Nigeria is the largest country in Africa in terms of population. It is located in the western part of the continent, on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. There is a lot of oil in its depths: Nigeria is the tenth largest producer in the world.
1. African giant
Nigeria stands apart from other countries of the "Black Continent". It is inhabited by over 170 million people. Every seventh African is Nigerian. Nigeria is called the African giant not only because of the number of inhabitants, but also for a number of other advantages over its neighbors. So, it is located on the Atlantic coast, has large reserves of oil and gas, which makes its consumption market one of the most developed on the African continent.
Not so long ago, Nigeria overtook South Africa in terms of GDP. Every day, thousands of merchants and buyers from all over Africa flock to the seaports of Nigeria to sell and buy a variety of products, the assortment of which will impress even the sophisticated shopaholic.
2. River abundance
In the very center of Nigeria, there is a large plateau from which numerous rivers flow down. They flow into the country's two main rivers: the Niger and its largest left tributary, the Benue. The Niger is the third longest river in Africa after the Congo and the Nile. Its length is 4185 m. Niger originates in the mountains surrounding Sierra Leone and Guinea, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The Niger Delta is swampy, the river is fed by the waters of monsoon rains.
3. Center for the slave trade
The west coast of Nigeria was once the site of the slave trade - it was there that rich Western countries bought slaves. The Portuguese were the first to penetrate this state in 1472, and then the territory was captured by Britain.
4. Ancient states
On the territory of Nigeria, large states were formed early, for example, pre-colonial Kanem-Borno, near Lake Chad, or the kingdoms of Oyo and Benin, which were in the rainforest. The city-states of Kano, Zaria and Katsina were located in the north of the country.
In the south, forests were cut down and cities were built in their place, which is not typical for Africa. It was here that crafts and arts were developed. Since the 13th century, southern Nigeria has been famous for its ivory, wood and bronze sculptures.
5. Sad modern times
The population in Nigeria is predominantly rural. There are also very large cities, such as Lagos. It is home to about 10 million people. There are 250 nationalities in the country. The Nigerians who own the oil fields are very wealthy. And on the outskirts of big cities, more and more terrible slums have appeared recently. The number of the unemployed and the poor is constantly growing, and the spread of AIDS, crime, and inflation are breaking all records.
In Nigeria, military coups regularly take place, which hinders the establishment of a democratic order. Tensions are growing between Muslims and Christians. Foreign investors are trying to bypass Nigeria.
