Which of these cities is the capital of Nigeria? Federal Republic of Nigeria: government structure, capital, population. State entities of the savannah zone

Federal Republic of Nigeria, Nigeria. The state is located in West Africa, on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria on the map of Africa is bordered by countries in the west (Benin), east (), north (Niger) and northeast (Chad). The capital of Nigeria is Abuja.

The area of ​​the country is 923.77 thousand square kilometers. Nigeria's population in 2016 is 187.67 million people, and by this indicator the country is the leader on the continent. At the same time, in terms of territory, Nigeria is only 14th in the ranking of African countries. The state is known primarily for its oil industry. Two years ago, Nigeria's GDP was the largest in Africa; the country even surpassed the long-time leader South Africa in economic terms. Despite this industrial orientation, Nigeria also has tourism potential.

Every year more and more people want to visit the country, due to its rich natural resources and attractions. The development of tourism in Nigeria is hampered by the unsatisfactory quality of communications, poor hygiene, and the general low level of development of the service sector. In order to learn as much as possible about the country before visiting it for tourism purposes, you should familiarize yourself with the history, features of nature and culture, the main information about the attractions and prices in Nigeria.

Early history of the country

Independence period

Free Nigeria appeared on the world map on October 1, 1960, at which time the coat of arms, anthem and flag of Nigeria were adopted. The country retained the British system of ethnic regions, each of which had its own regional governments. In 1963, another region, the Midwest, separated from Western Nigeria.

The green stripes represent the forests and abundance of natural resources in Nigeria, the white stripe represents peace

After three peaceful years, ethnic confrontations began: officers from the Igbo people carried out a military coup, which was suppressed by Muslims in the north of the country. In Nigeria, persecution of the Igbo began, which led to the migration of the people to the east of the country and the civil war of 1967-1970. Ethnic opposition was overcome by the federal authorities, but the conflict became one of the most brutal in the 1960s. According to various estimates, from 700 thousand to 3 million people died!

Until the end of the 1990s, a tense national and religious situation remained in the country, and power changed hands several times. In 1998, the “Fourth Republic” was proclaimed, Christian General Olusegun Obasanjo managed to reach a compromise according to which the Nigerian government would alternate between Muslims and Christians. The confrontation has subsided, but conflicts on religious grounds still flare up from time to time. The current President of Nigeria is Muhammadu Buhari. The current capital is Abuja; the former capital of Nigeria, Lagos, lost this status in 1991.

Geography and climate

The country is located in the lowlands of the continent, on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean). The entire territory of the country is divided by the Niger and Benue rivers into lowlands (located near the gulf in the southern part of Nigeria) and plateaus (in the north near the border with Niger). The coastal plain predominates in percentage terms; in the west, off the coast of the country, a chain of spits stretches. The plateaus and plateaus expand to the north and reach average heights of 1000 meters. The highest plain part of Nigeria is the Jos Plateau in the center of a vast plateau. And the highest point in Nigeria is Mount Chappal-Wardi, which has a height of 2419 meters.

The weather in the country is subject to the general climate, which here is represented by equatorial and subequatorial types, characterized by a high degree of humidity. Average annual temperatures in Nigeria reach +25 °C. The hottest months are March (in the north) and April (in the south), where temperatures can range from +30 °C to + 35 °C. And the coldest month in the country is August, when the bulk of precipitation falls. On the contrary, in winter there is almost no precipitation in Nigeria; the weather is “dried” by powerful winds from the Sahara, bringing sharp temperature changes. Geographically, the most precipitation falls in the Niger Delta, and the least on the northeastern plateau.

Culture and economics

Nigeria's cultural achievements are represented primarily by the country's cinema. Film production in Nigeria is the second largest in the world, behind India and ahead of the United States. By analogy with Hollywood and Bollywood, the country's cinema is called Nollywood. But the quality of the African state is still closer to India - the level of films produced here does not reach the world level. The musical culture of Nigeria is represented by ethnic styles and groups with their own national instruments. The same applies to literature that reflects the country’s problems: ethnic and regional conflicts, wars of the past, and a weak level of development in the present. Overall, Nigeria's culture is rooted in its rich history, colorful ethnic groups, and natural gifts (more on these in the next section).

