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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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| Introduction | Nigeria | Top of Page

Background: | Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The 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. Despite some irregularities, the April 2003 elections marked the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's history.

| Geography | Nigeria | Top of Page

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
Area - comparative: | slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: | total: 4,047 km border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
Coastline: | 853 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land
Land use: | arable land: 31.29% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 65.75% (2001)
Irrigated land: | 2,330 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | periodic droughts; flooding
Environment - current issues: | soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: | the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea

| People | Nigeria | Top of Page

Population: | 128,771,988 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 2005 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 42.3% (male 27,466,766/female 27,045,092) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 35,770,593/female 34,559,414) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,874,157/female 2,055,966) (2005 est.)
Median age: | total: 18.63 years male: 18.71 years female: 18.55 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: | 2.37% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: | 40.65 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: | 17.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 98.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 105.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 91.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 46.74 years male: 46.21 years female: 47.29 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 5.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 5.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 3.6 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 310,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: | degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever (2004)
Nationality: | noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups: | Nigeria, 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%
Religions: | Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages: | English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68% male: 75.7% female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

| Government | Nigeria | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria
Government type: | federal republic
Capital: | Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices have now moved to Abuja
Administrative divisions: | 36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, 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 (National Day), 1 October (1960)
Constitution: | new constitution adopted May 1999
Legal system: | based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12 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 19 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%
Legislative branch: | bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats - 3 from each state plus one from Abuja, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (346 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%, ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP 27.4%, AD 8.8%, other 9.3%; seats by party - PDP 223, ANPP 96, AD 34, other 6; note - one seat is vacant
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee)
Political parties and leaders: | Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Dr. Ahmadu ALI]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force or NDPVF [Mujahid Dokubo ASARI]; Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]
International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Professor George A. OBIOZOR chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 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 John CAMPBELL embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205 FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353
Flag description: | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

| Economy | Nigeria | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, is undertaking some reforms 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 - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and the country, 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 credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In the last year the government has begun showing the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. During 2003 the government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. GDP rose strongly in 2004.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $125.7 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 6.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 36.3% industry: 30.5% services: 33.3% (2004 est.)
Labor force: | 55.67 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: | NA
Population below poverty line: | 60% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 50.6 (1996-97)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 16.5% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 18% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $11.78 billion expenditures: $11.47 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Public debt: | 20% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: | cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish
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, small commercial ship construction and repair
Industrial production growth rate: | 1.8% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production: | 19.85 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - consumption: | 18.43 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: | 30 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: | 2.356 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA
Oil - imports: | NA
Oil - proved reserves: | 34 billion bbl (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 4.007 trillion cu m (2004)
Current account balance: | $5.228 billion (2004 est.)
Exports: | $33.99 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: | petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
Exports - partners: | US 47.5%, Brazil 10.7%, Spain 7.1% (2004)
Imports: | $17.14 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals
Imports - partners: | China 9.4%, US 8.4%, UK 7.8%, Netherlands 5.9%, France 5.4%, Germany 4.9%, Italy 4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $14.71 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: | $30.55 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | IMF $250 million (1998)
Currency (code): | naira (NGN)
Exchange rates: | nairas per US dollar - 132.89 (2004), 129.22 (2003), 120.58 (2002), 111.23 (2001), 101.7 (2000)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Nigeria | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 853,100 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 3,149,500 (2003)
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: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)
Television broadcast stations: | 3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002)
Internet country code: | .ng
Internet hosts: | 1,142 (2004)
Internet users: | 750,000 (2003)

| Transportation | Nigeria | Top of Page

Railways: | total: 3,557 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)
Highways: | total: 194,394 km paved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways) unpaved: 134,326 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: | 8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2004)
Pipelines: | condensate 105 km; gas 1,896 km; oil 3,638 km; refined products 3,626 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: | Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt
Merchant marine: | total: 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,808 GRT/608,076 DWT by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Norway 2, Pakistan 1) registered in other countries: 25 (2005)
Airports: | 70 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 36 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)
Heliports: | 1 (2004 est.)

| Military | Nigeria | Top of Page

Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 26,804,314 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 15,053,936 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: | males: 1,353,161 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $544.6 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 0.8% (2004)

| Transnational Issues | Nigeria | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission to resolve differences bilaterally and have commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of the boundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the Bakassi Peninsula, then agreed, but has yet to withdraw its forces while much of the indigenous population opposes cession; in 2004, some 17,000 Nigerian refugees fleeing ethnic conflicts between pastoralists and farmers in 2002 still reside in Cameroon; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision, the unresolved Bakasi allocation, and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; a joint task force was established in 2004 that resolved disputes over and redrew the maritime and the 870-km land boundary with Benin on the Okpara River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes Chad and Niger
Refugees and internally displaced persons: | IDPs: 250,000 (communal violence between Christians and Muslims since President OBASANJO's election in 1999) (2004)
Illicit drugs: | a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005