2  definitions  found 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  Nigeria 
  n  :  a  republic  in  West  Africa  on  the  Gulf  of  Guinea;  Africa's 
  most  populous  country;  gained  independence  from  Britain 
  in  1960  [syn:  {Nigeria}] 
 
  From  The  CIA  World  Factbook  (1995)  [world95]: 
 
  Nigeria 
 
  Nigeria:Geography 
 
  Location:  Western  Africa,  bordering  the  North  Atlantic  Ocean,  between 
  Benin  and  Cameroon 
 
  Map  references:  Africa 
 
  Area: 
  total  area:  923,770  sq  km 
  land  area:  910,770  sq  km 
  comparative  area:  slightly  more  than  twice  the  size  of  California 
 
  Land  boundaries:  total  4,047  km  Benin  773  km  Cameroon  1,690  km  Chad 
  87  km  Niger  1,497  km 
 
  Coastline:  853  km 
 
  Maritime  claims: 
  continental  shelf:  200-m  depth  or  to  the  depth  of  exploitation 
  exclusive  economic  zone:  200  nm 
  territorial  sea:  30  nm 
 
  International  disputes:  demarcation  of  international  boundaries  in 
  Lake  Chad,  the  lack  of  which  led  to  border  incidents  in  the  past,  is 
  completed  and  awaits  ratification  by  Cameroon,  Chad,  Niger,  and 
  Nigeria;  dispute  with  Cameroon  over  land  and  maritime  boundaries  in 
  the  vicinity  of  the  Bakasi  Peninsula  has  been  referred  to  the 
  International  Court  of  Justice 
 
  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 
 
  Natural  resources:  petroleum,  tin,  columbite,  iron  ore,  coal, 
  limestone,  lead,  zinc,  natural  gas 
 
  Land  use: 
  arable  land:  31% 
  permanent  crops:  3% 
  meadows  and  pastures:  23% 
  forest  and  woodland:  15% 
  other:  28% 
 
  Irrigated  land:  8,650  sq  km  (1989  est.) 
 
  Environment: 
  current  issues:  soil  degradation;  rapid  deforestation; 
  desertification  recent  droughts  in  north  severely  affecting  marginal 
  agricultural  activities 
  natural  hazards:  periodic  droughts 
  international  agreements:  party  to  -  Biodiversity,  Climate  Change, 
  Endangered  Species,  Hazardous  Wastes,  Law  of  the  Sea,  Marine  Dumping, 
  Marine  Life  Conservation,  Nuclear  Test  Ban,  Ozone  Layer  Protection 
 
  Nigeria:People 
 
  Population:  101,232,251  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Age  structure: 
  0-14  years:  45%  (female  22,643,026;  male  22,850,322) 
  15-64  years:  52%  (female  25,842,286;  male  26,978,906) 
  65  years  and  over:  3%  (female  1,438,392;  male  1,479,319)  (July  1995 
  est.) 
 
  Population  growth  rate:  3.16%  (1995  est.) 
 
  Birth  rate:  43.26  births/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Death  rate:  12.01  deaths/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Net  migration  rate:  0.35  migrant(s)/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Infant  mortality  rate:  72.6  deaths/1,000  live  births  (1995  est.) 
 
  Life  expectancy  at  birth: 
  total  population:  55.98  years 
  male:  54.69  years 
  female:  57.3  years  (1995  est.) 
 
  Total  fertility  rate:  6.31  children  born/woman  (1995  est.) 
 
  Nationality: 
  noun:  Nigerian(s) 
  adjective:  Nigerian 
 
  Ethnic  divisions: 
  north:  Hausa  and  Fulani 
  southwest:  Yoruba 
  southeast:  Ibos  non-Africans  27,000 
  note:  Hausa  and  Fulani,  Yoruba,  and  Ibos  together  make  up  65%  of 
  population 
 
  Religions:  Muslim  50%,  Christian  40%,  indigenous  beliefs  10% 
 
  Languages:  English  (official),  Hausa,  Yoruba,  Ibo,  Fulani 
 
  Literacy:  age  15  and  over  can  read  and  write  (1990  est.) 
  total  population:  51% 
  male:  62% 
  female:  40% 
 
  Labor  force:  42.844  million 
  by  occupation:  agriculture  54%,  industry,  commerce,  and  services  19%, 
  government  15% 
 
  Nigeria:Government 
 
  Names: 
  conventional  long  form:  Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria 
  conventional  short  form:  Nigeria 
 
  Digraph:  NI 
 
  Type:  military  government  since  31  December  1983;  plans  to  institute  a 
  constitutional  conference  to  prepare  for  a  new  transition  to  civilian 
  rule  after  plans  for  a  transition  in  1993  were  negated  by  General 
  BABANGIDA 
 
  Capital:  Abuja 
  note:  on  12  December  1991  the  capital  was  officially  moved  from  Lagos 
  to  Abuja;  many  government  offices  remain  in  Lagos  pending  completion 
  of  facilities  in  Abuja 
 
