Nigeria

Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq miles).

Population: 127,100,000 (UN estimate 2004).

Population Density: 130.9 per sq km.

Capital: Abuja. Population: 403,000 (1999).

GEOGRAPHY: Nigeria has borders with Niger to the north, Chad (across Lake Chad) to the northeast, Cameroon to the east and Benin to the west. To the south, the Gulf of Guinea is indented by the Bight of Benin and the Bight of Biafra. The country’s topography and vegetation vary considerably. The coastal region is a low-lying area of lagoons, sandy beaches and mangrove swamps, which merges into an area of rainforest where palm trees grow to over 30m (100ft). From here, the landscape changes to savannah and open woodland, rising to the Central Jos Plateau at 1800m (6000ft). The northern part of the country is desert and semi-desert, marking the southern extent of the Sahara.

Government: Republic since 1963. Gained independence from the UK in 1960. Military regime from 1983-1999. Head of State and Government: President Matthew Olusegun Obasanjo since 1999.

Language: The official language is English. A variation of English (Pidgin English) is also spoken. The three main Nigerian languages are Yoruba, Ibo (also spelt Igbo) and Hausa; another 400 languages are also spoken in the country.

Religion: 50 per cent Muslim (mainly in the north and west of the country), 40 per cent Christian (mostly in the south) and 10 per cent traditional beliefs.

Time: GMT + 1.

Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz. Single phase.

Communications:

Telephone: Full IDD is available. Country code: 234. Outgoing international code: 009.

Mobile telephone: GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Network operators include Globacom (www.gloworld.com), MTN Nigeria (www.mtnonline.com), Nigerian Mobile Telecommunications Limited and Vee Networks Nigeria Limited.

Internet: Internet and e-mail services are available in Internet cafes in Lagos. ISPs include Microcom Systems Ltd (website: www.micro.com.ng).

Fax: Available in large hotels.

Telegram: International telegraph services are operated by Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) in all large cities.

Post: Airmail to Europe is unreliable and takes up to three weeks. Delivery may be more reliable through international couriers who are represented in major towns.

Press: English-language newspapers include the Daily Sketch, the Daily Times, the Guardian, the National Concord, New Nigerian, the Nigerian Tribune, the Post Express, This Day and the Vanguard.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.