The country's economy, as already noted, is based on the oil industry. This base began to form during the era of industrialization, and Nigeria became completely dependent on the resource in the 20th century. Numerous conflicts and armed clashes, regime changes and the authorities’ inattention to the economy have led to the fact that Nigeria does not have the proper services and infrastructure. Completely dependent on oil, the country cannot boast of stability and a high level of development. Only in recent decades have programs begun to develop other sectors of the economy, modernize communications and develop the private sector along with the service sector.

Leisure and tourism

Despite all the problems in Nigeria, tourism exists and develops here. There has not been a particularly large-scale influx of visitors from other countries of the world for the reasons listed above. But Nigeria's list of tourist attractions is extensive, and tourism itself constitutes a significant part of the national income. Thus, the attractions of Nigeria are divided into:

• Festivals and cultural events (of particular interest are ethnic festivals such as the Durbar festival).
• National parks and natural resources (Old Oyo, Cross River, Yankari).
• Other geographical objects and territories.

Nigeria has sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. These are the Sukur Cultural Landscape and the Osun-Sogobo Forest. The first object consists of the palace of the kings of Nigeria, terraces with fields and places sacred to the peoples of the country. Much of the landscape was destroyed during the clashes, so it is now internationally protected. And Osun-Sogobo is a sacred forest for the Yoruba, revered as the habitat of the gods. In addition to a large number of man-made objects (holy places, sculptures), the forest is also interesting as a natural object. This tract is one of the last tropical rainforests in the country.

Currency, prices in Nigeria

The currency in the country is called the Nigerian naira, and the analogue of our kopecks here is the kobo (1 naira = 100 kobo). The naira was introduced in 1973 and Nigeria became the last African country to abandon the pound system. Officially, the use of other currencies is prohibited, but in reality this is not controlled. In small shops, private shops and markets, you can pay in any stable currency, including dollars and euros. Credit cards are not popular and can only be used in Abuja. You can also exchange money in the capital, at several banks and exchange points. The exchange rate for today is: 1 dollar = 320 naira, 1 ruble = 5 naira

Which means “flowing water” in Tuareg.

Capital of Nigeria. Abuja.

Area of ​​Nigeria. 923768 km2.

Population of Nigeria. 110532 thousand people

Location of Nigeria. Nigeria is a state in Western Europe, bordered on the north by Niger, on the east by Chad and on the west by Benin. In the south it is washed by the Gulf of Guinea.

Administrative divisions of Nigeria. Nigeria is a federation of 30 states and the capital city of Abuja.

Nigeria form of government. Republic.

Head of State of Nigeria. President, elected for a term of 5 years.

Supreme legislature of Nigeria. Bicameral Parliament (House of Representatives and Senate).

Supreme Executive Body of Nigeria. Government.

Major cities in Nigeria. Lagos, Ibadan.

National language of Nigeria. English.

Religion of Nigeria. 50% are Muslims, 40% are Christians, 10% are pagans.

Ethnic composition of Nigeria. 21% are Hausa, 20% are Yoruba, 17% are Ibo, 9% are Fulani. In addition, about 250 other ethnic groups live in Nigeria.

Currency of Nigeria. Naira = 100 kobo.

Sights of Nigeria. In Lagos there is the National Museum of Nigeria, where there is a rich collection of art objects from almost all periods of the country's development; museums in City, Ibadan, Ilorin, Jos and Kaduna are also interesting.

Useful information for tourists

The ocean beaches located on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea are magnificent, but very dirty and practically unequipped. There are, one might say, no seaside resorts, although beaches of sand of different shades stretch for many hundreds of kilometers. A unique natural monument of Nigeria is the Jos plateau, which is a remnant of rocks rising from the greenery with flat tops and almost vertical slopes, eroded.

It is prohibited to export weapons, drugs, food in large quantities, exotic plants, animals and birds. Objects of antiquity and art, products made of gold and precious metals are subject to mandatory customs control. An appropriate permit is required for the export of animal skins, ivory and crocodile skin products. When importing pets, you must have a veterinary certificate with a stamp on vaccination against rabies and permission from the country's veterinary service.

