Quick Facts: Nigeria
- Nigeria is bordered by the Republic of Benin in the west, Niger in the North and Cameroon and Chad in the east
- The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River that runs through the country
- Nigeria gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1960 and regained democracy in 1999 after a time of military rule
- Nigeria is considered a fast growing economy and most of the country’s income stems from their vast oil reserves
- Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world
- Nigeria has rich ethnic diversity with over 250 ethnic groups present in the country
- Nigeria has great strengths in football as well as boxing and track and field and they have produced many a world champion in these sporting fields
- Nigeria’s environment consist of a tropical rainforest environment as well as a savanna environment with the terrain and vegetation varying throughout the country
Introducing Nigeria
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is located in West Africa and with its south coast on the Atlantic Ocean at the base of the bulb of Africa. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and has great oil reserves which remain the country’s largest source of income.
Nigeria is home to the Niger Delta which is one of the earth’s biggest river deltas and is covered with hundreds of mangrove trees. An expansive tropical rainforest environment is present in the Southern region of the country while the middle of the country consists of savannah; tall grasses and sandy terrain with minimal tree cover.
Nigeria has six main cities, with Laos, the largest city having a population of 8 million people in the urban area alone. Nigeria has an emerging economy and with an abundance of natural resources and growing economic, financial, transportation and legal industries the country is fast growing which has positively affected the business travel market in the country.
Many ethnic groups within Nigeria speak multiple languages with the official language of the country being English. Other major languages spoken in Nigeria include the Niger-Congo languages of Yoruba and Igbo, the Hausa language of Afro-Asiatic and the Nilo-Saharan language of Kanuri.
The music of the country infuses African traditional music with American jazz, soul and pop tracks. Nigeria has a growing music scene from which many acclaimed local stars have arisen. Nigerian cuisine is rich, spicy, full of flavour and colourful and lavish feasts are part of the culture of the country.
Climate in Nigeria
Defined by the tropical rainforest climate, there are very small temperate changes throughout the year, especially in the southern part of the country. The southern part of the country experiences an abundance of rainfall with the rainy season beginning in March and continuing to end July.
Further inland, one begins to experience a tropical savanna climate which presents two distinct seasons. The country experiences hot and dry conditions from December to March yet temperatures seldom drop below 18°C throughout the year.