Nigeria covers an area of ​​more than 920,000 square kilometers. It is located in the southeastern part of West Africa, bordered by the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south, borders Benin to the west, Niger to the north, Chad to the northeast across Lake Chad, and Cameroon to the east and southeast. The coastline is 800 kilometers long and the terrain is high in the north and low in the south: low hills in the south, Niger-Benue Valley in the middle, Hausalan Heights in the north more than 1/4 of the country's area, mountains in the east, and Soko in the northwest and northeast. Tor Basin and Lake Chad Lake West Basin. There are many rivers, the Niger River and its tributary Benue River are the main rivers.

Overview

Nigeria, the full name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, covers an area of ​​920,000 square kilometers. Nepal is located in the southeast of West Africa, south of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea. It borders Benin to the west, Niger to the north, Chad to the northeast across Lake Chad, and Cameroon to the east and southeast. The coastline is 800 kilometers long. The terrain is high in the north and low in the south. The coast is a belt-shaped plain with a width of about 80 kilometers; the south is low hills and most of the area is 200-500 meters above sea level; the middle is the Niger-Benue Valley; the northern Hausalan Heights exceeds the area of ​​the country by a quarter, with an average elevation 900 meters; the eastern border is mountainous, the northwest and northeast are Sokoto Basin and Lake Chad West Basin respectively. There are many rivers, the Niger River and its tributary Benue River are the main rivers, and the Niger River is 1,400 kilometers long in the territory. It has a tropical monsoon climate with high temperature and rain. The whole year is divided into dry season and rainy season. The annual average temperature is 26～27℃.

Federalism is implemented. There are three levels of government: federal, state and local. In October 1996, the administrative region was re-divided, and the country was divided into 1 Federal Capital Region, 36 states, and 774 local governments.

Nigeria is an ancient African civilization. It had a relatively developed culture more than two thousand years ago. The famous Nok, Ife and Benin cultures make Nigeria enjoy the reputation of Africa's "Cradle of Culture". In the 8th century AD, the Zaghawa nomads established the Kanem-Bornu empire around Lake Chad. From the 14th to 16th centuries, the Songhai Empire flourished. Portugal invaded in 1472. The British invaded in the mid-16th century. It became a British colony in 1914 and was called "Nigeria Colony and Protectorate". In 1947, Britain approved Nigeria's new constitution and established the federal government. In 1954, the Federation of Nigeria gained internal autonomy. It declared independence on October 1, 1960 and became a member of the Commonwealth. The Federal Republic of Nigeria was established on October 1, 1963.

National flag: It is a horizontal rectangle with a ratio of length to width of 2:1. The flag surface is composed of three parallel and equal vertical rectangles with green on both sides and white in the middle. Green symbolizes agriculture, and white symbolizes peace and unity.

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with a population of 140 million (2006). There are more than 250 ethnic groups in the country, among which the main tribes are the Hausa-Fulani in the north, the Yoruba in the southwest and the Igbo in the east. The main national languages ​​of Nepal are Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo, and English is the official language. Among the residents, 50% believe in Islam, 40% in Christianity, and 10% in others.

Nigeria is the number one oil producer in Africa and the tenth largest oil producer in the world. It is also a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Nigeria’s proven oil reserves are 35.2 billion barrels and a daily output of 2.5 million barrels of crude oil. Nigeria was an agricultural country in the early days of independence. In the 1970s, the petroleum industry rose and became a pillar industry of its national economy. At present, the output value of the petroleum industry accounts for 20% to 30% of Nigeria's GDP. 95% of Nigeria's foreign exchange income and 80% of the federal government's fiscal revenue come from the petroleum industry. In recent years, the annual export value of Nigerian oil has exceeded 10 billion US dollars. Nigeria is also rich in natural gas and coal resources. Nigeria’s proven natural gas reserves amount to 5 trillion cubic meters, which is among the highest in the world. Nigeria has coal reserves of approximately 2.75 billion tons and is the only coal producing country in West Africa.

The main manufacturing industries in Nigeria are textiles, vehicle assembly, wood processing, cement, beverage and food processing, mostly concentrated in Lagos and its surrounding areas. The infrastructure is in disrepair for a long time, the technical level is low, and most industrial products still rely on imports. Agriculture accounts for 40% of GDP. 70% of the labor force in the country is engaged in agriculture. The main agricultural production areas are concentrated in the northern region. The mode of agricultural production is still based on the small-scale peasant economy. Grain cannot be self-sufficient, and a large amount of imports are still needed every year.

Main cities

Abuja: Nigeria’s capital, Abuja (Abuja) is located in Niger State The territory is a place where the small tribes of the Gwari people live together. It is the intersection of Niger, Kaduna, Plateau and Kvara states. It is about 500 kilometers away from Lagos and is the geographic center of the country. It is located on the southwestern edge of the Central Plateau, a tropical prairie hilly area, with sparse population, fresh air and beautiful scenery.

In 1975, the Muhammad military government put forward a proposal to build a new capital. In October 1979, the Sakari Civil Government officially approved the blueprint for the new capital, Abuja, and began the first phase of construction. Formally moved in from Lagos in December 1991. The population is about 400,000 (2001).

Lagos: Lagos (lagos) is the old capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is a port city mainly composed of islands and is formed by the Ogun River It consists of Lagos Island, Ikoyi Island, Victoria Island and the mainland. It covers an area of ​​about 43 square kilometers. The population of the big city is 4 million, of which the urban population is 1.44 million.

The first residents who came to Lagos were Yoruba from Nigeria, and later moved some Beninese. After they came here, they set up simple sheds and engaged in cultivating and planting. Therefore, the original name of Lagos was "Eco" or "Youco", which means "camp shed", which is also used in Yoruba language. It means "farm". When Portuguese merchant ships sailed south to Lagos along the West African coast in the 15th century, there were already small towns on the island. They opened it up as a port and called it "Lago de Gulamo"; later, they called it "Lagos". In Portuguese, "Lagos" means "saltwater lake".

Lagos is not only the capital of Nigeria, but also the country’s largest industrial and commercial center. Many small, medium and large industries are concentrated here, including large oil mills, cocoa processing plants, textiles, chemical supplies, shipbuilding, vehicle repairing, metal tools, papermaking, sawmilling and other factories. The largest commercial area is on Lagos Island, where there are tourism, insurance and publishing industries. Lagos is also a concentrated area of ​​national culture and education. There are Lagos University, libraries, museums and other cultural facilities.