ia

Introduction Nigeria

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

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
water: 13,000 sq km
land: 910,768 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, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone,
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, 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

Geog