivory were in demand in Europe, and slaves in its overseas colonies. And only the industrial revolution (dictating the exploitation of raw materials), as well as the ban on the slave trade in the 19th century, undermined the economy of the slave-trading kingdoms, contributed to their decline and absorption by the British colonial empire.
As a result of the “partition of Africa” at the Berlin Conference of 1885, Great Britain laid claim to part of the coast of the Guinea coast, corresponding to modern southern Nigeria. The colonialists instilled in the local population (Yoruba) the Anglican form of Christianity, agricultural crops of cocoa and peanuts, railways were built (1916), oil wells were drilled (1958). Bloodier was the annexation of the Muslim states of northern Nigeria.
In 1914, the British colonies in Nigeria were united into a single protectorate of Nigeria. A unified Nigerian nation was never formed. The country was divided into autonomous regions corresponding to the Yoruba (in the west), Hausa (in the north) and Ibo (in the east) territories. Ethno-regional parties were formed on the basis of these nationalities.
Independent Nigeria
On October 1, 1960, Nigeria became an independent state. The first government of independent Nigeria was based on a coalition of the CNIS and SNK parties; the representative of the SNK, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, became prime minister. After Nigeria was declared a republic in 1963, Nnamdi Azikiwe (representative of the NUIS) took over as president.
In January 1966, a group of Igbo officers led a military coup. The short period of the “first republic” was over. The military attempted to establish a unitary state in Nigeria, divided into provinces. Northern Nigerian Muslims saw the coup as a threat to their interests, and ethnic clashes broke out across the country. At the end of July, military units consisting of northern soldiers carried out a new military coup. The head of state was a lieutenant colonel (later general), Yakubu Gowon (ruled from 1966 to 1975). There was renewed persecution of the Igbo in the north, thousands of people were killed, leading to a mass exodus of the Igbo to the east, their attempts to create a state of Biafra and civil war 1967-1970. The country returned to a federal system.
The country's political parties were banned from 1966-1978, 1984-1989 and 1993-1998. In 1975, Gowon was overthrown by a group of officers led by Murtala Muhammad, who was known for his intolerance of corruption and indiscipline; it is believed that the program he promulgated and launched to combat these phenomena in society could be crowned with worthy results, but Muhammad himself was killed in February 1976 during another, this time unsuccessful, coup attempt organized by Lieutenant Colonel B.S. Dimka. His replacement, Olusegun Obasanjo, handed over, as originally intended, power to a civilian government headed by Shehu Shagari, who was elected to this post under very dubious circumstances.
In 1979, a new constitution was adopted, marking the beginning of the “second republic”.
In 1983, the Shagari administration, mired in corruption and despotism, was replaced by a new group of military officers, who then led the country almost continuously for a decade and a half. In 1993, elections were held, but the military, mainly representatives of northern ethnic groups, refused to transfer power to the winner, Moshood Abiola, an ethnic Yoruba.
In 1998, during the preparation for the nomination of the country's military dictator Sani Abacha to the presidency, Abacha died, and his replacement, Abdusalam Abubakar, nevertheless transferred power to civilians. The presidential election was won by retired General Olusegun Obasanjo, a representative of the Christian community. An interfaith consensus was reached according to which representatives of the Muslim and Christian communities should replace each other in the presidency. Obasanjo served two terms in office, and tried through various manipulations to achieve changes to the constitution in order to run for a third term, but did not succeed. However, his protege, the Muslim Umaru Yar'Adua, was elected as the new president in 2007.
In 2006, there were acts of communal violence between Hausa Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. Over a hundred people died in clashes in February. In September, sectarian clashes took place in Jigawa State.
In November 2008, riots between Muslims and Christians broke out again in the city of Jos, killing about 300 people. The reason for the unrest was the victory in local elections of a Muslim party representing the interests of the Hausa people.
On January 13, 2010, a federal court in Nigeria transferred the powers of the presidency to the country's Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, since the previously elected President Umaru Yar'Adua was undergoing a long course of treatment in Saudi Arabia. On February 9, 2010, the Nigerian Senate confirmed the transfer of powers.
In March 2010, Jonathan dissolved the cabinet of ministers that he inherited from the previous president and began appointing new ministers, which caused discontent among supporters of Umaru Yar'Adua.
In March 2010, bloody clashes between Christians and Muslims in Plateau province killed more than 500 people.
On May 5, 2010, President Umaru Yar'Adua died at the age of 58 at his villa in the Nigerian capital, where he had returned in February after undergoing treatment abroad.
On May 6, 2010, Jonathan Goodluck took the oath of office as the new President of Nigeria. He will remain in office until his deceased predecessor's term expires. Future elections are scheduled for January 2011.
Last changes: 05/19/2013Useful information
It is customary to bargain in markets (fixed prices only for bread). As a rule, when trading, you can easily knock down half the price from what the seller originally set. Reducing the price and leaving without buying the goods is considered very rude.
Fraud is quite common, especially when using foreign currencies, so it is advisable to exchange some naira in small denominations in advance for everyday use.
Last changes: 05/19/2013How to get to Nigeria
There are no direct flights between Russia and Nigeria.
A number of European and Middle Eastern airlines operate flights to Nigeria:
Via UK: British Airways(London Heathrow - Abuja, Lagos)
Via Germany: Lufthansa(Frankfurt - Abuja, Lagos)
Via Spain: Iberia Airlines(Madrid - Lagos)
Via the Netherlands: KLM(Amsterdam - Abuja, Lagos, Kano)
Via France: Air France(Paris - Charles de Gaulle - Lagos)
Via Italy: Alitalia(Rome - Fiumicino - Accra, Lagos)
Via Turkey: Turkish Airlines(Istanbul - Lagos)
NIGERIA
Federal Republic of Nigeria, a state in West Africa. In terms of population, it ranks first in Africa; Nigerians make up approx. 1/8 of the continent's inhabitants. The country's territory extends from the coast of the Gulf of Guinea to the West African savannah. It borders on Benin in the west, Niger in the north, Chad in the northwest, and Cameroon in the east and southeast.
Nigeria. The capital is Abuja. Population - 118 million people (1997). Population density - 127 people per 1 sq. km. Urban population- 38%, rural - 62%. Area: 923,768 sq. km. The highest point is Mount Chappal Vaddi (2419 m). Main languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo. Main religions: Islam, Christianity, local traditional beliefs. Administrative division: 36 states and the Federal Capital District. Currency: naira = 100 kobo. National holiday: Independence Day - October 1. National anthem: "Rise, fellow citizens, Nigeria needs you."
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At the time of the declaration of independence on October 1, 1960, Nigeria was a federation consisting of the former federal capital of Lagos and three large, largely autonomous administrative regions: Northern, Western and Eastern. In 1963, a fourth region was separated from the territory of Western Nigeria - the Midwest. In relation to Nigeria, the concepts of North and South (Eastern and Western Nigeria, as well as Lagos) were established.
The nature of political processes in Nigeria in the first half of the 1980s was largely determined by the struggle for power between the main peoples of the North (Hausa and Fulani) and the South (Yoruba and Ibo), and depending on the situation, other ethnic groups could be either allies of the southerners or northerners. This rivalry continued for many years. In 1966, as a result of a military coup, the parliamentary republic was abolished and a military government was created, and in 1967 the territory of Nigeria was divided into 12 states. The authorities of the Eastern region, where separatist sentiments had been growing since 1966, proclaimed the creation of the independent Republic of Biafra, after which civil war broke out. On January 15, 1970, after fierce resistance to feudal forces for 31 months, Biafra surrendered.
In 1976, instead of 5, Nigeria became 19 states. In addition, a new Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was carved out of Niger State. In order to mitigate ethnic tensions, the names of some states were changed. In 1987 the number of states reached 30, and in 1996 - 36, not counting Abuja. In December 1991, the government moved from Lagos to the new capital, Abuja.
NATURE
Features of relief and hydrography. Nigeria is located on a low plateau with an altitude of approx. 600 m above sea level The country's territory is divided into large blocks by the valleys of the Niger and Benue rivers and is separated from the ocean by a narrow belt of coastal swamps. The width of this belt usually does not exceed 16 km, with the exception of the Niger Delta, where it reaches 97 km. A complex network of lagoons and channels located behind a barrier of sandy beaches forms a system of protected shallow waterways through which small vessels can pass from the Benin border in the west to the Cameroon border in the east without entering the ocean. Further inland, the Nsukka-Okigwi escarpment rising above the Cross River valley, the Jos and Biu plateaus, and the Adamawa Mountains are clearly visible. The generally flat surface of the plateau, composed of crystalline rocks in the north and west of the country and sandstones in the east, is in many places dotted with island mountains (inselbergs), i.e. rocky outlier hills with steep slopes. In the northeast, the surface gradually decreases towards Lake Chad, the level of which is 245 m above sea level.
