Nigeria is located on the west coast of Africa and is the most populous black country in the world, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Benin and Cameroon. Nigeria covers 356,668 sq miles (923,7770 sq kilometers). It is about the same size as California, Nevada and Utah combined. Nigeria is diverse in people and culture. The history of the country goes back to 500 BC when the Nok people were the inhabitants. It was the ending of the 15th century European explorers and traders began their lucrative slave trade with the Yoruba and Benin peoples. In 1861 Lagos was colonized by the British and 1914, the entire country became The Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Nigeria became independent in 1960.

MAP OF NIGERIA

NIGERIA GEOGRAPHY

Area

• TOTAL 923,768 SQ. KM,
• LAND – 910,768 SQ. KM
• WATER – 13,000 SQ. KM

Land Boundaries: 4,047KM

Coastline: 853KM

Boundaries

• WEST (BENIN REPUBLIC) 773KM
• EAST (CAMEROON), 1690KM
• NORTH (CHAD) 87KM AND (NIGER) 1,497KM
• SOUTH (GULF OF GUINEA AND EQUATORIAL GUINEA) MARITIME BOUNDARY

Geography

Geography Land area – approximately 923,768 square kilometers, which spans over six ecological zones, ranging from the swampy coastal rain forest of the south to the semi-arid fertile grassland of the north. The country’s land area is made up of high grounds of average heights of 1,500 metres over the eastern region, 600 metres over the northern region and 300 metres over the western region. Over the coast and southern regions are the low-lying grounds which are generally below 300 metres and are characterized by creeks and lagoons on both sides of the niger delta. The main drainage systems in nigeria are (a) the niger-benue, (b) the chad and (c) the coastal river systems

Vegetation

Reflecting the varied topography and climate typical of the tropics, nigeria is blessed with very rich and diverse plant and animal life. There are four broad vegetation belts: the mangrove swamp on the coast, the rain forest, the woodland savannah in the middle belt and the guinea and sudan savannah in the north.

Climate

Varies: equatorial/tropical, when traversing from the coast to the hinterland. Semi-arid, from the hinterland to the fringes of the Sahara desert. The climate is tropical with two main marked seasons – the dry season lasting from November to march with the dry dust-laden north-easterly winds blowing across the country. The rainy season is from April to October, during which the moisture-laden south-westerly winds blow from the coast, bringing the rains. Rainfall decreases from about 1,500mm in the south to about 500mm in the north. The temperature is generally high, except in the Jos plateau, the Mambila plateau and Obudu ranch plateau where the temperature is relatively cooler all year round.

Temperature

Ranging between 20c and 40c. Temperature increases as one moves from the southern part to the northern part