About Nigeria 

HISTORY

Nigeria came into formal existence in 1914 when the British colonial government merged together the Lagos colony, the Northern and Southern Protectorates in what was known as amalgamation, for the purpose of governance. Prior to British colonization of the area now known as Nigeria, the people lived in their separate kingdoms and empires. Nigeria became an independent, self-governing country on October 1, 1960.

PEOPLE

Population: About 120 million. Population density: 130 per sq. km. Major Ethnic groups: Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo Principal languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Pidgin English.

GEOGRAPHY

Area: 923,770 sq. km, comparatively twice the size of the state of California Location: On the south coast of West Africa. Neighbors: Republic of Benin on the west, Niger on the north, Chad and Cameroon on the east. Topography: Four East-West regions divide Nigeria: a coastal mangrove swamp 16 - 100 km wide, a tropical rain forest 80 - 160 km wide, a plateau of savanna and open woodland, and semi desert in the north. Nigeria has a total coastline of 853 km. Climate: Mainly arid in the northern part, equatorial in the south and tropical in the center. Capital: Abuja replaced Lagos as the Capital on December 12, 1993. Cities: Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, and Kano.

GOVERNMENT

Type: The Executive branch of the government of Nigeria is headed by President Umaru Musa Yar'adua of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) who was elected in 2007. There is bicameral National Assembly, made up of the Senate and House of Representatives. Local divisions: Thirty-six states and a Federal Capital Territory.

ECONOMY

Industries: Crude oil (95% of exports), mining, food processing, textiles. Chief crops: Cocoa (main export crop), rubber, palm products, corn, rice, cotton, yams, and cassava. Minerals: Oil, natural gas, coal, iron, limestone, lead, zinc columbite, and tin.

FINANCE

Monetary unit: 1 Naira = 100 kobo

FLAG

NATIONAL ANTHEM

Arise, O compatriots,
Nigeria's call obey
To serve our fatherland
With love and strength and faith
The labour of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain
To serve with heart and might
One nation bound in freedom
Peace and Unity

O God of creation,
Direct our noble cause
Guide our leaders right
Help our youth and truth to know
In love and honesty to grow
And living just and true
Great lofty heights attain
To build a nation
Where peace and justice shall reign

THE PLEDGE

I pledge to Nigeria my country
To be faithful, loyal and honest
To serve Nigeria with all my strength
To defend her unity
And uphold her honor and glory
So help me God

EMBASSY