The main rivers of Nigeria are the Niger, from which the country takes its name, and its largest tributary, the Benue. The main tributaries of the Niger and Benue - Sokoto, Kaduna and Gongola, as well as rivers flowing into Lake Chad, begin on the Jos Plateau, which is the hydrographic center of Nigeria. Navigation on these and other rivers, such as the Imo and Cross, is limited due to rapids and waterfalls, as well as sharp seasonal fluctuations in water levels. In Niger, ship traffic is maintained all year round to the city of Onitsha (where a bridge was built across the river), and from June to March - to Lokoja. During the wet season, boats operate as far as Jebba. Along the Benue, steamships go as far as Yola, but navigation is carried out only for four months - from July to October.
Climate. The climate is influenced by two air masses - equatorial sea air associated with moisture-carrying winds, and tropical continental air associated with the dry and dusty harmattan wind, which blows from the Sahara Desert. There are two seasons - wet (March - September), which in the south of the country is separated by a short dry interval in August, and dry (October - February). There is more precipitation in the south than in the north. The average annual precipitation on the coast is 1800-3800 mm, and on the northern edge of the country it is less than 25 mm. Sweltering heat and severe thunderstorms herald the beginning and end of the wet season, but between May and August, when most of the rainfall occurs, severe, short-lived thunderstorms give way to more persistent rainfall. Average temperatures are high and approximately the same in the north and south of the country. In the south, humidity is also high with constant heat, although temperatures rarely exceed 32 ° C, while in the north there are seasonal differences, and during the dry season there are significant daily temperature fluctuations. In the northeast, temperatures in the shade can reach 38° C. There are also frosts.
Soils and minerals. Almost all soils in Nigeria are acidic. In a number of areas in the east of the country, intensive leaching of soils formed on sandstones led to the formation of the so-called. “acid sands”, which are easy to process but quickly deplete. The soils of the far north were formed from desert sands and are easily destroyed. They differ sharply from the fertile soils that formed on the heavy loams of many river floodplains, in the cocoa belt and in the Niger Delta. In some densely populated areas, intensive farming and overgrazing have caused soil erosion.
Vast areas of Nigeria are composed of sedimentary rocks enriched in iron. There are many iron ore deposits, but they are not being developed. The largest deposits are located in Mount Patti near Lokoja and in Sokoto. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country produced oil and natural gas in the Niger Delta and offshore, tin and columbite (niobium ore) on the Jos Plateau near Enugu, and limestone (for cement production) in Nkalagu, Abeokuta, Sokoto, Ukpilla and Calabar .
Flora and fauna. Mangrove and freshwater swamp forests dominate the coastline, but then give way to a belt of dense tropical forest, in which the main tree species are kaya (mahogany), Chlorophora high and Triplochitone durum. The oil palm grows wild in tropical rainforests; in densely populated areas, the bushes of this palm have replaced the forest. In more northern areas, the forest thins out and is replaced by tall grass. This is the Guinean savannah, in which trees such as baobab, false locust and tamarind grow. More open savannas occur north of the line marking the northern limit of root crop production, while desert landscapes predominate in the far northeast. Acacia (a source of gum arabic) and mimosa are common there.
The placement of animals depends on the vegetation. The southern swamps and forests are home to crocodiles, monkeys and snakes, while the north contains antelope (several species), camels, hyenas, and the occasional giraffe and lion. Other animals common to tropical forests and wet savannas are elephants, gazelles, gorillas and leopards. The rivers are home to numerous species of fish, crocodiles and hippos. The variety of birds is amazing, especially along the edges of the forests. African bustards, vultures, kites, hawks, snipes, quails, pigeons, ostriches and parakeets live here.
POPULATION AND SOCIETY
Demography. According to the 1991 census, its population was 88,514,501 people. This figure turned out to be 20-30 million less than that given by UN experts. Because the distribution of federal funds and political representation were based on population, state leaders overstated state populations. Therefore, the federal government was forced to cancel the results of the 1962 and 1973 censuses. Only the results of the 1963 census were recognized as reliable - then 55.7 million people lived in Nigeria. True, according to UN experts, the real number of Nigerians in 1963 did not exceed 46 million people. According to estimates carried out in 1991, 46.8 million people lived in the North alone, while the ethnic and religious affiliation of the respondents was not clarified. Before the 1991 census, the UN made a forecast for 2000, according to which the country's population should have reached 150 million people by that time.
High population density is characteristic of most areas of the southeast, slightly lower - for the southwest and north (Kano state and northern Kaduna state). The sparsely populated belt runs from eastern Kwara State through the Niger River Valley, the center of Plateau State and most of Yobe and Borno States.
Ethnic composition. Over the past twenty centuries, Nigeria has experienced the effects of numerous waves of migrations or invasions mainly from the northeast. Therefore, the ethnic and linguistic situation in the country is very diverse. Nigeria is home to more than 250 ethnic groups, each with their own language and cultural characteristics. 80% of the population consists of ten groups, which are numerically dominant in individual states: Hausa and Fulbe in the states of Sokoto, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe, Katsina, Jigawa and Kano, Kanuri in Borno, Tiv in Benue and Plateau, Yoruba in Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos, Edo or Bini in Edo, Ibo or Igbo in Imo and Anambra, Ibibio-Efik in Cross River and Ijaw in Bayelsa. Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo make up approx. 60% Nigerians.
Peoples of the northern states. The most numerous peoples of the North are the Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri and Tiv. All of them, except the Tiv, are Muslims. During the jihad, religious war at the beginning of the 19th century, the Fulbe established their control over the Hausa lands and created a Muslim state - the Sokoto Caliphate. Sokoto occupied most of the territory of northern Nigeria, with the exception of the Kanuri-inhabited Borno in the northeast and the Tiv lands along the banks of the Benue River. Social relations among the Fulani are more conservative than among the Hausa, whose military expansion and trading activities led to the fact that the Hausa language spread to many areas of West Africa and became the lingua franca of much of northern Nigeria. The lifestyle and social relations of the Kanuri, the main population of the state. Borno is largely determined by the norms of Islam, but this is not the result of the conquests of the Fulani. From the 13th century and until the beginning of the colonial period, the Kanuri managed to maintain their political independence, being the ethnic core of the Muslim state of Kanema-Bornu, located around Lake. Chad. Those living in the states of Benue and the Tiv Plateau, unlike their Muslim neighbors, profess Christianity or remain committed to traditional beliefs.
Peoples of the Eastern States. The three main ethnic groups in eastern Nigeria are the Ibo-speaking peoples who live in Imo and Anambra states, the Ibibio-Efik in Cross River State and the Ijaw in Bayelsa State. The traditional type of settlement of all three peoples is small villages. The main form of social organization for the Ibos were associations of villages and clans. Ibo society was democratic, all decisions were made in council. A prominent place in the pantheon of traditional Ibo deities belonged to the earth goddess Ala, and the priests of her cult often performed judicial and other governmental functions. Ibo art is characterized by a high degree of expression. From the overpopulated eastern regions, the Ibos migrate to other parts of the country. The exception was the period of the civil war 1967-1970. Traditionally, the Ibibio lived in villages where secular and religious leaders exercised power. Each village enjoyed a significant degree of autonomy, but groups of villages, based on blood ties and shared beliefs, were organized into clans, ruled by a secular and religious chief and a council of elders. Political power was exercised by secret societies such as the Ekpo and Ekpe. Ija-speaking peoples live in the Niger Delta region; their settlement areas in the eastern part of the delta in Bayelsa State are characterized by low population density. The Ijaw are divided into several groups: Kalabari, Okrika, Nembe and Bonni, but linguistically and culturally they all form a single community. The traditional social and political organization of the Ijaw is quite similar to that of the Ibo, the difference being that Ijaw villages were rarely capable of joint action. Most modern Ibos, Ibibios and Ijaws are Christians.
Peoples of Western Nigeria. To the southwest of the Niger River, the majority of the population is Yoruba, living in the states of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos, and the Edo-(Bini-) speaking population of Edo State. The Yoruba are united by a common language, traditions and a legend about their origin from a common ancestor, the creator of the world Oduduwa, but they never had a single centralized state. The Yoruba created several strong city-states. The power of some rulers of these states was not limited to the boundaries of their possessions. The Oni (the ruler of Ife) was considered the religious head of all Yorubas, and the Alafin (the ruler of Oyo) was nominally considered the first among equals of the Yoruba rulers. In traditional Yoruba beliefs there are several main cults, each associated with a specific deity, such as Shango, the god of thunder. Yoruba religious beliefs, poetry, and music brought to the New World influenced the culture of Brazil and some Caribbean countries.
