2000 Edition

Background

Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999 and a peaceful transition to civilian government completed. The new 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.

Area

land

910,768 sq km

total

923,768 sq km

water

13,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of California

Climate

varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Coastline

853 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification; recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 8 00 E

Irrigated land

9,570 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km

total

4,047 km

Land use

arable land

33%

forests and woodland

12%

other

8% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

3%

permanent pastures

44%

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, 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

12 nm

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Natural resources

petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas, hydropower, arable land

Terrain

southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 27,181,020; female 26,872,317) 15-64 years: 53% (male 33,495,794; female 32,337,193) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,729,149; female 1,722,349) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

40.16 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

13.72 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most

populous and politically influential

Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Infant mortality rate

74.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Life expectancy at birth

female

51.55 years (2000 est.)

male

51.58 years

total population

51.56 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

47.3% (1995 est.)

male

67.3%

total population

57.1%

Nationality

adjective

Nigerian

noun

Nigerian(s)

Net migration rate

0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

123,337,822

note

estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.67% (2000 est.)

Religions

Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.66 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Federal Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

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

NA 1999 new constitution adopted

Country name

conventional long form

Federal Republic of Nigeria

conventional short form

Nigeria

Data code

NI

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador William H. TWADDELL

embassy

2 Walter Carrington Crescent, Lagos

mailing address

P. O. Box 554, Lagos

telephone

(1) 261-0097

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Jibril AMINU

telephone

(202) 986-8400

Executive branch

cabinet

Federal Executive Council

chief of state

President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) elected president; percent of vote - Olusegun OBASANJO 62.8%, Olu FALAE (APP-AD) 37.2%

elections

president is elected by popular vote for no more than two four-year terms; election last held 27 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)

head of government

President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

FAX

(202) 775-1385

(1) 261-0257

consulate(s) general

Atlanta and New York

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

Government type

republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

Independence

1 October 1960 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Provisional Ruling Council; Federal Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee

Legal system

based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats, three from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 58%, APP 23%, AD 19%; seats by party - PDP 65, APP 24, AD 20; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 58%, APP 30%, AD 12%; seats by party - PDP 215, APP 75, AD 70

elections

Senate - last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2003); House of Representatives - last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 October (1960)

Political parties and leaders

All People's Party or APP [Alhaji Yusuf ALI]; Alliance for Democracy or AD ; People's Democratic Party or PDP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish

Budget

expenditures

$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

revenues

$NA

Currency

1 naira (N) = 100 kobo

Debt - external

$29 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$39.2 million (1995)

Economy - overview

The oil-rich Nigerian economy, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management, is undergoing substantial economic reform under the new civilian administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has not kept up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. In 2000, Nigeria is likely to receive a debt-restructuring deal with the Paris club and a $1 billion loan from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Increased foreign investment combined with high world oil prices should push growth to over 5% in 2000-01.

Electricity - consumption

13.717 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

14.75 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

61.69%

hydro

38.31%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

nairas (N) per US$1 - 96.261 (October 1999), 99 (1999), 21.886 (1998), 21.886 (1997), 21.895 (1995)

Exports

$13.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Exports - partners

US 35%, Spain 11%, India 9%, France 6%, Italy (1998 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $110.5 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

33%

industry

42%

services

25% (1997 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $970 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.7% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 31.4% (1992-93)

Imports

$10 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals

Imports - partners

UK 13%, US 12%, Germany 10%, France 9%, Netherlands (1998 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

12.5% (1999 est.)

Labor force

42.844 million

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 54%, industry 6%, services 40% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

34.1% (1992-93 est.)

Unemployment rate

28% (1992 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

5 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 82, FM 35, shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios

23.5 million (1997)

Telephone system

an inadequate system, further limited by poor maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been made

domestic

intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19 earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular facilities and the Internet are available

international

satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); coaxial submarine cable SAFE (South African Far East)

Telephones - main lines in use

405,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

10,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

2 government-controlled; note - in addition, in 1993, 14 licenses to operate private television stations were granted (1999)

Televisions

6.9 million (1997)

Airports

71 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

37 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 18 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 est.)

Highways

note

many of the roads reported as paved may be graveled; because of poor maintenance and years of heavy freight traffic (in part the result of the failure of the railroad system), much of the road system is barely usable

paved

60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways)

total

194,394 km

unpaved

134,326 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 1, cargo 12, chemical tanker 4, petroleum tanker 22, specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)

total

40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 360,505 GRT/644,471 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km; natural gas 500 km

Ports and harbors

Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri

Railways

narrow gauge

3,505 km 1.067-m gauge

note

years of neglect of both the rolling stock and the right-of-way have seriously reduced the capacity and utility of the system; a project to restore Nigeria's railways is now underway

standard gauge

52 km 1.435-m gauge

total

3,557 km

Waterways

8,575 km consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$236 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.7% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 29,082,802 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 16,708,344 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

1,360,023 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, has been completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Cameroon over land and maritime boundaries around the Bakasi Peninsula is currently before the ICJ; maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed jurisdiction over oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea

Illicit drugs

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 European, East Asian, and North American markets

NIGER