  Administrative  divisions:  30  states  and  1  territory*;  Abia,  Abuja 
  Capital  Territory*,  Adamawa  Akwa  Ibom,  Anambra  Bauchi,  Benue,  Borno, 
  Cross  River,  Delta,  Edo,  Enugu  Imo,  Jigawa  Kaduna,  Kano,  Katsina, 
  Kebbi  Kogi,  Kwara  Lagos,  Niger,  Ogun,  Ondo,  Osun,  Oyo,  Plateau, 
  Rivers,  Sokoto,  Taraba,  Yobe 
 
  Independence:  1  October  1960  (from  UK) 
 
  National  holiday:  Independence  Day  1  October  (1960) 
 
  Constitution:  1979  constitution  still  in  force;  plan  for  1989 
  constitution  to  take  effect  in  1993  was  not  implemented 
 
  Legal  system:  based  on  English  common  law,  Islamic  law,  and  tribal  law 
 
  Suffrage:  21  years  of  age;  universal 
 
  Executive  branch: 
  chief  of  state  and  head  of  government:  Chairman  of  the  Provisional 
  Ruling  Council  and  Commander  in  Chief  of  Armed  Forces  and  Defense 
  Minister  Gen.  Sani  ABACHA  (since  17  November  1993);  Vice-Chairman  of 
  the  Provisional  Ruling  Council  Oladipo  DIYA  (since  17  November  1993) 
  cabinet:  Federal  Executive  Council 
 
  Legislative  branch:  bicameral  National  Assembly 
  Senate:  suspended  after  coup  of  17  November  1993 
  House  of  Representatives:  suspended  after  coup  of  17  November  1993 
 
  Judicial  branch:  Supreme  Court,  Federal  Court  of  Appeal 
 
  Political  parties  and  leaders: 
  note:  two  political  party  system  suspended  after  the  coup  of  17 
  November  1993 
 
  Member  of:  ACP,  AfDB  C,  CCC,  ECA,  ECOWAS  FAO,  G-15,  G-19,  G-24, 
  G-77,  GATT,  IAEA,  IBRD,  ICAO,  ICC,  ICRM,  IDA,  IFAD,  IFC,  IFRCS  ILO, 
  IMF,  IMO,  INMARSAT  INTELSAT,  INTERPOL,  IOC,  ITU,  MINURSO  NAM,  OAU, 
  OPEC,  PCA,  UN  UNAMIR  UNAVEM  II  UNCTAD  UNESCO,  UNHCR  UNIDO 
  UNIKOM  UNPROFOR  UNU,  UPU,  WCL,  WFTU  WHO  WMO,  WTO 
 
  Diplomatic  representation  in  US: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Zubair  Mahmud  KAZAURE 
  chancery:  1333  16th  Street  NW  Washington,  DC  20036 
  telephone:  [1]  (202)  986-8400 
  consulate(s)  general:  New  York 
 
  US  diplomatic  representation: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Walter  C.  CARRINGTON 
  embassy:  2  Eleke  Crescent,  Lagos 
  mailing  address:  P.  O.  Box  554,  Lagos 
  telephone:  [234]  (1)  261-0097 
  FAX:  [234]  (1)  261-0257 
  branch  office:  Abuja 
  consulate(s)  general:  Kaduna 
 
  Flag:  three  equal  vertical  bands  of  green  (hoist  side),  white,  and 
  green 
 
  Economy 
 
  Overview:  The  oil-rich  Nigerian  economy  continues  to  be  hobbled  by 
  political  instability  and  poor  macroeconomic  management.  Nigeria's 
  unpopular  military  rulers  show  no  sign  of  wanting  to  restore 
  democratic  civilian  rule  in  the  near  future  and  appear  divided  on  how 
  to  redress  fundamental  economic  imbalances  that  cause  troublesome 
  inflation  and  the  steady  depreciation  of  the  naira.  The  government's 
  domestic  and  international  arrears  continue  to  limit  economic  growth  - 
  even  in  the  oil  sector  -  and  prevent  an  agreement  with  the  IMF  and 
  bilateral  creditors  on  debt  relief.  The  inefficient  (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. 
 
  National  product:  GDP  -  purchasing  power  parity  -  $122.6  billion  (1994 
  est.) 
 
  National  product  real  growth  rate:  -0.8%  (1994  est.) 
 
  National  product  per  capita:  $1,250  (1994  est.) 
 
  Inflation  rate  (consumer  prices):  53%  (1993  est.) 
 
  Unemployment  rate:  28%  (1992  est.) 
 
  Budget: 
  revenues:  $9  billion 
  expenditures:  $10.8  billion,  including  capital  expenditures  of  $NA 
  (1992  est.) 
 