The most notable Yoruba contribution to West African art is sculpture. Since 1938, several bronze and terracotta heads and figurines have been found during archaeological excavations on the territory of Ife. The oldest of them were made ca. 800 years ago. Yoruba sculptures are among the world's masterpieces. Recently, the inherent expressiveness of Yoruba art has found vivid expression in wooden sculpture.
The Edo-speaking people of Edo State are best known for the Benin Empire created by their ancestors. When at the end of the 15th century. Benin was at the zenith of its power, its influence spread from the banks of the Niger River to the territory of modern Togo.
Religion. About 35% of Nigerians are Christian, and approximately 48% are Muslim. Christian missions were active in southern Nigeria. Positions catholic church are strongest among the population of the eastern part of the country, and the Methodist and Anglican ones in the west. Others are active Protestant churches. There are also a number of local Christian-African churches that arose on the basis of schismatic movements due to the dissatisfaction of part of the population with the dominance of foreign missionaries in the church hierarchy and their negative attitude towards polygamy. The vast majority of Yorubas profess Islam. Thanks to the efforts of missionaries, Christianity and Western education spread in Southern Nigeria, while the population of the North remained committed to Islam.
Cities. Due to the fact that the Yorubas traditionally lived in urban settlements, some of the Nigerian cities are located in the southwest of the country. At the center of this region is Ibadan, and within a radius of 145 km are Lagos, the former capital and still the largest commercial, port and industrial center; other major cities in the region are Ogbomosho, Oshogbo, Ilorin, Abeokuta, Ilesha, Iwo, Ado-Ekiti, Mushin, Ede, Ife and Ikerre. All of them are purely African cities with ancient history.
Many cities of the North, which are the capitals of the emirates, are as ancient as the cities of the southwest. In Kano, where the majority of the population is Hausa and Fulani, city walls with a circumference of 21 km were once destroyed, after which the city became a major trading center. Other major cities of the North are Zaria, Katsina and Kaduna, located in the Hausa and Fulani areas, as well as Maiduguri (225.1 thousand), in the northeast.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Historical background. Political development Nigeria was determined by the following factors.
Uneven development of the North and South. The peoples of Nigeria were united under British colonial rule in 1914. However, this unification was largely formal, since the North and South were very different regions socio-politically, and the colonial administration deliberately sought to develop the South and ignored the North. After 1914, the gap in the economic, cultural and technological development of the two parts of the country widened even more. This imbalance contributed to suspicion and conflict between political leaders of the North and South. The northerners feared the dominance of the inhabitants of the more developed southern regions, and the southerners feared the hegemony of the North, which was larger in territory and population. Fears on both sides resulted in a struggle for control of the federal government and demands from Southern politicians to administratively divide the North.
Interethnic contradictions. Concerns about the establishment of dominance by one or another people were not limited to the conflict between the North and the South. The British colonial authorities did little to create a pan-Nigerian community. Only in 1946 was it established Legislative Council, which included elected representatives from all parts of Nigeria, and its residents had the opportunity to feel like Nigerians. Conflicts between the main ethnic groups - Hausa and Fulani, Yoruba and Ibo, as well as between them and regional ethnic minorities - posed a constant threat to the unity of the country.
The end of the federalism system. In the political system created during Nigeria's transition to independence in 1960, the ideas of pan-Nigerism and regional interests had to coexist. It was assumed that balance would be achieved through the establishment of a federal government structure, in which a number of important powers were transferred to the administrations of the Northern, Eastern and Western regions. The struggle between parties for control of the central government, the distribution of financial and other resources, jobs and positions of influence reached such proportions that by the mid-1960s the federal constitution effectively ceased to operate. Two military coups in 1966 ultimately led to the restoration of federalism, but weakened the federal system as a whole. Since the early 1970s, the position of the central government has been steadily and significantly strengthened. This was due to its success in the 1967-1970 civil war and the significant increase in government financial resources as a result of the oil boom following the start of oil production in the Niger Delta region.
Constitutional Development of Nigeria. In 1951 a quasi-federal government was created. However, the constitution, which provided for the concentration of almost all power at the center and gave few powers to the regions, turned out to be ineffective in Nigeria. In 1954, the status of the federal government was revised, and the regions received more rights. This constitution lasted until the military coup of 1966. Amendments concerned the autonomy of Nigeria, the country's independence in 1960 and its proclamation as a republic in 1963. Under this constitution, the powers of the central government included issues related to defense, foreign policy, police, customs and excise, and currency and the banking system, transport and communications (railroads, roads and postal service) and the work of higher educational institutions. In charge regional bodies The authorities dealt with many issues of regional economic development, healthcare, school education, local government, and tax collection, including income taxes.
After Nigeria was declared a republic, the head of state was the president, elected for a five-year term. The range of his powers was very limited. The head of government, the prime minister, was accountable to the federal parliament. The parliament consisted of a House of Representatives, elected by universal suffrage, and a Senate that had no real power, in which all regions were equally represented. The northerners played a dominant role in the House of Representatives; they owned 167 out of 312 parliamentary seats. The struggle for control of parliament and for positions in the federal government system was at the center of acute political and regional conflicts. Each region had its own governor, prime minister, executive council, bicameral legislature and administrative apparatus.
After two military coups in 1966, the parliament and cabinet of ministers were replaced by the Supreme Military Council and its subordinate body, which included several civilians. Civilian rule was restored in October 1979. The new constitution provided for the replacement of the British parliamentary model with the American presidential system. The President became the head of state and government, and for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the executive and legislative powers were completely separated. The president was elected for a four-year term by direct universal suffrage, and all states participated in the elections on equal terms. Legislative power was exercised by the National Assembly, consisting of the Senate (95 senators) and the House of Representatives (450 deputies). Senators and deputies were also elected for four years.
Central government. On December 31, 1983, as a result of a military coup, the legitimate government was overthrown. Many provisions of the 1979 constitution were suspended because Nigerian citizens could now be imprisoned without court approval. The highest authority was the federal military government, which created a special council to govern the country (National Council of State). As a result of the military coup carried out in August 1985, almost half of the previous leadership was removed from power, and General Ibrahim Babangida, an active participant in the previous military coup, was appointed president. He led the country as chairman of the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC), to which the government and military governors of the states were subordinate. Babangida's reign ended in August 1993. In November 1993, Defense Minister General Sani Abacha became head of state. After the death of Sani Abacha from a heart attack on June 8, 1998, power passed to General Abdulsalam Abubakar, who promised to transfer power to a legally elected civilian government by May 29, 1999.
State governments and local authorities management. In 1976, Nigeria was divided into 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory; in 1987, two new states were created, in 1991 - 9 more, and in 1996 - 6 more, after which the total number of states reached 36. According to the 1979 constitution, the governor of each state was elected for a four-year term; Simultaneously with the election of the governor, the unicameral state legislative body, the House of Assembly, was elected for the same term. States were given the right to collect taxes, but when state law conflicted with federal law, the advantage remained with the latter. After the military coup of 1983 and before the 1991 state elections, state military governors were appointed by the central government. In 1993, the elected governors were replaced by persons appointed by the military authorities.
Law and order. There are several operating in Nigeria legal systems: customary law (chiefs' courts), Muslim law in most northern states (courts where Muslim Alqali judges administer justice), Nigerian statutory and case law.
According to the 1979 constitution, the federal judicial system of Nigeria includes: the Supreme Court, consisting of no more than 16 members - the highest court, the Court of Appeal and the High Court. The appointment of federal judges is the prerogative of the president. Each state has its own court.
During the colonial period and after the country's declaration of independence, the question of the place of the police in the system of government bodies was the subject of constant heated disagreement. The compromise solution eventually reached called for the creation of a unified police force under the control of an Inspector General of Police, directly accountable to the federal government. Each state appointed a Commissioner of Police, who was subordinate to the Inspector General and carried out the current orders of the state government. Under military leadership and in accordance with the 1979 constitution, all police came under the control of the federal government, but the post of police commissioner was retained in each state. Local police units were disbanded and their personnel enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force.
