|RNational holiday:|N Independence Day, October 1.
|RNature and climate:|N There are four topographical regions.
The Niger River delta area is swampy and have mangrove forests.
North of this coastal area are billowing lowlands with rainforests.
North of these rainforests are vast savannahs.
and the fourth region, close to half of the total area, is a highland plateau covered by savannahs and steppes.
The average temperature by the coast is about 27°C all around the year.
In the northern half of the country the average temperature in January is 22°C and in July 30°M.
Percipitation by the coast between 2500 and 5000 mm and in the northern plateau very low. Here the warm winds from the Sahara Desert bring sand, which makes the desert grow.
|RPeople:|N Close to 400 different ethnic tribes of which hausa and Fulani in the north, Yoruba in the southwest and Ibos in the southeast are the biggest.
|REconomy:|N 54% of the labour force is occupied in agriculture, 19% in industry, trade and services and 15% in government.
Agriculture is fairly well developed and aimed at producing food for domestic consumption. Still cocoa, tobacco, palm products, peanuts, rubber and cotton are cultivated for export. Most important crops for domestic consumption are cassava, yams and grain.
Stockraizing and fishing are extensive.
About 30% of the area is forested and forestry is an important industry. Most important trees are obeche, abura and mahogany.
There are papermills and sawmills.
Nigeria have rich mineral resources of oil, natural gas, coal. iron, limestone, columbium and tin.
|RHistory:|N Central Nigeria was the home of one of the richest and most advanced ancient civilizations in western Africa, the Nok culture between 500 and 200 BC.
Around 1000 AD Islam spread into northern Nigeria.
In the northern part of Nigeria the Kanem-Bornu kingdom flourished by the 14th century and controlled trade routes throughout northern Africa and to Europe and the Middle East.
By the 15th century the Hausa Songhai empire took over northern Nigeria and was in turn overthrown by the Fulani Muslim leader Uthman Dan Fodio, who created the Sokoto caliphate.
Southeastern Nigeria was dominated by the Ibo-people that created small town-principalities. The Ibos rapidly assimilated the European religions and way of life and took advantage of the slave-trade in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Southwestern Nigeria was dominated by the Yoruba-people and their kingdom was called Oyo. It became a major power by 1000 AD and created the so called Benin culture famous for its brass, bronze and ivory sculptures. This civilization flourished from the 15th to the 18th century.
In the 15th century Portuguese established trade centers along the coast and the old culture declined.
The Dutch and the British competed with the Portuguese for control of the slave trade and in the 18th century most of the coast was under British control.
When the trade with slaves was abolished the British began to trade with agricultural and forest products and started to explore the inland regions of Nigeria and in 1861 the whole area was made a British colony. In 1906 the area south of River Niger was added to the colony.
1946 the colony was divided into three regions each with an advisory assembly. In 1954 the assemblies were given more authority and the colony was organized as the Nigerian Federation. Later one more region was created and in 1960 Nigeria became an independent country remaining within the Commonwealth. In 1963 Nigeria was proclaimed republic, still within the Commonwealth.
Since independence waves of violence, riots and civil wars has weakened this rich country.
In 1966 a military coup ousted the civilian president and government.
In 1967 the eastern region declared independence as the republic of Biafra. More than one million Biafrans died from military actions or starvation in the three years long war that followed. In 1970 the Biafran state capitulated.
In 1975 there was a new military coup and one more in 1976.
In 1979 free elections were held and a civilian government was installed, but after new elections in 1983 the military once again seized power.
By the mid 1980:s there was a major economic crises that caused severe riots in all major population centers.
In the late 1980:s there was also religious violence between the Christian south and Muslim north, with numerous churches and mosques vandalized or burnt down. This violence have continued ever since.
In 1993 presidential elections were held but the military rejected the results. However the power was handed over to an interim civilian government by the end of 1993.
