1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 923,770 sq km land area: 910,770 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of California
Climate
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Coastline
853 km
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
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
Irrigated land
8,650 sq km (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
total 4,047 km, Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
Land use
arable land: 31% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 23% forest and woodland: 15% other: 28%
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Benin and Cameroon
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 30 nm
Natural resources
petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas
Terrain
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
People and Society
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.)
Birth rate
43.26 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
12.01 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
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
Infant mortality rate
72.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
42.844 million by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 15%
Languages
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 55.98 years male: 54.69 years female: 57.3 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 51% male: 62% female: 40%
Nationality
noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian
Net migration rate
0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
101,232,251 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
3.16% (1995 est.)
Religions
Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Total fertility rate
6.31 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
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
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
Constitution
1979 constitution still in force; plan for 1989 constitution to take effect in 1993 was not implemented
Digraph
NI
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
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
FAX
[234] (1) 261-0257 branch office: Abuja consulate(s) general: Kaduna
Flag
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green
House of Representatives
suspended after coup of 17 November 1993
Independence
1 October 1960 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeal
Legal system
based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law
Legislative branch
bicameral National Assembly
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
Names
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 October (1960)
Political parties and leaders
note: two political party system suspended after the coup of 17 November 1993
Senate
suspended after coup of 17 November 1993
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
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
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
Economy
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
Budget
revenues: $9 billion expenditures: $10.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Currency
1 naira (N) = 100 kobo
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
Electricity
capacity: 4,570,000 kW production: 11.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 109 kWh (1993)
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)
Exports
$11.9 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: oil 95%, cocoa, rubber partners: US 54%, EC 23%
External debt
$29.5 billion (1992)
Fiscal year
calendar year
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
Imports
$8.3 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: machinery and equipment, manufactured goods, food and animals partners: EC 64%, US 10%, Japan 7%
Industrial production
growth rate 7.7% (1991); accounts for 43% of GDP, including petroleum
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
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
53% (1993 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $122.6 billion (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$1,250 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
-0.8% (1994 est.)
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.
Unemployment rate
28% (1992 est.)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 35, FM 17, shortwave 0 radios: NA
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
Television
broadcast stations: 28 televisions: NA
Transportation
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
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
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
Pipelines
crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km; natural gas 500 km
Ports
Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri
Railroads
total: 3,567 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: 62 km 1.435-m gauge
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Police Force
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $172 million, about 1% of GDP (1992) ________________________________________________________________________ NIUE (free association with New Zealand)
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.)