ruba of the southwest, and Ibos of the southeast make
up 65% of the population; about 27,000 non-Africans

_#_Religion: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

_#_Language: English (official); Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani, and
several other languages also widely used

_#_Literacy: 51% (male 62%, female 40%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)

_#_Labor force: 42,844,000; agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and
services 19%, government 15%; 49% of population of working age (1985)

_#_Organized labor: 3,520,000 wage earners belong to 42 recognized
trade unions, which come under a single national labor federation--the
Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC)

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Federal Republic of Nigeria

_#_Type: military government since 31 December 1983

_#_Capital: Lagos; note--some government departments have relocated
to the designated new capital in Abuja

_#_Administrative divisions: 21 states and 1 territory*;
Abuja Capital Territory*, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bendel, Benue,
Borno, Cross River, Gongola, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos,
Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto

_#_Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)

_#_Constitution: 1 October 1979, amended 9 February 1984, revised 1989

_#_Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic, and tribal law

_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960)

_#_Executive branch: president of the Armed Forces Ruling Council,
Armed Forces Ruling Council, National Council of State, Council of
Ministers (cabinet)

_#_Legislative branch: National Assembly was dissolved after the
military coup of 31 December 1983

_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeal

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government--President and Commander in
Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Ibrahim BABANGIDA (since 27 August 1985)

_#_Political parties and leaders: two political parties established by
the government in 1989--Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National
Republican Convention (NRC)

_#_Suffrage: universal at age 21

_#_Elections:

President--scheduled for 1 October 1992;

National Assembly--scheduled for early 1992

_#_Communists: the pro-Communist underground consists of a small
fraction of the Nigerian left; leftist leaders are prominent in the
country's central labor organization but have little influence on the
government

_#_Member of: ACP,