Part 142

Chapter 1423,740 wordsPublic domain

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

Population:

149,229,090 country comparison to the world: 8 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.5% (male 31,624,050/female 30,242,637)

15-64 years: 55.5% (male 42,240,641/female 40,566,672)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 2,211,840/female 2,343,250) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19 years

male: 18.9 years

female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.999% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Birth rate:

36.65 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Death rate:

16.56 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Net migration rate:

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Urbanization:

urban population: 48% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 94.35 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 13 male: 100.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 87.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 46.94 years country comparison to the world: 212 male: 46.16 years

female: 47.76 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.91 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2.6 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

170,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever

water contact disease: leptospirosis and shistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Nigerian(s)

adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups:

Nigeria, 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%

Religions:

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

Languages:

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

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 68%

male: 75.7%

female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 9 years

female: 7 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 180

Government ::Nigeria

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria

conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Abuja

geographic coordinates: 9 05 N, 7 32 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

1 October 1960 (from the UK)

National holiday:

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

Constitution:

adopted 5 May 1999; effective 29 May 1999

Legal system:

based on English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007)

cabinet: Federal Executive Council

elections: president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011)

election results: Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA elected president; percent of vote - Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA 69.8%, Muhammadu BUHARI 18.7%, Atiku ABUBAKAR 7.5%, Orji Uzor KALU 1.7%, other 2.3%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (109 seats, 3 from each state plus 1 from Abuja; 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)

elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011); House of Representatives - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%, ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%, other 8.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP 27.4%, AD 8.8%, UNPP 2.8%, NPD 1.9%, APGA 1.6%, PRP 0.8%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6, UNPP 2, APGA 2, NPD 1, PRP 1, vacant 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges recommended by the National Judicial Council and appointed by the president); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government from a pool of judges recommended by the National Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Accord Party [Ikra Aliyu BILBIS]; Action Congress or AC [Hassan ZUMI]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Mojisoluwa AKINFENWA]; All Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Edwin UME-EZEOKE]; All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Victor C. UMEH]; Democratic People's Party or DPP [Jeremiah USENI]; Fresh Democratic Party [Chris OKOTIE]; Labor Party [Dan NWANYANWU]; Movement for the Restoration and Defense of Democracy or MRDD [Mohammed Gambo JIMETA]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Vincent OGBULAFOR]; Peoples Progressive Alliance [Clement EBRI]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [Mallam Selah JAMBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Academic Staff Union for Universities or ASUU; Campaign for Democracy or CD; Civil Liberties Organization or CLO; Committee for the Defense of Human Rights or CDHR; Constitutional Right Project or CRP; Human Right Africa; National Association of Democratic Lawyers or NADL; National Association of Nigerian Students or NANS; Nigerian Bar Association or NBA; Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC; Nigerian Medical Association or NMA; the Press; Universal Defenders of Democracy or UDD

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Baba Gana WIKIL

chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400

FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robin SANDERS

embassy: 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja

mailing address: P. O. Box 5760, Garki, Abuja

telephone: [234] (9) 461-4000

FAX: [234] (9) 461-4036

Flag description:

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

Economy ::Nigeria

Economy - overview:

Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, has undertaken several reforms over the past decade. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 95% of foreign exchange earnings and about 80% of budgetary revenues. 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. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. Since 2008 the government has begun showing the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize 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. In 2003, the government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt-relief deal that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in payments - a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37 billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to stringent IMF reviews. Based largely on increased oil exports and high global crude prices, GDP rose strongly in 2007 and 2008. President YAR'ADUA has pledged to continue the economic reforms of his predecessor with emphasis on infrastructure improvements. Infrastructure is the main impediment to growth. The government is working toward developing stronger public-private partnerships for electricity and roads.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$336.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $319.3 billion (2007 est.)

$300.1 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$207.1 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 6.4% (2007 est.)

6.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 $2,200 (2007 est.)

