 Where In The World?
Where in the World is Nigeria?
It's time to get out your globe! You need to know about the imaginary lines on globes and maps. These lines are called lines of latitude and longitude, and they tell a pilot or ship's captain exactly where in the world a certain place is located. Basically, latitude lines (also called parallels) are the horizontal lines on your map. Lines of longitude (also called meridians) are the vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole. This mapping system is written in degrees and uses the symbol . Get ready to travel the world!
Find longitude 8 E and latitude 10 N, and you will find the country of Nigeria. This country is located on the continent of Africa. It is in western Africa, between Benin and Cameroon, bordering the Gulf of Guinea (part of the Atlantic Ocean). To the north it is bordered by Niger. The country of Chad borders the northeast tip of Nigeria.
Nigeria is about twice the size of the US state of California. It has more people than any other country in Africa. Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups, and hundreds of different languages are spoken there. English is the official language.
The type of government in Nigeria is a federal republic. This is the same type of government that we have in the United States. It means that the power of the central government is restricted. It is ultimately controlled by the voters, who elect leaders to represent them. Individual states or provinces can have some self-government, like laws that may differ from another state. In the U.S., our government is based on the constitution. After 16 years of rule by the military, Nigeria adopted a new constitution in 1999 and created a civilian government. October 1 is celebrated as Independence Day or National Day for Nigeria. They gained independence from Great Britain in 1960.
Nigeria has many natural resources and is rich in oil. However, it also has many problems because the resources were not managed well in the past. Most people in Nigeria live in a rural setting, but the cities in the south have more cultural opportunities, such as movie theatres and restaurants. In parts of northern Nigeria, strict Muslim laws were introduced in 1999. These laws segregate (keep separate) men and women in public places.
Sources: The World Factbook prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency; Britannica Student Encyclopedia, Encyclopdia Britannica Online.
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