  Exports:  $11.9  billion  (f.o.b.,  1992) 
  commodities:  oil  95%,  cocoa,  rubber 
  partners:  US  54%,  EC  23% 
 
  Imports:  $8.3  billion  (c.i.f.,  1992) 
  commodities:  machinery  and  equipment,  manufactured  goods,  food  and 
  animals 
  partners:  EC  64%,  US  10%,  Japan  7% 
 
  External  debt:  $29.5  billion  (1992) 
 
  Industrial  production:  growth  rate  7.7%  (1991);  accounts  for  43%  of 
  GDP,  including  petroleum 
 
  Electricity: 
  capacity:  4,570,000  kW 
  production:  11.3  billion  kWh 
  consumption  per  capita:  109  kWh  (1993) 
 
  Industries:  crude  oil  and  mining  -  coal,  tin,  columbite;  primary 
  processing  industries  -  palm  oil,  peanut,  cotton,  rubber,  wood,  hides 
  and  skins;  manufacturing  industries  -  textiles,  cement,  building 
  materials,  food  products,  footwear,  chemical,  printing,  ceramics, 
  steel 
 
  Agriculture:  accounts  for  35%  of  GDP  and  half  of  labor  force;  cash 
  crops  -  cocoa,  peanuts,  palm  oil,  rubber;  food  crops  -  corn,  rice, 
  sorghum,  millet,  cassava,  yams;  livestock  -  cattle,  sheep,  goats, 
  pigs;  fishing  and  forestry  resources  extensively  exploited 
 
  Illicit  drugs:  passenger  and  cargo  air  hub  for  West  Africa; 
  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  West  European,  East  Asian, 
  and  North  American  markets 
 
  Economic  aid: 
  recipient:  US  commitments,  including  Ex-Im  (FY70-89),  $705  million; 
  Western  (non-US)  countries,  ODA  and  OOF  bilateral  commitments 
  (1970-89),  $3  billion;  Communist  countries  (1970-89),  $2.2  billion 
 
  Currency:  1  naira  N  =  100  kobo 
 
  Exchange  rates:  naira  N  per  US$1  -  21.996  (January  1995),  21.996 
  (1994),  22.065  (1993),  17.298  (1992),  9.909  (1991),  8.038  (1990) 
 
  Fiscal  year:  calendar  year 
 
  Nigeria:Transportation 
 
  Railroads: 
  total:  3,567  km 
  narrow  gauge:  3,505  km  1.067-m  gauge 
  standard  gauge:  62  km  1.435-m  gauge 
 
  Highways: 
  total:  107,990  km 
  paved:  mostly  bituminous-surface  treatment  30,019  km 
  unpaved:  gravel,  crushed  stone,  improved  earth  25,411  km  unimproved 
  earth  52,560  km 
 
  Inland  waterways:  8,575  km  consisting  of  Niger  and  Benue  Rivers  and 
  smaller  rivers  and  creeks 
 
  Pipelines:  crude  oil  2,042  km  petroleum  products  3,000  km  natural 
  gas  500  km 
 
  Ports:  Calabar,  Lagos,  Onne,  Port  Harcourt,  Sapele  Warri 
 
  Merchant  marine: 
  total:  32  ships  (1,000  GRT  or  over)  totaling  404,064  GRT/661,850  DWT 
  ships  by  type:  bulk  1,  cargo  14,  chemical  tanker  3,  liquefied  gas 
  tanker  1,  oil  tanker  12,  roll-on/roll-off  cargo  1 
 
  Airports: 
  total:  80 
  with  paved  runways  over  3,047  m:  6 
  with  paved  runways  2,438  to  3,047  m:  10 
  with  paved  runways  1,524  to  2,437  m:  10 
  with  paved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  7 
  with  paved  runways  under  914  m:  25 
  with  unpaved  runways  1,524  to  2,438  m:  1 
  with  unpaved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  21 
 
  Nigeria:Communications 
 
  Telephone  system:  NA  telephones;  above-average  system  limited  by  poor 
  maintenance;  major  expansion  in  progress 
  local:  NA 
  intercity:  microwave  radio  relay,  coaxial  cable,  and  20  domestic 
  satellite  earth  stations  carry  intercity  traffic 
  international:  3  INTELSAT  earth  stations  (2  Atlantic  Ocean  and  1 
  Indian  Ocean)  and  1  coaxial  submarine  cable  carry  international 
  traffic 
 
  Radio: 
  broadcast  stations:  AM  35,  FM  17,  shortwave  0 
  radios:  NA 
 
  Television: 
  broadcast  stations:  28 
  televisions:  NA 
 
  Nigeria:Defense  Forces 
 
  Branches:  Army,  Navy,  Air  Force,  paramilitary  Police  Force 
 
  Manpower  availability:  males  age  15-49  23,167,009;  males  fit  for 
  military  service  13,246,223;  males  reach  military  age  (18)  annually 
  1,024,059  (1995  est.) 
 
  Defense  expenditures:  exchange  rate  conversion  -  $172  million,  about 
  1%  of  GDP  (1992) 
 
 
 

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