(Federal Republic of Nigeria)

General information

Geographical position. Nigeria is a state in West Africa. It borders on Niger in the north, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west. In the south it is washed by the Gulf of Guinea.

Square. The territory of Nigeria covers 923,768 square meters. km.

Main cities, administrative divisions. The capital of Nigeria is Abuja (the city was specially built to become the capital instead of Lagos in 1991). The largest cities: Lagos (1,500 thousand people), Ibadan (1,484 thousand people), another 20 cities have a population of more than 250 thousand people, and 57 cities have a population of more than 100 thousand people. Nigeria is a federation of 30 states and a capital district.

Political system

Nigeria's political system is in transition. The head of state and government is the president.

Relief. Plains and plateaus predominate (the highest altitude is 2,042 m - Vogel Peak).

Geological structure and minerals. Nigeria is rich in mineral resources. The country's subsoil contains reserves of oil, natural gas, iron ore, coal, tin, lead, and zinc.

Climate. Nigeria has 2 distinct climate zones. Along the coast the climate is hot and very humid throughout the year. In the north of the country, the temperature varies significantly depending on the time of year, and the humidity becomes less.

Inland waters. The main river of Nigeria is the Niger, as well as its tributaries - Benue, Kaduna and Sokoto. Lake Chad is partly located in Nigeria.

Soils and vegetation. In the south of the country there are dense tropical forests dominated by mahogany and oil palms. In the savannah area, the forest gives way to thick grass and trees such as baobab and tamarind. Semi-desert vegetation predominates in the far north of the country.

Animal world. The swamps and tropical forests of the south of the country are home to a large number of snakes and crocodiles. In the north of the country there are antelopes, camels and hyenas.

Population and language

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. The country's population is about 110.532 million people, the average population density is about 120 people per 1 sq. km. Ethnic groups: Hausa -21%, Yoruba -20%, Ibo - 17%, Fulani - 9%, Edo, Ijaw, Ibibio, Nule, Tiv, Kanuri, about 250 more ethnic groups. Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani, Kanuri, Tiv.

Religion

Muslims - 50%), Christians - 40% (Catholics, Methodists, Anglicans), pagans - 10%.

Brief historical sketch

In the north of modern Nigeria from the 8th century. There were Yoruba and Ifa states. In the 11th century The Bornu Empire converted to Islam and by the 13th century. became one of the centers of Islam in the region. The western states of the empire (the Hausa states) fell under the control of the Shongai Empire, but with the weakening of both empires at the end of the 16th century. they gained independence and dominated the region until the 19th century. At the same time, the Yoruba, Ife, Oyo and Edo states existed in the south of modern Nigeria, and the Ibo states existed in the east. The first Europeans appeared in the region in the 17th century, and by the 18th century. Several fortified trading posts of Portugal and Great Britain arose on the coast. The British were the first to penetrate into the interior of the country in 1795 and 1796. After several agreements with local rulers in southern Nigeria in the 60s of the XIX century. A British protectorate was formed. By 1900, several more British protectorates had emerged, united in 1906.

In 1947, Nigeria was granted the right to self-government, and in 1954, after recognizing the ethnic and cultural identities of individual regions, Nigeria became a federation. On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained independence. In 1967, the eastern region of the country started a civil war, demanding independence, but by 1970 all pockets of resistance were suppressed. Also in 1967, a military regime was established in Nigeria, which lasted 13 years. The country returned to civilian rule in October 1979, but on December 31, 1983, a coup brought the military back to power. Since 1995, a gradual weakening of the military regime began, but the political situation in the country remains difficult.

Brief Economic Sketch

Nigeria is an agricultural country with a developed oil industry. Main export crops: cocoa, oil palm, peanuts, cotton, rubber, sugar cane; for domestic consumption - grains, yams, cassava. Animal husbandry. Meat farming. Fishing. Extraction of oil, tin, columbite. Food-flavoring and textile industries. Oil refining, chemical, engineering, metallurgical, woodworking enterprises. Crafts. Export: oil, cocoa beans, rubber, oil palm products.

The currency is the naira.

Brief sketch of culture

Art and architecture. Lagos. National Museum of Nigeria (contains a rich collection of art objects from almost all periods of the country's development). Museums in Benin City, Ibadan, Ilorin, Jos and Kaduna also have rich collections.