$2,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 18.1%

industry: 50.8%

services: 31.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

51.04 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 70%

industry: 10%

services: 20% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Population below poverty line:

70% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 32.4% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43.7 (2003) country comparison to the world: 48 50.6 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Budget:

revenues: $19.76 billion

expenditures: $24.72 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

13.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167 5.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

9.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 9.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

15.48% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 31 16.94% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$35.29 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 25 $26.82 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$32.04 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 36 $22.78 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$49.51 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 49 $35.68 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$49.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 $86.35 billion (31 December 2007)

$32.82 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

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

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, small commercial ship construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:

2.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - production:

21.92 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Electricity - consumption:

19.21 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

2.169 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Oil - consumption:

286,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Oil - exports:

2.327 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Oil - imports:

170,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Oil - proved reserves:

36.22 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Natural gas - production:

32.82 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Natural gas - consumption:

12.28 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Natural gas - exports:

20.55 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 11

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Natural gas - proved reserves:

5.215 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Current account balance:

$3.877 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $2.203 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$76.03 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $61.82 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Exports - partners:

US 41.4%, India 10.4%, Brazil 9.4%, Spain 7.2%, France 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$46.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $38.8 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

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

Imports - partners:

China 13.8%, Netherlands 9.6%, US 8.4%, UK 5.3%, South Korea 5.2%, France 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$53 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $51.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$9.996 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $8.007 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$68.84 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $58.84 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$13.02 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $12.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

nairas (NGN) per US dollar - 117.8 (2008 est.), 127.46 (2007), 127.38 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89 (2004)

Communications ::Nigeria

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.308 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 69

Telephones - mobile cellular:

62.988 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 16

Telephone system:

general assessment: further expansion and modernization of the fixed-line telephone network is needed

domestic: the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002 resulted in faster growth but subscribership remains only about 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services growing rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple cellular service providers operate nationally with subscribership reaching 45 per 100 persons in 2008

international: country code - 234; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2001)

Internet country code:

.ng

Internet hosts:

1,098 (2009) country comparison to the world: 158

Internet users:

11 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 29

Transportation ::Nigeria

Airports:

56 (2009) country comparison to the world: 83

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 38

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Heliports:

3 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 21 km; gas 2,560 km; liquid petroleum gas 97 km; oil 3,396 km; refined products 4,090 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,505 km country comparison to the world: 49 narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 193,200 km country comparison to the world: 27 paved: 28,980 km

unpaved: 164,220 km (2004)

Waterways:

8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2008) country comparison to the world: 15

Merchant marine:

total: 68 country comparison to the world: 62 by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 12, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 46, specialized tanker 2

foreign-owned: 3 (Japan 1, South Africa 1, Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 11, Cook Islands 1, Georgia 1, Italy 1, Liberia 2, Panama 10, Poland 1, Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 1, unknown 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Military ::Nigeria

Military branches:

Nigerian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 31,929,204

females age 16-49: 30,638,979 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 19,763,535

females age 16-49: 18,850,650 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,697,030

female: 1,618,561 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 108

Transnational Issues ::Nigeria

Disputes - international:

Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 5,778 (Liberia)

IDPs: undetermined (communal violence between Christians and Muslims since President OBASANJO's election in 1999; displacement is mostly short-term) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Niue (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Niue

Background:

Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in 1966 to an estimated 1,398 in 2009) with substantial emigration to New Zealand 2,400 km to the southwest.

Geography ::Niue

Location:

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Geographic coordinates:

19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 260 sq km country comparison to the world: 212 land: 260 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

64 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain:

steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Natural resources:

fish, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 11.54%

permanent crops: 15.38%

other: 73.08% (2005)

Irrigated land:

Natural hazards:

typhoons

Environment - current issues:

increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note:

one of world's largest coral islands

People ::Niue

Population:

1,398 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 234

Age structure:

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.032% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 39% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

NA (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA (2008 est.)