Nigeria is a country in West Africa, located on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. The official name of the country is the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
1. Nigeria borders four countries. These include Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
3. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. It is home to over 219 million people. The total area of the country is 923,768 sq. km, of which 910,000 sq. km falls on land and 13,000 sq. km on the water.
4. The flag of Nigeria consists of three vertical stripes of green, white and green again. It was developed in 1959 by Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, a student from Ibadan, a city in southwestern Nigeria. It was first used on October 1, 1960, Independence Day.
6. The symbolism of the elements from the coat of arms of Nigeria is as follows: the black shield refers to the fertile Nigerian soil, the silver figure in the shape of the letter “Y” to the two main rivers called Niger and Benue, the eagle represents strength, horses represent dignity the inhabitants of this country. The national flower of Nigeria, Costus spectabilis, grows on the lawn.
7. The coat of arms of Nigeria was approved by Queen Elizabeth II on May 20, 1960. Despite the political changes in the country, it remained unchanged, with the exception of the motto. Until 1978 it was “Peace, Unity, Freedom”.
8. The national anthem begins with the words “Arise, fellow countrymen, obey the call of Nigeria.” It was accepted in 1978. The words are a combination of the top five entries from the national competition. They were written by John A. Ilechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, B.A. Ogunnaike, Sotu Omoigui and P.O. Aderibigbe. The music was composed by Benedict Elide Odiase.
9. Abuja has been the capital of Nigeria since 1991. The city was built from scratch in the 1980s. Designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. It covers an area of 713 sq. km and is inhabited by more than 1.3 million people.
10. The largest and most populous city in Nigeria is Lagos, the former capital of the country. It covers an area of 999.6 sq. km. It is home to over 21 million people.
11. The official language is English. The population also speaks extremely numerous local dialects, the most common of which are Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and Ful.
13. More than 2,000 years ago, the Nok culture functioned on the territory of present-day Nigeria, producing iron, as well as terracotta sculptures. In subsequent centuries, various kingdoms experienced their heyday, such as Hausa, Ife, Oyo, Edo (Kingdom of Benin), which became famous, among other things, for their artistic products.
14. Europeans arrived here in the 17th century to establish trading posts in the coastal zone. First they traded in slaves, then in palm oil and timber.
15. At the end of the 19th century, the English associations united and bought all the trading posts in the lower Niger, and in 1885 they became the Royal Company of Niger. Britain took control of other areas as well. In 1900, the British government took control of the company, and in 1901 Nigeria became a British protectorate.
17. Religious, ethnic and regional tensions escalated in Nigeria during the 1960s, and political instability led to coup d’état and massacres.
On May 29, 1967, Lieutenant Colonel Emeka Ojukwu proclaimed the establishment of the Republic of Biafra in the eastern region of Nigeria. This eventually led to the start of a civil war. It ended in 1970, and the number of victims of the conflict is estimated at 2 million people.
18. The 1970s and 1980s were still a turbulent period for Nigeria when the military took over and held it for 16 years. Power returned to civilians in 1999.
20. The most important rivers, as already mentioned, are the Niger and the Benue. They divide the country into three parts. The Benue flows into the Niger near Abuja, and then the Niger flows into the delta into the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean.
21. The country is very diverse in terms of population – more than 430 ethnic groups live here. Among the most numerous are the Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulan, Ibibio, and Tiv peoples.
22. Among the dominant religions are Christianity with a predominance of Protestantism and Islam, especially in the Sunni faction. Traditional tribal religions are also present.
24. Russian citizens who want to enter Nigeria need a visa. It can be obtained from the diplomatic and consular missions of Niger. Vaccination against yellow fever is required.
25. The Nigerian film industry, tentatively known as Nollywood, is one of the largest producers of feature films in the world. These are low-budget productions with a short filming period and sloppy implementation, but the plot reflects the specifics of the African climate, and therefore finds its supporters among undemanding viewers. According to various estimates, the production ranges from 400 to even 2000 films per year.
27. The patron saint of Nigeria is St. Patrick. This is justified by the activities of the Irish missionaries in this country.
28. Nigerian endemics include the red-necked weaver (a species of small birds from the weaver family) and Neurolestes nigeriensis (a species of dragonflies).
29. Fela Anikulapo Kuti, considered the creator of the Afrobeat, hails from Nigeria. This genre is a mixture of African rhythms with the traditional music of the Nigerian Yoruba tribe, as well as funk and jazz.