Useful information for tourists about Nigeria, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of Nigeria, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions in Nigeria.

Geography of Nigeria

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a state in West Africa. It borders in the west with Benin, in the north with Niger, in the northeast with Chad, and in the east with Cameroon.

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. The highest point in the country, Mount Chappal Vaddi (2419 m), is located in Taraba state near the Nigerian-Cameroon border.

State

State structure

Nigeria is a presidential republic. The president is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. A bicameral national assembly (Congress), consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Language

Official language: English

There are about 400 local languages ​​and dialects, the most common languages ​​being Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo.

Religion

About 50% of the country's population are Muslims, 40% are Christians (the majority are Protestants), about 10% of Nigerians adhere to traditional African beliefs (animalism, fetishism, cult of ancestors, forces of nature, etc.)

Currency

International name: NGN

Naira is equal to 100 kobo. The circulation of other currencies is officially prohibited, although in reality almost all hard currencies in the world are accepted in markets and private shops.

Using credit cards and tourist traveler's checks is difficult and is only possible in the capital. Currency exchange can only be done in banks and official exchange offices.

Popular attractions

Tourism in Nigeria

Popular hotels

Visa

Purchases

Everywhere, both in the market and in stores, you can and should bargain.

Safety

Nigeria is a country with a difficult crime situation; it is not recommended to enter into conflicts with the local population, carry large sums of money with you or leave them in a hotel room, or use a taxi at night, especially when there are strangers in it besides the driver.

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Nigeria(English Nigeria), Federal Republic of Nigeria(eng. Federal Republic of Nigeria; Igbo Republic of Naigeria; Yoruba Orílẹ̀-èdè Olómìnira Àpapọ̀ ilẹ̀ Nàìjíríà; Hausa Jam-huriyar Taraiyar Nijeriya; Fula Republik Federaal bu Niiseriya) - state in .

In 2014, Nigeria, Africa's leading oil producer, became Africa's largest economy, overtaking South Africa in terms of GDP.

Etymology

The toponym “Nigeria” is derived from the hydronym of the same name - the name of the Niger River. The toponym “Nigeria”, as an element of political and administrative names (Northern and Southern Nigeria), has been used since 1900, and as the name of the country - British Nigeria - since 1914. Niger - from Latin means “black”.

Geographical information

Main article: Geography of Nigeria

Nigeria map

Sport

Main article: Sports in Nigeria

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.

mass media

State broadcaster NTA ( Nigerian Television Authority- “Nigerian Television Authority”), includes the television 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")

Crime

Kidnappings of foreign citizens for ransom are quite common in Nigeria. Most kidnappings occur in oil-bearing areas in the south and southeast of the country. Rebel groups are active here, opposing the extraction of Nigerian hydrocarbons by foreign corporations.

The phenomenon of “Nigerian spam” or “Nigerian letters” is widely known - a fraud scheme where a connection is established by email and amounts of money of the order of hundreds or thousands of dollars are lured out in exchange for the victim expecting very large sums. Although representatives of other nations are also involved in this type of criminal business, it initially became widespread in Nigeria.