Political parties. The country's political parties were banned from 1966 to 1978, then from 1984 to 1989 and again in 1993. Until 1966, each of the three main parties was based on the region whose legislature it controlled. The conservative Northern People's Congress (NPC) controlled the government of the Northern region from 1952 to 1966 and the federal government from 1960 to 1966 through the creation of two coalitions with other parties. The National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), which arose in the wake of the national liberation movement, controlled the government of Eastern Nigeria from 1952 to 1966, and in 1966 participated together with the NNC in the coalition federal government. The third main political force - the Action Group (AG) - was formed on the basis of the Yoruba cultural association Egbe Omo Oduduwa "Children of Oduduwa" (Oduduwa is the legendary ancestor of all Yoruba). From 1952 to 1962, until the federal government introduced state of emergency in Western Nigeria, the DG controlled the government of that region. Then there was a split in the ranks of the party, but after the state of emergency was lifted in 1963, one of its factions headed the government of Western Nigeria.
Among the smaller parties, the Union of Progressive Elements of the North (SPES) deserves mention, which, being in opposition to the SNK, was blocked with the NSNK. SPES opposed the dominance in the North of the leaders of the emirs and conservative social norms and customs. Most of the small parties, as a rule, acted in alliance with larger parties; others, such as the United Congress of the Middle Belt, focused on solving purely local problems.
After the ban on political activity in September 1978, it was decided that only those parties that managed to achieve significant support in two-thirds of 19 states could use the right to nominate candidates for the post of president. As a result, five parties were represented in the 1979 presidential elections, and six in the 1983 elections. During both election campaigns, it became clear that only the relatively conservative National Party of Nigeria (NPN), whose candidate Shehu Shagari became president of the country, enjoyed nationwide support. The NPN's main rival in the elections was the Yoruba-based Nigerian Unity Party. The Nigerian People's Party held a strong position among the Ibos. The more left-wing People's Renaissance Party and the Greater Nigeria People's Party enjoyed the most support in some northern states. After the military coup of 1983, all political organizations in Nigeria were banned.
In May 1989, the military leadership allowed the activities of parties, after which it itself created two parties, coming up with names for them and writing programs. The military believed that these two parties could express the political aspirations of all Nigerians and that other parties were not needed. The program of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), defined as “a little left,” differed little from the program of the National Republican Convention (NRC), which was defined as “a little right.” In the December 1991 elections, the NRC won 16 gubernatorial posts, and the SDP won 14. The NRC won unexpected victories in Lagos and Kano State. In the July 1992 national elections, SDP candidates won victories in Lagos, the Yoruba southwest and the populous Middle Belt. The SDP won 51 of 92 seats in the Senate and 314 of 593 seats in the House of Representatives. NRC achieved good results among Hausa and Fulani voters in the Muslim North, although the fly in the ointment was the SDP victory in Kano. Only 25% of the electorate took part in the elections, which can be partly explained by the fact that the vote was not secret.
In the presidential elections of June 1993, in which 33% of voters took part, SDP candidate Moshood Abiola won a decisive victory over his NRC rival Bashir Tofa.
Armed forces and foreign policy. The backbone of Nigeria's armed forces is the ground forces, but the country also has a small navy and air force. The size of the army, which amounted to only 9 thousand people in 1966, increased at the end of the 1980s to 120 thousand, and in 1993 it amounted to 76 thousand.
Nigeria is a member of the UN, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Organization of African Unity and the British-led Commonwealth. Its foreign policy until 1966 can be characterized as a policy of non-alignment, then the country began to move increasingly away from the West. In 1990, Nigerians formed the backbone of the military contingent of six African states that entered Liberia to end the civil war there. Nigeria was accused of supporting one of the parties to the conflict. The Nigerian contingent of troops as part of the UN peacekeeping force was in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Cambodia.
See below
The official name is the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Located in western Africa. Area 923.8 thousand km2, population 120 million people. (2001). State language- English. The capital is Abuja. Public holiday - Independence Day on October 1 (since 1960). The currency is the naira (equal to 100 kobo).
Member approx. 60 international organizations, incl. The UN (since 1960) and its specialized organizations, the AU, the British Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the OIC, the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, etc.
Sights of Nigeria
Archaeological site Sungbo's Eredo
Geography of Nigeria
Located between 2°40′ and 14° east longitude and 14° and 4° north latitude, bordered on the west by Benin, on the north by Niger, on the northeast by Chad, on the east and southeast by Cameroon, and washed on the south by waters of the Gulf of Guinea of the Atlantic Ocean. The coastline (853 km) is relatively straight, slightly indented, with the exception of the Niger Delta region. 2/3 of Nigeria's territory are vast, level plateaus, the rest are plains. The narrow coastal plain turns into stepped plateaus: Yoruba, Udi, Jos, etc. Peaks: Vogel (2042 m), Shere (1735 m), Wadi (1698 m). North of the Jos Plateau the terrain declines into the Hausa High Plain.
Nigeria is one of the world's top ten oil exporters (reserves 22.5 billion barrels - about 3% of the world's total). Natural gas reserves are 124 trillion m3 (10th place in the world). The subsoil is rich in coal, uranium, iron ore, columbite, tin, lead, manganese, zinc, gold, tungsten, limestone, asbestos, graphite, kaolin, mica and other types of raw materials.
The soil in Nigeria is infertile. The coastal plain is covered with red-yellow lateritic soils, the Yoruba Plateau and Northern Plateau are covered with red lateritic soils, the northern lowland areas are covered with red-brown and northwestern regions- black soils of dry savannas.
The climate is tropical, equatorial-monsoon. The arrival of the “dry season” or “rainy season” is determined by the tropical front, i.e. zone of contact of winds: blowing from the north, from the deserts, hot, dry and carrying a lot of dust “har-mattan” and humid monsoons originating in the south of the Atlantic. The maximum temperature of the “dry season” (December-January) on the coast with high humidity is +35°C, in the north with lower humidity +31°C, the “rainy season” (April-May) is +23°C and +18°C respectively. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in the Niger Delta and in the eastern part of the coast - up to 4000 mm, the least in the northeast, in the Maiduguri region - less than 600 mm per year. In the central part of the country their level is approx. 1200 mm per year, in the far north and northeast - up to 500 mm.
Nigeria is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Niger River, which connects with its main tributary, the Benue, in the center of the country. Other important rivers in the country are Sokoto, Kaduna, Anambra, Katsina Ala, Gongola, Ogun, Oshun, Imo and Cross. Lake Chad is located in the northeast.
A narrow strip of mangrove and freshwater swamps on the coast gives way to a forested zone (mahogany and oil palm) with tropical wet forests grading to deciduous dry tropical forests. The zone of wet (Guinean tall grass), park (with sparse trees - kaya, isoberline, mitragyna) and desert (dry Sudanese with characteristic umbrella acacias, baobabs and tamarinds, as well as thorny bushes) savannah occupies approx. 1/2 of the territory. The Hausa High Plain is a semi-desert.
There are 274 species of mammals in Nigeria, incl. elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses, leopards, hyenas, numerous species of antelope, scaly anteater, chimpanzee, gorilla, as well as other species of monkeys - monkeys, baboons, lemurs, etc. The swamps and tropical forests of the south of the country are home to a large number of snakes and crocodiles. The world of birds is bright and rich (over 680 species).
Population of Nigeria
Population growth 1.91% (2002 estimate). Fertility rate 39.22%, mortality 14.1%, infant mortality 72.49 people. per 1000 newborns. Life expectancy is 50.59 years, incl. women 50.6 and men 50.58 years. Age structure: 0-14 years - 43.6%, 15-64 years - 53.6%, 65 years and older - 2.8% of the population. In the entire population, there are 3% more men than women. The cities are inhabited by approx. 1/3 of the population, 57.1% of adults are literate, incl. 67.3% men and 47.3% women (est. 1995).
Ethnic composition of the population of St. 250 nations, the largest: Hausa-Fulani - 29%, Yoruba - 21%, Igbo - 18%, Ijaw - 10%, Ibibio - 3.5%, Tiv - 2.5%, Bini, etc. Languages - English, Among the more than 400 local languages and dialects, the main ones spoken are Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo.
OK. 50% of the population professes Islam (Nigeria belongs to the Organization of the Islamic Conference), 40% are Christians and 10% adherents of local religious beliefs.
History of Nigeria
In the 16th century Europeans entered what is now Nigeria. Its coast, which became the center of the slave trade, was called the “Slave Coast.” The colonization of Nigeria by Great Britain ended in the first decade of the 20th century. - in 1914, a single entity “Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria” arose within the modern borders (the northern part of British Cameroon was annexed to the country in 1961) of the Federation. Nigeria became an independent state on October 1, 1960, and on October 1, 1963, the Federal Republic of Nigeria was proclaimed.
