About Nigeria

Location: The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast lies on the Gulf of Guinea, a part of the Atlantic Ocean, in the south. The red area is Imo State. This is where I will be working in Nigeria. The village of Owerri is the capital of Imo State. Imo State is named after the Imo River.

Capital: Abuja

Largest City: Lagos

Official Language: English

Recognized Regional Languages: Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba. The local language in Imo State is Igbo.

Nigerian Government: Presidential Federal Republic

President: Umaru Yar'Adua

Republic Declared: October 1, 1963

Population Estimate: 148,000,000 - Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the 8th most populous country in the world.

Currency: Nigerian Naira

National Symbols of Nigeria:
Flag: Bicolour (green and white)
Emblem: Coat of Arms of Nigeria

Anthem: Arise, O Compatriats
Animal: Eagle
Bird: Black Crowned Crane
Flower: Costus Spectabilis

Sport: Football (soccer!)

Nigeria's Coat Of Arms

Health Care In Nigeria:

Health, health care, and general living conditions in Nigeria are poor. Life expectancy is 47 years (average male/female) and just over half the population has access to potable water and appropriate sanitation; the percentage is of children under five has gone up rather than down between 1990 and 2003 and infant mortality is 97.1 deaths per 1000 live births. HIV/AIDS rate in Nigeria is much lower compared to the other African nations such as Kenya or South Africa whose prevalence (percentage) rates are in the double digits. Nigeria, like many developing countries, also suffers from a polio crisis as well as periodic outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and sleeping sickness. As of 2004, there has been a vaccination drive, spearheaded by the World Health Organization, to combat polio and malaria that has been met with controversy in some regions.