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Country at a glance
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Nigeria has some of the world’s largest and oldest built structures, including Sungbo’s Eredo, a 1,050-year old, 160-kilometre long, 20-metre high earthen embankment and Sukur, with its palace, village, paved walkways and terraced fields.
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- Region
- Africa
- Population
- 149,229,090 (2009 estimate)
- Land
- Geography: southern lowlands, central hills and dry northern plains
- Climate: equatorial in south, tropical in centre, arid in north
- People
- Religion: Muslim, 50%; Christian, 40%; indigenous beliefs, 10%
- Language: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
- Economy
- GDP per person (PPP): $2,300 (2008 estimate)
GDP by sector: Agriculture: 18%, Industry: 51%, Services: 31%
- Government
- Federal republic
Land
Physical geography
Nigeria lies on the south coast of West Africa and covers an area of 923,770 square kilometres (slightly smaller than South Australia). It comprises three major regions moving northward from the coast. The coastal strip features mangrove swamps, lagoons and waterways including the Niger Delta. Central Nigeria is a tropical rainforest belt. Northern Nigeria, on the edge of the Sahara Desert, has grassy plains that are subject to drought. A range of mountains runs along the eastern border with Cameroon, with the highest point being Chappal Waddi (2,419 metres). The Niger and Benue River basins drain more than half of the country.
Climate
The climate is varied and differs substantially from region to region. The south is hot and wet, with the rainy season lasting from March to November, while the north is hot and dry with one long rainy season, from April to September. In December and January cool, dry winds blow off the desert, bringing relief from the humidity but creating a great haze of dust and sand. This is known as the Harmattan season.
Environment
Nigeria has extraordinary biological diversity, but is facing environmental disaster. A small number of reserves and national parks are home to more than 600 species of birds as well as chimpanzees, hippopotamuses, elephants and baboons. The demand of the increasing population is leading to rapid deforestation.
People
Nigeria’s population of 149,229,090 makes it the eighth most populated nation in the world. It has a rapid rate of urbanisation, with nearly 50% of people living in cities. There are 10 cities with over one million people. The largest city is Lagos, with 10.5 million; then Kano, 3.4 million; Ibadan, 2.8 million; Kaduna, 1.5 million; and Port Harcourt, 1.1 million. Abuja, the capital since 1991, is home to 1.5 million people.
People
Culture and identity
Nigeria has a rich mix of cultures, with over 250 different groups. The dominant ethnic groups are the Hausa-Fulani (29%) in the north, the Igbo (18%) and the Ijaw (10%) in the southeast; in the southeast and the Yoruba (21%) in the southwest.
In past centuries the area that is now known as Nigeria was home to a series of powerful and technically advanced societies, renowned for their artistic, commercial and political achievements. It was from roughly the same area that Bantu languages spread throughout central, eastern and southern Africa. The terracotta figurines of the ancient Nok people and the elaborate bronze work produced in the region are recognised worldwide.
Today Nigeria is well known for its literature, music and film industry (Nollywood).
Health
Although there is free health care, facilities are poor and staff levels are low. Life expectancy at birth is just under 47 years (2008). Only about 47% of the population has access to safe water. Food or waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever and malaria are common. Immunisation programs against poliomyelitis have been interrupted due to misunderstandings. While the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is declining (3.8% in 2008 from 5.4% in 2003), difficulties in running effective education programs and the low status of women contribute to infection rates. In 2007 2.6 million Nigerians were living with HIV/AIDS.
Religion and beliefs
Religious beliefs strongly influence all aspects of life. The Hausa-Fulani are mostly Muslim, the Igbo are mostly Catholic and about half the Yoruba people are Christian and half Muslim. Indigenous religious practices are important for about 10% of the population, mainly in the south, and are often blended with Christian beliefs. In the early 2000s some northern states introduced a stricter interpretation of Muslim Sharia law, with punishments of amputation, stoning and flogging.
Food and shelter
Grains and root vegetables are the staples throughout Nigeria. Palm oil, a reddish coloured oil made from ground palm kernels, is the main cooking oil. Snack foods, which are increasingly common, include fried yam chips, meat pastries and fried plantains. Peppery stews of vegetables and meat are common in the southern areas. Seafood dishes are found along the coast.
Traditional village housing is predominant in rural areas, but tin is replacing grass for roofing and hand pumps are providing water.
Economy
Wealth and poverty
Nigeria’s economic development has been uneven. Despite the country’s relative oil wealth, poverty is widespread: 84% of Nigerians live on less than US$2 a day, with 65% living on less than $1.25 per day. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth. Nigeria was once a large net exporter of food, but now must import it.
Education and work
Primary education is free to age 15 and although basic, is improving. The differing adult literacy rates for women (64.1%) and men (80.1%) highlight inequalities between men and women. This is further demonstrated in parliament, where women hold only 7% of seats.
About 70% of the workforce is employed in agriculture, mainly as subsistence farmers who depend on non-farm work for cash income during parts of the year.
Only about eight people per 1,000 have phone lines, 422 per 1,000 have mobile phones and 73 per 1,000 use the Internet. The government owns two of the three television stations.
Industries and products
Agriculture makes up about a fifth of the economy with the production of cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams and rubber; cattle, sheep, goats and pigs; and timber and fish.
The production of oil, coal, tin, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertiliser, printing, ceramics and steel, and small commercial ship construction and repairs make up about half the economy.
Trade
In 2008 Nigeria earned US$76.03 billion from its exports. Nigeria’s main export partners are United States (41.4%); India (10.4%); Brazil (9.4%); (Spain, 7.2%) and France (4.6%). In 2008, imports of US$46.3 billion were from China (13.8%); Netherlands (9.6%); the United States (8.4%); United Kingdom (5.3%); South Korea (5.2%) and France, 5.4%.
Achievements and challenges
Regionally, Nigeria has played a leading role in peacekeeping efforts, most recently in Liberia, and has played a pivotal role in the establishment of regional institutions such as the Economic Community of West Africa and the African Union.
The new constitution and peaceful transition to civilian government after 16 years of military rule has held since 1999. While elections in 2003 and 2007 were both marred by irregularities and violence, they have allowed the shaky progress in confronting economic problems, human rights abuses and significant corruption and mismanagement to continue. The April 2007 handover of power was the first between two civilian governments in the country’s history.
Nigeria also faces the environmental issues of rapid deforestation and desertification, in addition to having suffered serious damage from oil spills, and is grappling with rapid urbanisation and the resulting air and water pollution.
Links with Australia
Australian relations with Nigeria are active and are based primarily on Nigeria’s position in the British Commonwealth and as an economic and political leader in Africa.
Australian exports to Nigeria topped A$51,331 in 2008-2009 and consisted primarily of plastic plates sheets and film, dairy, paper and paperboard and telecom equipment and parts. Imports from Nigeria in 2008-2009 were valued at A$202,000. Products imported include crude vegetable matter, prepared and preserved vegetables, aircraft, spacecraft and parts, and internal combustion piston engines.
The 2006 Census indicated there are 2,500 Nigeria-born persons in Australia. New South Wales is home to 990; Victoria, 580; Queensland, 350; and Western Australia, 330.
Australia’s aid to Nigeria is provided predominantly through the African Regional Small Activities Scheme, the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), the United Nations and Commonwealth. The Small Activities Scheme supports community projects seeking sustainable economic and social development. Examples include drilling boreholes to supply clean water, construct latrines, and the purchase medical equipment and facilities.
Main Sources:
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
http://hdr.undp.org/
http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/index.html
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