The history of independent Nigeria is characterized by a continuous series of political crises, which are based on regional, ethnic and religious contradictions, intense personal rivalry among political leaders, rampant corruption, etc. Over the 43 years of independence, 10 regimes have changed in the country, incl. For 29 years, it was led by military leaders who seized power by force. Therefore, the military leadership was almost constantly faced with the question of returning the country to civilian rule.
The military entered the political arena of Nigeria in January 1966. They overthrew the government of the First Republic, but power passed to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major General A.J. Aguiyi-Ironsi, who declared Nigeria a unitary state. On July 29, 1966, a new military coup took place, and the country was led by Lieutenant Colonel (later General) Yakubu Gowon. Despite Nigeria's return to a federal structure, mass pogroms and the exodus of the Igbo from the Northern region, as well as the withdrawal from the federation of the Eastern region - the homeland of the Igbo and their creation of a separatist state - the "Republic of Biafra" (May 1967) led to a bloody internecine war (July 1967 - January 1970). The war took approx. 2 million lives and brought victory to supporters of federalism.
The “oil boom” (by the mid-1970s, Nigeria ranked 5th in the world in oil production and became one of the world’s leading exporters) contributed to economic growth and some stabilization of the situation in Nigeria. However, Gowon's inconsistency in transferring power to a civilian government led to his overthrow. New chapter country, General Murtala R. Muhammad dealt a major blow to corruption, carried out administrative reform and made a number of other important decisions, the main one of which was the development of a clear program for the transfer of power to a civilian government. It was carried out by his successor, General Olusegun Obasanjo, who in 1979 surrendered his powers to the democratically elected President of the Second Republic, Shehu Shagari.
On New Year's Eve 1994, the military junta of General M. Buhari overthrew the Shagari government. The next coup in August 1985 brought General I. Babangida to power, who managed to hold general elections in 1993, which Moshood Abiola won. However, an attempt to disavow their results led to the fall of Babangida’s regime, and power was transferred to the so-called. to the interim transitional government of E. Shonekan.
The Third Republic fell when, in October 1993, power in Abuja was seized by the “Stone Age tyrant” General Sani Abacha, whose rule was characterized by sharp deterioration socio-economic situation in the country, increasing corruption and embezzlement, rampant repression. Nigeria has found itself in a period of widespread international isolation. The death of the dictator in June 1998 gave impetus to the resumption of the democratic process. Already on May 29, 1999, the military regime transferred power in the country to the President of the Fourth Republic, O. Obasanjo, elected in the general elections. In April 2003, Obasanjo was re-elected president for a second term.
Government and political system of Nigeria
Nigeria is a republic, the Constitution of 1999 is in force.
Nigeria is a federation of 36 states (Abia, 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, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara), as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The largest cities: Lagos (13 million inhabitants), Ibadan, Ogbomosho, Kano, Oshogbo, Ilorin, Abeokuta, Port Harcourt, Zaria, Ilesha, Onicha, Iwo.
Government in Nigeria is carried out by three branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial. The highest legislative body is the National Assembly, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The highest body of executive power is the president, who is the head of state, the head of the executive power of the Federation, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation. The President appoints a member of the same political party from which he is running for the post of Vice President. Ministers of the National Executive Council - the government of the Federation - are appointed by the President and then confirmed by the Senate. Executive authorities include the State Council, which exercises advisory functions under the president. The head of state and the highest executive body is the president. O. Obasanjo took office for a second four-year term on May 29, 2003. Vice President - Atiku Abubakar.
The President and deputies of the National Assembly are elected for a term of 4 years. The President is elected for no more than two terms. A candidate must obtain at least 1/4 of the votes in elections in at least 2/3 of the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory. The Senate (109 members) consists of three senators from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory. The House of Representatives (360 members) is elected from constituencies of approximately equal population size. The Senate and House of Representatives have their own speaker and deputy, elected by senators and members of the house from among themselves.
Prominent political leaders of Nigeria:
Nnamdi Azikiwe is the first indigenous Governor-General of the independent Federation of Nigeria. (1960-63), first President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. (1963-66);
Tafawa Balewa - first prime minister of independent Nigeria (1960-66);
General Yakubu Gowon - head of the military regime (1966-75), returned and strengthened the federal structure of Nigeria, under his leadership the federal government won the internecine war of 1967-70;
General Murtala R. Muhammad - head of the military regime (1975-76), the most revered statesman in Nigeria. He launched a fight against corruption, carried out administrative reform, decided to move the capital to the geographical center of the country, and developed a schedule for the transfer of power to a civilian government;
General Olusegun Obasanjo - head of the military regime (1976-79), president of the Fourth Republic (1999 - present). During his first stay in power, he continued the initiatives of M. Muhammad and transferred (for the first time in Africa) power in the country to the legally elected civilian government of Shehu Shagari (1979-83). In 1999 and 2003 (re)democratically elected to the presidency. He brought the country out of political and economic isolation, ensured economic growth, gave a social orientation to government policy, created a legislative framework for the fight against corruption, etc.;
General Sani Abacha - head of the military regime, president (1993-98), introduced a tough police regime, launched repression, including the physical elimination of opponents, which led to a decline in the prestige and well-known isolation of Nigeria in the international arena; during his reign, Nigeria reached 1-1 1st place in the world in terms of the level of corruption of the state apparatus.
Executive power in the states is vested in governors, who are elected for a term of 4 years and must receive at least 1/4 of the votes in elections in at least 2/3 of local government areas.
There is a multi-party system in place. 30 parties were allowed to participate in the 2003 general elections (in 1999 - 3), but only the People's Democratic Party, the All-Nigeria People's Party, the Union for Democracy, the United People's Party of Nigeria, the National Democratic Party, and the People's Salvation Party are represented in the National Assembly.
Leading business organizations: National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture - NASSIMA, chambers of commerce and industry in all states of Nigeria, bilateral chambers of commerce and industry with leading foreign partners, etc. Among others public organizations The Nigerian Labor Congress stands out.
The administration's internal policy is aimed at democratizing Nigerian society, fighting corruption, and resolving ethnic and religious differences. At the heart of modern economic and social policy The tasks are to revive the declining economy, raise the standard of living of the population, return Nigerians to productive work and create new employment opportunities, orient the country to benefit from economic globalization, and turn Nigeria into the center of the West African economy.
The government's foreign policy is aimed at strengthening the authority of the country, which is emerging from international isolation after a long period of military regimes in power. Priority attention is paid to the African direction. Obasanjo is one of the authors of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) document. The document attempts to encourage African countries towards closer regional and continental integration and, in particular, to make the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) an effective instrument in this process. Nigeria takes an active part in peacekeeping operations in the West African region. As the leader of the ECOWAS peacekeeping contingent, she made a major contribution to the successful completion of the military conflict in Liberia and is actively engaged in unblocking the crisis in Sierra Leone. Nigerians support the initiatives of UN Secretary General K. Anna to reform this organization and advocate giving Africa two seats as permanent members in the updated Security Council, while laying claim to one of them.
Nigeria's armed forces are the largest in sub-Saharan Africa. Their number is 76.5 thousand soldiers and officers (1999), incl. There are 62 thousand ground forces, 9.5 thousand air forces and 5 thousand naval forces. Recruitment is carried out on a voluntary basis. Nigeria actively participates in UN peacekeeping operations, incl. forms the basis of the UN military contingent in Liberia (since 1990) and Sierra Leone (1997-2000).
Economy of Nigeria
Nigeria is an agricultural country with a developed oil industry. Despite significant natural and human resources, the lack of political stability, corruption, as well as the extremely low level of management at the macroeconomic level led to a long period of stagnation of the national economy. The dynamics of the country's economic development during the years of independence were determined by the extensive industrial development of hydrocarbon resources and the decline in agricultural production. Within the framework of the international division of labor, Nigeria has lost its role as a leading supplier of certain types of agricultural raw materials to the world market, maintaining its monocultural character and raw material orientation. The economy has acquired a stable fuel and mineral specialization, becoming one of the world's main net exporters of oil.
The symbiosis of the modern and traditional (informal) sectors of the economy, the significant scale of “shadow” business, controlling up to 76% of GDP, complicate reliable statistical analysis and limit the assessment of trends in its development. In 2001, GDP was estimated to be equivalent to US$105.9 billion, i.e. OK. $840 per capita. Nigeria is classified as one of the least developed countries in the world. Approximately people live below the poverty line. 45% of the population (2000). Nevertheless, the average annual growth rate of GDP (on average 3% in the 1990s and 3.5% in 2001) slightly exceeded the population growth rate, and there was a tendency for the country to slowly emerge from the period of economic stagnation. A high level of inflation remained (14.9% in 2001), which prevented stabilization at the macroeconomic level.
