Nigeria

Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria

republic transitioning from military to civilian ruleIndependence 1 October 1960 (from UK)

Nigeria as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 117 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAbuja

Position10 00 N, 8 00 E

Area923,768 sq km land: 910,768 sq km water: 13,000 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon

Populationas each edition published it

126.64 million July 2001 est. · 118.82m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.61% 2001 est. · 3.13% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

51.07 years 2001 est. · 54.7 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.57 children per woman 2001 est. · 6.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

73.34 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 119 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$950 2000 est. · $300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.5% 2000 est. · 3.6% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999 and a peaceful transition to civilian government completed. The new president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth and political stability.

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon

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Coastline

853km

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Irrigated land

9,570sq km

(1993 est.)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 923,768 sq km land: 910,768 sq km water: 13,000 sq km

Land boundaries

total: 4,047 km border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km

Climate

varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain

southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources

natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, arable land

Land use

arable land: 33% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 44% forests and woodland: 12% other: 8% (1993 est.)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues

soil degradation;
rapid deforestation;
desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People

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Per 1,000 population(2001 est.)

Birth

39.69Death

13.91Net migration

0.28

Religions

Muslim 50%Christian 40%indigenous beliefs 10%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

5.06%

(1999 est.)

Population

126,635,626 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS;
this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 43.71% (male 27,842,225; female 27,514,197) 15-64 years: 53.47% (male 34,456,738; female 33,259,194) 65 years and over: 2.82% (male 1,780,862; female 1,782,410) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

2.61% (2001 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

73.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 51.07 years male: 51.07 years female: 51.07 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.57 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2.7 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

250,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups

Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups;
the following are the most populous and politically influential:
- Hausa and Fulani 29%,
- Yoruba 21%,
- Igbo (Ibo) 18%,
- Ijaw 10%,
- Kanuri 4%,
- Ibibio 3.5%,
- Tiv 2.5%

Languages

English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.1% male: 67.3% female: 47.3% (1995 est.)

Government

Republic transitioning from military to civilian rule; President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999)

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

62.8%

Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 62.8%Olu FALAE (APP-AD) 37.2%

Legislature, 360 seatsseats by party

PDP 221APP 70AD 69

Country name

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type

republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

Capital

Abuja;
note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially transferred from Lagos to Abuja;
most federal government offices have now made the move to Abuja

Administrative divisions

36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Federal Capital Territory*, 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, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Independence

1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 October (1960)

Constitution

NA 1999 new constitution adopted

Legal system

based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in some northern states), and traditional law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Executive Council elections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than two four-year terms;
election last held 27 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president;
percent of vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 62.8%, Olu FALAE (APP-AD) 37.2%

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats, three from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2003);
House of Representatives - last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 58%, APP 23%, AD 19%;
seats by party - PDP 67, APP 23, AD 19;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 58%, APP 30%, AD 12%;
seats by party - PDP 221, APP 70, AD 69

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the Provisional Ruling Council);
Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Political parties and leaders

All People's Party or APP [Alhaji Yusuf ALI];
Alliance for Democracy or AD [contested between Yusuf MAMMAN and Alhasi Adamu ABDULKADIR];
People's Democratic Party or PDP [Barnabas GEMADE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jibril AMINU chancery: 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400

FAX

[1] (202) 775-1385 consulate(s) general: Atlanta and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Howard Franklin JETER embassy: 8 Mambilla Drive, Abuja mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos telephone: [234] (1) 261-0050, -0078

FAX

[234] (1) 261-0257

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

Economy

The oil-rich Nigerian economy, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management, is undergoing substantial economic reform under the new civilian administration.

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Real growth rate

3.5%

(2000 est.)industrial production growth: 1.5% (2000 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

6.5%

(2000 est.)

Unemployment rate

28%

(1992 est.)

Population below poverty line

45%

(2000 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production

18.7 billion (1999)Electricity consumption

17.372 billion (1999)Electricity exports

19 million (1999)

Economy - overview

The oil-rich Nigerian economy, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management, is undergoing substantial economic reform under the new civilian administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65% of budgetary revenues.

The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion loan from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Increases in foreign investment and oil production combined with high world oil prices should push growth over 4% in 2001-02.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $117 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $950 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 40% industry: 40% services: 20% (1999 est.)

Labor force

66 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)

Budget

revenues: $3.4 billion expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries

crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 52.94% hydro: 47.06% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Agriculture - products

cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber;
cattle, sheep, goats, pigs;
timber;
fish

Exports

$22.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Exports - partners

US 36%, India 9%, Spain 8%, Brazil 6%, France 6%, (1999)

Imports

$10.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals

Imports - partners

UK 11%, Germany 10%, US 9%, France 8%, China 6% (1999)

Debt - external

$32 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA $250 million (1998)

Currency

naira (NGN)

Currency code

NGN

Exchange rates

nairas per US dollar - 110.005 (January 2001), 101.697 (2000), 92.338 (1999), 21.886 (1998), 21.886 (1997), 21.884 (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields

Mobile cellular

26,700

(1997)

Internet users

(2000)

Fixed lines

500,000

(2000) · country code .ng

Telephone system

general assessment:: an inadequate system, further limited by poor maintenance;
major expansion is required and a start has been made domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19 earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable;
mobile cellular facilities and the Internet are available international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean);
coaxial submarine cable SAFE (South African Far East)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 82, FM 35, shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios

23.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations

2 government-controlled; note - in addition, in 1993, 14 licenses to operate private television stations were granted (1999)

Televisions

6.9 million (1997)

Internet users

100,000 (2000)

Transportation

10 fields

Railways

total:: 3,557 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge note: years of neglect of both the rolling stock and the right-of-way have seriously reduced the capacity and utility of the system;
a project to restore Nigeria's railways is now underway

Highways

total:: 194,394 km paved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways) unpaved: 134,326 km note: many of the roads reported as paved may be graveled;
because of poor maintenance and years of heavy freight traffic - in part the result of the failure of the railroad system - much of the road system is barely usable (1997)

Waterways

8,575 km note: consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks

Pipelines

crude oil 2,042 km;
petroleum products 3,000 km;
natural gas 500 km

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force

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Military expenditures - percent of GDP

10%

(FY00)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, has been completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria;
dispute with Cameroon over land and maritime boundaries around the Bakasi Peninsula is currently before the ICJ;
tripartite maritime boundary and economic zone dispute with Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon is currently before the ICJ

Illicit drugs

facilitates movement of heroin en route from Southeast and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and North America;
increasingly a transit route for cocaine from South America intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets

Central Intelligence Agency. “Nigeria.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/nigeria/2001.

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