see also

• Niger Delta
• Nigerian letters

Notes

1. World Atlas: Maximum detailed information / Project leaders: A. N. Bushnev, A. P. Pritvorov. - Moscow: AST, 2017. - P. 64. - 96 p. - ISBN 978-5-17-10261-4.
2. Census.gov. Country Rank. Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 201st (undefined) (unavailable link). U.S. Department of Commerce (2016). Retrieved July 12, 2016. Archived May 9, 2013.
3. Human Development Indicators(English) . United Nations Development Program (2018). - Human Development Report on the UN Development Program website. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
4. Nigeria has become the largest economy in Africa, overtaking South Africa in terms of GDP // TASS
5. Pospelov, 2002, p. 289.
6. CIA. The World Factbook. Nigeria (English). Retrieved September 7, 2008.
7. Riots in Nigeria continue to claim thousands of lives
8. 138 people have already died in religious clashes in Nigeria (unavailable link)
9. Muslims and Christians clash in Nigeria
10. In Nigeria, clashes between Christians and Muslims, in which hundreds of citizens of the country recently died, have stopped
11. Nigerias Mächtige rüsten zum Showdown (German)
12. Entsetzen über Massaker an Christen in Nigeria (German)
13. Nigerian President Yar'Adua is dead, says state TV (English)
14. Lenta.ru: In the world: The results of the presidential elections provoked unrest in Nigeria (Russian)
15. Afrikas Riese gerät ins Schlingern (unavailable link)(German)
16. Democracy Index 2018: Me too? Political participation, protest and democracy (undefined) . The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU). Retrieved January 25, 2019.
17. ICFNL. Constitution Of the Federal Republic of Nigeria(English) . Retrieved March 27, 2011. Archived August 22, 2011.
18. UN. List of UN member states (Russian). Retrieved September 9, 2008. Archived August 22, 2011.
19. Nationsencyclopedia.com. Nigeria. International cooperation(English) . Retrieved September 9, 2008.
20. Statoids. States of Nigeria (English). Retrieved September 6, 2008. Archived August 22, 2011.
21. Pankaj Ghemawat. World 3.0: Global integration without barriers. - M.: Alpina Publisher, 2013. - 415 p. - ISBN 978-5-9614-4438-4.
22. The World Factbook
23. Ethnologue. Languages ​​of Nigeria (English). Retrieved September 6, 2008. Archived August 22, 2011.
24. Mapsofworld.com. Nigerian Language (unavailable link). Retrieved September 7, 2008. Archived August 21, 2011.
25. Nigeria: retired lieutenant colonel elected primate of the Anglican Church (undefined) . “Blagovest-Info” (September 17, 2009). Retrieved October 8, 2013.
26. Patrick Johnstone, Jason Mandryk. Nigeria // Operation World 2001. - London: Paternoster Publishing, 2001. - 798 p. - (Operation World Series). - ISBN 1-8507-8357-8.
27. J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann. Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices. - Oxford, England: ABC CLIO, 2010. - pp. 2107-2110. - 3200 s. - ISBN 1-57607-223-1.
28. Left Coast. Boko Haram burns 16 villages in Nigeria, reports 2,000 killed (01/08/2014).
29. A nation divided - The Economist
30. http://www.histant.ru/sites/default/files/inafran/Rassohin_disser.pdf P. 167
31. Nigeria's oil revenues reach €2.4 billion
32. “Oil prices have increased significantly,” RosBusinessConsulting dated June 30, 2009: “Oil prices have risen amid another attack by Nigerian militants on Royal Dutch Shell oil production facilities.”
33. Library of Congress Country Studies, Nigeria.
34. Archibong, Maurice. Nigeria: Gold mine waiting to be tapped, The Sun Online, The Sun Publishing Ltd. (March 18, 2004). Archived from the original on April 26, 2007.
35. Nigeria starts taking tourism sector seriously, afrol.com, afrol News.
36. Analysis of the UIS International Survey on Feature Film Statistics
37. African movie spam. Lenta.ru (Russian)
38. Nigeria won the African Cup, Rossiyskaya Gazeta (February 11, 2013). Retrieved February 11, 2013.
39. Nigerian rebels kidnap two German citizens (undefined) . Lenta.ru (April 19, 2010). Retrieved August 14, 2010.

Literature

• History of Nigeria in modern and contemporary times / I. V. Sledzevsky, N. B. Kochakova, G. S. Kiselev and others; Ed. Yu. N. Zotova, I. V. Sledzevsky; Institute for African Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences. - M.: Science. Main editorial office of oriental literature, 1981. - 356, p. - (History of African countries). - 2500 copies.
• Pospelov E. M. Geographical names of the world. Toponymic dictionary / resp. ed. R. A. Ageeva. - 2nd ed., stereotype. - M.: Russian dictionaries, Astrel, AST, 2002. - 512 p. - 3,000 copies. - ISBN 5-17-001389-2.

Links

• Official website of Nigeria (English)
• Official tourism website of Nigeria
• Website NigeriaWorld - All about Nigeria(English)
• Nigerian Constitution (English)
• Collection of laws of Nigeria (English)
• How does Nigeria live?