In the sectoral structure of the economy on agriculture accounts for 39% of GDP (2000), it employs the vast majority of the economically active population - 70% (1999). For industry, these figures are 33 and 10%, respectively, for the service sector - 28 and 20%.
Agriculture during last decades is in deep decline, having lost the ability to adequately provide the country's population with food and other products, as well as to produce marketable products, the export of which would provide the country with significant foreign exchange earnings. Droughts and crop failures in the 1960s, increased migration from rural to urban areas, as well as increased income from the exploitation of oil resources, which made it possible to reorient the tastes of the population towards imported food, led to stagnation of the industry. The rise of agricultural production is hampered by an inadequate land use system: there are very few large modern agro-industrial enterprises in the country and the main production is concentrated on small farms while maintaining communal land ownership, which in northern Nigeria is complicated by the presence of feudal remnants. In combination with low soil fertility, inaccessibility of irrigation and the use of fertilizers, unsatisfactory marketing practices have also become a brake, leading to the formation of low purchase prices for agricultural products.
Agriculture in Nigeria produces commercial (export) crops, incl. (thousand tons, 2000) cocoa beans - 225, peanuts - 2783, soybeans - 372 (Nigeria occupies one of the leading places in Africa in their production), as well as oil palm products, cotton, rubber, sugar cane. Food crops are also grown for domestic consumption, incl. yam - 25,873, cassava - 32,697, corn - 5,476, sorghum - 7,520, millet - 5,960, rice - 3,277, etc.
Among cash crops, only cocoa continues to play a significant role in the country's commodity exports. Nigeria is one of the leading producers of cocoa beans and cocoa products, 4th in the world after Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia. The steady demand for Nigerian cocoa on the world market is explained primarily by its special taste.
The development of agricultural production and exports is among the priorities of the civil government, which is launching a massive campaign to achieve complete self-sufficiency in agricultural products and expand the volume of its exports across a wide range, incl. by ensuring guaranteed purchase prices, lending to producers, improving planting material, improving storage methods for products, using chemical fertilizers, etc.
The basis of livestock farming is (thousand heads, 2000): large cattle- 19,830, goats - 24,300 and to a lesser extent sheep - 20,500. Most livestock farms with approx. 90% of the livestock are located in the far north of the country, in the Sudan belt, in a zone of tall grass savannas that serve as good pastures and are characterized by the absence of tsetse flies. The role of pig farming (4855 thousand heads) and poultry farming (126 million units, 2000) is increasing.
Fishing and seafood production are carried out in the waters of the coastal shelf of the Gulf of Guinea, in Lake Chad, in lagoons, rivers, as well as numerous water streams in the river delta. Niger. The fish catch reaches approx. 250 thousand tons (40% of the country's needs).
The petroleum industry is a leading sector of the Nigerian economy, producing approx. 20% of GDP, provided by approx. 65% of budget revenues and 95% of revenues foreign currency from foreign economic transactions. In accordance with the OPEC quota, Nigeria produces 2.0-2.1 million barrels. oil per day.
Exploration, development and production of oil both in the continental part of the country and on the coastal shelf are carried out mainly by joint companies formed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and foreign oil corporations, among which the leading place is occupied by Royal Dutch Shell (40-50% of production) , as well as Exxon, ENI, Agip, Elf Aquitaine, etc. Along with equity participation, financing of the oil industry is also carried out through the sale of NNOC's share in a number of such enterprises, carried out as part of the privatization program, as well as on the basis of production sharing contracts.
The gas industry has the potential to become another source of foreign exchange earnings. While Nigeria is forced to burn up to 75% of the gas accompanying oil production, approx. 12% of its quantity is pumped back into oil wells and only approx. 13% is used for industrial and domestic needs.
In 2000, the installed capacity of the Nigerian electricity sector was approx. 5900 MW, 15.9 billion kWh produced, incl. 64% of electricity comes from thermal power plants and 36% from hydroelectric power plants. The country's electric power industry is characterized by disruptions in the supply of electricity to consumers, incl. its periodic shutdowns. On a small scale (19 million kWh, 2000), Nigeria exports electricity to neighboring countries.
The capacity of the coal industry allows the annual production of approx. 150 thousand tons of coal. Other branches of the mining industry are also developed. Iron ore, tin concentrate, bauxite, columbite, copper and gold are produced. Among non-metallic minerals, bentonite, gypsum, magnesite, phosphates, talc, and barite are developed. Precious and semi-precious stones are mined in small quantities: sapphires, topazes and aquamarines.
The manufacturing industry is based on the principle of import substitution and is mainly limited to the production of consumer goods. Considering the high import component in raw materials and semi-finished products (approx. 60%), in the last two decades the capacity of manufacturing enterprises has been used at 25-30%. These include automobile assembly, metallurgy, certain types of textile industry, production of sugar, paper, plastics, etc.
The main type of transport is automobile, providing 95% of cargo and passenger transportation. In 2001, Nigeria's highway network reached 193.2 thousand km, incl. 59.9 thousand are paved roads, of which 1,194 km are expressways, and 133.3 thousand km are dirt roads.
The total length of railways is 3557 km (2001). Of these, 3505 km are narrow gauge (track width - 1067 mm) and only 52 km have a standard gauge (1435 mm). Two main railway lines stretch from south to north: Western, connecting Lagos with Nguru, and Eastern, Port Harcourt with Maiduguri. The first highway has a branch connecting Zaria to Kano. In addition, in the center of the country the highways are connected to each other by a section of track.
Nigeria has developed port systems, incl. the Delta port complex, including Warri, Koko and Sapele, the Tin Can and Apapa ports in Lagos, as well as ports in Port Harcourt, Calabar, Onne. Bonny and Burutu have ports for oil shipments. In 2002, the country's merchant fleet had St. 43 vessels with a displacement of 1000 tons and above, incl. 6 Foreign Ships Using the Nigerian Flag of Convenience. The fleet includes 29 oil tankers, one specialized tanker and four chemical tankers, 7 dry cargo carriers, one bulk carrier and a container ship. The length of river routes within the framework of inland water transport is 8575 km.
Pipeline transport is represented by oil pipelines with a length of 2042 km, oil product pipelines - 3000 km and gas pipelines - 500 km.
The country has five international airports: Lagos (named after Murtala Muhammad), Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Calabar. In addition, the country has up to 14 airports for local traffic. There are several civil airlines operating in the country.
There are 83 medium-wave, 36 ultra-short-wave and 11 short-wave radio stations (2001), 3 television stations, incl. 2 stations and 15 repeaters under state control (2002), 23.5 million radios and 6.9 million televisions are in use (1997), there are 500 thousand telephone lines (2000), 200 thousand cellular subscribers (2001), 11 Internet providers and 100 thousand Internet users (2000).
There are more than 90 commercial, trading and industrial banks operating in Nigeria. In addition to them, there are numerous financial organizations. At the head of the banking system is the Central Bank of Nigeria, which is responsible for developing monetary policy and exercises control over the banking system.
Nigeria's public debt, estimated at the beginning. 2003, amounted to 5.3 trillion naira (approx. 42.2 billion US dollars), incl. internal debt - 1.6 trillion (12.7 billion) and external - 3.7 trillion naira (29.5 billion US dollars). The civilian government advocates for foreign debt relief from the world's poorest countries, including Nigeria.
Nigerians assign one of the important places in the foreign economic sphere to the diversification of trade relations and the search for new partners, as well as foreign investors.
Science and culture of Nigeria
The Nigerian Academy of Sciences was established in 1977 - ca. 100 active members. Scientific research is coordinated by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Along with special scientific centers (such as the Institute of Tropical Agriculture), there are research centers at universities, as well as at ministries and departments of the country.
Since 1982, the Nigerian education system has been built in accordance with the “6-3-3-4” formula. From the age of 6, children receive primary education for six years (compulsory since 1992), then three years of secondary and three years of higher secondary education. Along with higher secondary schools, there are 56 teachers' colleges and 26 polytechnics. Four-year higher education is represented by 33 universities. The task has been set to completely eradicate illiteracy. Education is mainly funded by the state.
Nigeria is a country of ancient culture: the terracotta sculpture of the “Nok culture”, the bronze of Benin and Ife, as well as other cultural monuments, are widely represented in the museums of Lagos, Ife, Kano and other cities of the country with a rich exhibition.
Nigeria is one of the literary centers of the African continent. Along with the traditions of oral folk art, English-language literature developed. Nigeria is the homeland of Nobel Prize winner in literature (1986) playwright and poet Wole Soyinka. The names of such Nigerian writers as Chinua Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi, Christopher Okigbo, Ken Saro-Wiwa and others are world famous.
