2003 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 43.6% (male 29,322,774; female 28,990,702) 15-64 years: 53.6% (male 36,513,700; female 35,254,333) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 1,890,043; female 1,910,151) (2003 est.)

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

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

Birth rate

38.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Capital

Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices have now made the move to Abuja

Climate

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

Coastline

853 km

Constitution

new constitution adopted May 1999

Country name

conventional long form

Federal Republic of Nigeria

conventional short form

Nigeria

Death rate

13.76 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

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%

Executive branch

chief of state

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

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 8 00 E

Geography - note

the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea People Nigeria

Government type

republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

5.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

170,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

3.5 million (2001 est.)

Independence

1 October 1960 (from UK)

Infant mortality rate

female

68.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

74.44 deaths/1,000 live births

total

71.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Irrigated land

2,330 sq km (1998 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

30.96%

other

66.25% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

2.79%

Languages

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

Legal system

based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in some northern states), and traditional law

Life expectancy at birth

female

51.14 years (2003 est.)

male

50.89 years

total population

51.01 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

60.6% (2003 est.) Government Nigeria

male

75.7%

total population

68%

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

Median age

female

17.9 years (2002)

male

18.1 years

total

18 years

National holiday

Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Nationality

adjective

Nigerian

noun

Nigerian(s)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts; flooding

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

133,881,703

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 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

2.53% (2003 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

5.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

70 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 6

total

36

under 914 m

3 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m

18 (2002)

Budget

expenditures

$3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

revenues

$3.4 billion

Currency

naira (NGN)

Currency code

NGN

Debt - external

$29.7 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Howard Franklin JETER

embassy

7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja

mailing address

P. O. Box 554, Lagos

telephone

[234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Jibril Muhammad AMINU

consulate(s) general

Atlanta and New York

Disputes - international

ICJ ruled in 2002 on the Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime boundary by awarding the potentially petroleum-rich Bakassi Peninsula and offshore region to Cameroon; Nigeria rejected the cession of the peninsula but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission to peaceably resolve the dispute and commence with demarcation in other less-contested sections of the boundary; several villages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Benin; Lake Chad Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, which remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and militias; Nigeria agreed to ratify the treaty and relinquish sovereignty of disputed lands to Cameroon by December 2003

Distribution of family income - Gini index

50.6 (1996-97)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA $250 million (1998)

Economy - overview

The oil-rich Nigerian economy, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management, is undergoing substantial 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 failed to keep up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. The agreement was allowed to expire by the IMF in November 2001, however, and Nigeria apparently received much less multilateral assistance than expected in 2002. Nonetheless, increases in foreign oil investment and oil production kept growth at 3% in 2002. The government lacks the strength to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as modernization of the banking system; to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands; and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. When the uncertainties in the global economy are added in, estimates of Nigeria's prospects for 2003 must have a wide margin of error.

Electricity - consumption

14.55 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

20 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

15.67 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

61.9%

hydro

38.1%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Exchange rates

nairas per US dollar - NA (2002), 111.23 (2001), 101.7 (2000), 92.34 (1999), 21.89 (1998)

Exports

$17.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Exports - partners

US 32.3%, Brazil 8.3%, Spain 7.2%, Indonesia 5.9%, France 5.6%, India 4.6% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 775-1385

[234] (9) 523-0353

chancery

3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 986-8400

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Nigeria

Flag description

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $112.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

45%

industry

20%

services

35% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $900 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.2% (2002 est.)

Heliports

1 (2002) Military Nigeria

Highways

paved

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

total

194,394 km

unpaved

134,326 km (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

40.8% (1996-97)

lowest 10%

1.6%

Illicit drugs

a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity, along with unwillingness of the government to address the deficiencies in its anti-money-laundering regime make money laundering a major problem This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$13.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

UK 9.6%, US 9.4%, China 9.3%, France 8.7%, Germany 6.8%, South Korea 6.1%, Netherlands 5.2%, Italy 4.7% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

0.4% (2002 est.)

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)

14.2% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.ng

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

11 (2000)

Internet users

100,000 (2000) Transportation Nigeria

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Labor force

66 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (107 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 (346 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.6%, ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 73, ANPP 28, AD 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP 27.4%, AD 9.3%, other 8.8%; seats by party - PDP 213, ANPP 95, AD 31, other 7; note - two constituencies are not reported

elections

Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)

Merchant marine

convenience

Bulgaria 1, Greece 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Togo 1, US 1 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 1, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 29, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1

total

44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,689 GRT/607,560 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$417.9 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1% (FY02) Transnational Issues Nigeria

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

31,790,482 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

18,259,696 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

1,418,099 (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

4.007 trillion cu m (37257)

Oil - consumption

275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

2.256 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

27 billion bbl (37257)

Pipelines

condensate 105 km; gas 1,660 km; oil 3,634 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Audu OGBEH]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]

Population below poverty line

60% (2000 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios

23.5 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

3,505 km 1.067-m gauge

standard gauge

52 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

total

3,557 km

Telephone system

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

general assessment

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

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

500,000 (2000 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

200,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations

3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002)

Televisions

6.9 million (1997)

Unemployment rate

28% (1992 est.)

Waterways

8,575 km

note

consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks