Nigeria is formally the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a country in West Africa. It is one of the most populous nation in Africa. It is geographically positioned between the Sahel to the north as well as the Gulf of Guinea to the south in the Atlantic Ocean. It covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 sq mi), with a population of over 211 million.

Nigeria boundaries Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the eastern, as well as Benin in the west. Nigeria is a federal republic making up 36 states and the Federal Capital Region, where the resources, Abuja, lies. The largest city in Nigeria is Lagos, among the biggest metropolitan areas in the world as well as the second-largest in Africa.

Nigeria has actually been home to several native pre-colonial states and also kingdoms given that the 2nd millennium BC, with the Nok world in the 15th century BC marking the very first interior marriage in the country. The modern state originated with British colonialization in the 19th century, taking its existing territorial shape with the combining of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1914 by Lord Lugard. The British set up management as well as legal frameworks while practising indirect rule through traditional chiefdoms in the Nigeria area.

Nigeria became a formally independent federation on October 1, 1960. It experienced a civil war from 1967 to 1970, followed by a succession of democratically elected noncombatant federal governments as well as army tyrannies, till accomplishing a steady democracy in the 1999 presidential election; the 2015 election was the first time an incumbent head of state had actually lost re-election.

Nigeria is a multinational state lived in by more than 250 ethnic groups talking 500 distinctive languages, all identifying with a wide variety of cultures. The 3 biggest ethnic groups are the Hausa in the north, Yoruba in the west, and Igbo in the eastern, with each other consisting of over 60% of the total populace. The main language is English, chosen to promote linguistic unity at the national degree.

Nigeria’s constitution makes sure civil liberty and also it is home to some of the world’s largest Muslim and Christian populations, at the same time. Nigeria is divided approximately in half in between Muslims, that live primarily in the north, as well as Christians, who live mostly in the south; native religious beliefs, such as those belonging to the Igbo and also Yoruba ethnicities, remain in the minority.

Nigeria is a local power in Africa, a middle power in international affairs, as well as is an emerging worldwide power. Nigeria’s economic climate is the largest in Africa, the 25th-largest worldwide by small GDP, and 25th-largest by PPP.

Nigeria is commonly referred to as the Titan of Africa owing to its large populace as well as economic situation as well as is considered to be an emerging market by the Globe Financial institution. However, the nation places very reduced in the Human Development Index and stays among one of the most corrupt countries on the planet.

Nigeria is a founding participant of the African Union and a participant of lots of worldwide companies, consisting of the United Nations, the Republic of Nations, NAM, the Economic Community of West African States, as well as OPEC. It is likewise a participant of the informal MINT group of countries as well as is just one of the Next Eleven economic situations.