Nigeria is located in West Africa. It is the most populous state on the continent and one of its most powerful economies. This article will discuss the state structure of Nigeria, population, linguistic features, major cities and attractions of the country.
Nigeria on the map of Africa: features of geographical location
The country's area is 924 thousand square kilometers (10th largest on the continent in size). The state is located on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea (region - West Africa). Nigeria borders four other countries: Niger, Benin, Cameroon and Chad. It is curious that the border with the latter country is exclusively water - it passes through the lake of the same name.
853 kilometers - this is exactly the total length of the coastline of the state of Nigeria. You can also see on the map that the coast of the country is densely indented with deep bays, lagoons and numerous channels. According to them, by the way, ships can pass from the border with Benin all the way to the border with Cameroon without going into the World Ocean. The largest ports in Nigeria are Lagos, Port Harcourt, Bonny.
The country's two largest rivers (Niger and its left tributary Benue) divide Nigeria into two parts: southern (flat) and northern (slightly elevated, plateau). The highest point, Mount Chappal Waddy (2419 meters), is located near the border with Cameroon.
Capital of Nigeria and largest cities
There are currently two hundred cities in Nigeria. Ten of them can be considered millionaires.
Lagos is the largest city not only in Nigeria, but throughout Africa. According to various estimates, from 10 to 21 million people live in it. Until 1991, it was the capital of Nigeria. About 50% of the country's total industrial potential is still concentrated here.
About 100 kilometers north of Lagos there is another large city- Ibadan. It is home to at least 2.5 million people, most of whom are representatives of the Yoruba people. In northern Nigeria the largest locality is Kano.
The capital of Nigeria, Abuja, is only the eighth most populous in the state. By the end of the twentieth century, Lagos was severely overpopulated. Therefore, the country's authorities decided to move the capital inland. The choice fell on the small town of Abuja, located within the picturesque Jos Plateau. For design new capital invited specialist architects from Japan. Today in Abuja there is the residence of the president of the country, located government agencies, there is a university and several research institutes.
Features of government
De jure, the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a democratic multi-party state, although de facto all power in the country belongs to one People's Democratic Party (PDP). The Nigerian Parliament consists of two chambers. Total quantity deputies - 469 people. Parliament is re-elected every four years.
The President of Nigeria is considered the head of state and leads. He is elected for four years by direct and secret popular vote.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria gained its independence in 1960. Before that, it was one of the British colonies. The modern country is divided into 36 states and one capital territory.
Coat of arms, flag and national currency
“Unity and faith, peace and progress” is the slogan that contains the official coat of arms of Nigeria, approved in 1979. It looks like a black shield with a white fork-shaped cross in the center. From the configuration of this cross one can guess the direction (drawing) of the two main rivers of Nigeria on the map - Niger and Benue. The shield is supported on both sides by silver horses, and a red eagle sits proudly above it - a symbol of strength and greatness. The coat of arms of Nigeria is located on a green clearing, which is dotted with the national flower of this country - Costus spectabilis.
It was approved even earlier - in October 1960. The cloth consists of three vertical stripes - white in the center (symbolizing peace) and two green on the sides (symbolizing the natural resources of Nigeria). This version was developed by Michael Akinkunmi, a student at the University of Ibadan. His original design also featured the sun on the white stripe, but the commission decided to remove this element.
The national currency of Nigeria is the Nigerian naira, which includes coins and banknotes of different denominations. On this money African country You can see various traditional images: women with jars on their heads, local folk drummers, fishermen and buffaloes, as well as some natural attractions. The Nigerian coin is called kobo.
Population, religions and languages
About 180 million people inhabit Nigeria today. Demographers predict that by the middle of this century the state could become one of the top five world leading countries in terms of population (currently Nigeria ranks only seventh in this indicator). On average, one Nigerian woman gives birth to 4-5 children in her lifetime.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria does not have very rosy demographic indicators. Thus, the country ranks third in the world in terms of HIV infection, 10th in terms of level. In terms of average life expectancy, Nigeria is 220th in the world.
The country has a very complex religious composition of the population: 40% are Christians, 50% are Muslims. On this basis, clashes, murders and terrorist attacks often occur in the state. One of the main sources of religious terror in Nigeria is the radical organization Boko Haram, which advocates the introduction of Sharia law throughout the country.
More than 500 languages are spoken in Nigeria. The most common of them are Efik, Yoruba, Edo, Igba, Hausa. They are mainly used for private communication, some are even studied in schools (in certain regions of the country). The official language of Nigeria is English.
Economy and standard of living in Nigeria
Nigeria's modern economy can be summed up in one word: oil. The largest deposits in all of Africa have been explored here. The national economy, income and financial system of the republic are closely connected with the extraction of this natural wealth. Nigeria's state budget is filled by 80% from the sale of oil and petroleum products.
Despite the presence of rich deposits of "black gold", Nigerians live extremely poorly. More than 80% of the country's population lives on two dollars a day. At the same time, the state faces a very acute problem of water and electricity shortages.
An important component of the national economy is the tourism sector. There is a lot to see in Nigeria: virgin tropical forests, savannas, waterfalls and a huge number of historical and cultural monuments. However, the development of tourism infrastructure remains at a very low level.
Industry and foreign trade
About 70% of Nigeria's working population is employed in the industrial sector. Here they mine oil, coal and tin, produce cotton, rubber products, textiles, palm oil and cement. The food and chemical industries, as well as the production of footwear, are developed.
Oil was discovered in Nigeria at the beginning of the twentieth century. Its production today is carried out by a number of transnational corporations, as well as the National Oil Company of the country. Only a third of the “black gold” extracted from the depths is sent for export - to the USA and Western European countries.
Of course, the lion's share of Nigeria's exports is oil and petroleum products (almost 95%). Cocoa and rubber are also exported abroad. Nigeria's main trading partners are the USA, Brazil, India, China, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Tourism in Nigeria: features, nuances, dangers
Why is Nigeria attractive to tourists? First of all - its beautiful nature. In this country you can admire waterfalls, go to real jungles or go on a safari through the savannah. Prices for excursions are usually very low. Local residents do not advise tourists to visit the Niger Delta, and northern regions countries where the radical organization Boko Haram is very active.
In general, there are several factors that greatly hinder the development of tourism in the republic. This:
- significant poverty of the population;
- high crime rate;
- frequent religious conflicts and terrorist attacks;
- bad roads.
Nevertheless, tourists come to Nigeria and leave about $10 billion annually.
The Nigerian Embassy is located in Moscow, on Malaya Nikitskaya Street, 13.
Main tourist attractions of the country
In the Republic of Nigeria there are two sites that are under the protection of UNESCO: the Sukur cultural ball and the Osun-Osogbo grove.
In the vicinity of the city of Oshogbo, on the banks of the Osun River, there is a unique grove in which you can see sculptures, shrines and other works of art of the Yoruba people. In 2005 it became UNESCO. The grove, in addition to its historical and cultural value, also has natural value. It is one of the few areas of "high forest" remaining in southern Nigeria. About 400 plant species grow here.
The capital of the state, Abuja, is also interesting for tourists. The most impressive buildings in this city are the Central Bank building and the National Mosque. The last one was built in 1984. This is a huge building with a large central dome and four minarets, the height of which reaches 120 meters. It is interesting that non-Muslims can also enter this mosque.
Conclusion
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is located in West Africa and has wide access to the Atlantic Ocean. The main wealth of the country is oil, the production of which is the basis for the entire economy of the state.
Nigeria has a population of 180 million (as of 2015). About 80% of them live below the poverty line. There are 500 languages spoken in Nigeria, although English is the official language.
(from UK)
Geographical information
The country's highest point, Mount Chappal Waddy (2419 m), is located in Taraba state near the Nigerian-Cameroon border.
North of the Maritime Plain, the country's territory turns into a low plateau - the Yoruba plateau to the west of the Niger River and the Udi plateau to the east. Next is the Northern Plateau, the height of which varies from 400-600 m to more than 1000 m. The highest is the central part of the plateau - the Jos Plateau, the highest point of which is Mount Shere (1735 m). In the northwest, the Northern Plateau passes into the Sokoto Plain, in the northeast into the Born Plain.
Story
On October 1, 1960, Nigeria, which had previously been a British colony in West Africa, became an independent state. The first government of independent Nigeria was based on a coalition of the NCNC and SNC parties, with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, a representative of the SNC, becoming prime minister. After Nigeria was declared a republic in 1963, Nnamdi Azikiwe (representative of the NUIS) took over as president. The opposition was represented by the Action Group led by Obafemi Awolowo. Regional governments were headed by: in the North - the leader of the NNC, Ahmadu Bello, in the West - S. Akintola from the Action Group, and in the East - the representative of the CNIS, M. Okpara. In 1963, a fourth region, the Midwest, was created in the eastern part of Western Nigeria. In the elections held in 1964 in this region, the NSIS won.
There was renewed persecution of the Igbo in the north, with thousands killed, leading to the Igbo exodus to the east, their attempts to create a Biafra state, and the 1967-1970 civil war. The country returned to a federal system.
Civil war 1967-1970
The country's political parties were banned from 1966-1978, 1984-1989 and 1993-1998. In 1975, Gowon was overthrown by a group of officers led by Murtala Muhammad, who was known for his intolerance of corruption and indiscipline; it is believed that the program he promulgated and launched to combat these phenomena in society could be crowned with worthy results, but Muhammad himself was killed in February 1976 during another, this time unsuccessful, coup attempt organized by Lieutenant Colonel Buka Suka Dimka. Olusegun Obasanjo, who replaced him, transferred, as originally intended, power to a civilian government headed by Shehu Shagari, elected to this post under very dubious circumstances.
Elections were held in March 2015, which Muhammadu Buhari won. On May 29, 2015, Muhammadu Buhari took the oath of office as the new President of Nigeria.
From the first half of the 2000s to the present in Nigeria and neighboring countries There is a terrorist Islamist group “Boko Haram”, which advocates the adoption of Sharia law and the eradication of “attributes of the West” (secular education, elections, etc.).
State structure
Legislative branch
Bicameral National Assembly (National Assembly, the National Assembly).
The upper house is the Senate (109 seats). Senators are elected according to a majoritarian system of relative majority in 36 three-member and one single-mandate constituency. The President of the Senate is elected by indirect voting from the senators.
Lower house - House of Representatives (360 seats). Deputies are elected using a majority system of relative majority. The term of office of all deputies is 4 years.
73 seats in the Senate and 213 in the House of Representatives are controlled by the pro-presidential People's Democratic Party (PDP) (centrists). The All People's Party (Conservatives) has 28 and 95 seats, respectively.
Executive branch
The president is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He is elected by direct universal suffrage for a term of 4 years and can hold office for no more than two consecutive terms. In May 2006, the Senate refused to approve a constitutional amendment allowing the president to serve a third term.
Armed forces
Ground forces - 100 thousand people; eight divisions (2 mechanized, 3 motorized, 2 mixed, 1 tank), as well as a guards brigade (stationed in the capital).
Air Force - 10 thousand people. (according to foreign experts, the aircraft fleet is not combat-ready).
Naval forces - 8 thousand people; 1 frigate, 1 corvette, 2 missile boats, 3 patrol vessels.
Foreign policy
Administrative division
The territory of Nigeria is divided into 36 states (English state) and one federal capital territory (Federal Capital Territory), which in turn are divided into 774 local government areas (Local Government Area, LGA).
Cities
Population
Nigeria's population is 183,614,580 people (estimated as of July 2015, 7th place in the world). According to forecasts, by 2050 Nigeria will become fifth in this indicator.
- Annual growth - 2.2115%.
- Fertility - 4.8 births per woman.
- Infant mortality - 93 per 1000 (11th highest in the world).
- Average life expectancy is 46 years for men, 48 years for women (220th place in the world).
- Infection with the immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is 3.1011% (2007 estimate, 2.6 million people - 3rd place in the world).
Ethnic composition: more than 250 aboriginal peoples and tribes. The largest nationalities: Hausa - 22% (42 million), Yoruba - 21% (40 million), Igbo (Ibo) and Ijaw - 18% (34 million), Fulani - 10% (19 million), Ibibio - 5% ( 9 million), Kanuri - 4% (8 million).
Literacy of the population over 15 years of age is 68% (2003 estimate).
Languages
The official language of Nigeria is English; Edo, Efik, Adawama Fulfulde, Hausa, Idoma, Igba, Central Kanuri, and Yoruba are also widely spoken among the population. In total, there are 527 languages in Nigeria, of which 512 are living, 2 are second without native speakers, 11 are dead. Nigerian dead languages include Ayawa, Basa-Gumna, Holma, Auyokawa, Gamo-Ningi, Kpati, Mawa, Kubi and Teshenawa.
Local languages are used mainly for communication and in the media, and some languages are also taught in schools. The majority of the country's population speaks two or more languages.
For the various languages of Nigeria, a pan-Nigerian alphabet based on Latin was developed in the 1980s.
Religion in Nigeria
Believers are Muslims 50%, Christians 40%, adherents of local traditional beliefs 10%.
Religious clashes in Nigeria
Religious clashes occur between members of different religious groups such as Muslims and Christians. The Nigerian government regularly sends troops and police to stop massacres. The northern part of Nigeria (where the majority is Muslim) has been living under Sharia law since 1999.
One of the significant series of religiously motivated massacres was the destruction of sixteen towns and villages in northern Nigeria in the state of Borno in early January 2015 by militants of the radical Islamist organization Boko Haram, which advocates the introduction of Sharia law throughout the country
Economy
The oil sector provides Nigeria with 14% of GDP, up to 95% of export earnings and provides up to 80% of budget revenues. In 2003, oil revenues amounted to about $22 billion. By 2006, Nigeria's oil income reached 2.4 billion euros, and Nigeria itself was in 6th place in oil production in the world.
Nigeria is one of the main suppliers of oil to Western Europe and is the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to the United States. In June 2004, Nigerian oil supplies to the United States reached 1.2 million barrels per day, representing 9.3% of American crude oil imports.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the activities of foreign companies have been hampered by non-governmental armed groups, such as MEND, Bakassi Boys, African Egbesu Boys, Niger Delta People's Volunteers, carrying out explosions and taking foreign workers (expats) hostage. In 2009, amid the global recession, it was reported that attacks by Nigerian militants on oil production facilities were having a significant impact on world oil market prices.
Transport and communications
In September 2003, the Nigerian satellite “Nigeria Sat-1” was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome (Russia) to participate in the international Earth monitoring system - Disaster Monitoring Constellation. Nigeria has become the third (after South Africa and Algeria) country on the continent to have its own spacecraft.
Nigeria has well-developed rail and road transport.
Connection
Communications are rapidly developing; there are over 73 million mobile subscribers in the country.
Tourism
Tourism is one of the important components of the country's budget. The country has tropical forests, savannas, waterfalls, many cultural and historical significance. However, a number of regions of the country suffer from electricity shortages, poor quality roads and dirty drinking water.
Foreign trade
Exports in 2009 - $45.4 billion - oil and oil products (95%), cocoa, rubber.
The main buyers are the USA 42%, Brazil 9.5%, India 9%, Spain 7.3%, France 5.1%.
Imports in 2009 - $42.1 billion - industrial products, chemical products, vehicles, consumer goods, food.
The main suppliers are China 16.1%, the Netherlands 11.3%, the USA 9.8%, the UK 6.2%, South Korea 6.1%, France 5.1%, Germany 4.4%.
Culture
Cinema
Nigeria has the second-largest production of feature films in the world (872 films in 2006), second only to India (1,091 films) and ahead of the United States (485 films). The Nigerian film industry is called Nollywood by analogy with Hollywood. The average cost of producing a feature film in Nigeria is about $15,000.
Sport
The national sport, as in many countries, is football. The Nigerian national football team has achieved significant success: it has taken part in 6 World Cups (1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014 and 2018), and won the African Cup in 1980, 1994 and 2013. In 1996, Nigeria won gold at the Olympics, beating Argentina in the final. In addition, the Nigerian youth team (under 20 years old) is the silver medalist of the 1989 and 2005 World Championships, and the Nigerian youth team (under 17 years old) has won the world championships four times (1985, 1993, 2007, 2013) and reached the level three more times. finals (1987, 2001, 2009). Many Nigerian footballers play in European championships.
Since 1952, Nigerian athletes have taken part in the Olympic Games. By 2012, Nigerian athletes had won 23 medals, the majority of which (13) were won by track and field athletes, including 2 gold medals. The remaining medals were won in football, boxing, weightlifting and taekwondo [ ] .
Media
State broadcaster NTA ( Nigerian Television Authority- “Nigerian Television Authority”), includes the TV channel of the same name, the state radio company FRCN ( Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria- "Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria"), includes Radio Nigeria radio stations and regional radio stations, created in 1978 by merging NBC ( Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation- "Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation") and BCNN ( Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria, "Northern Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation")
