Nigeria


Federal Republic of Nigeria
Capital: Abuja Nationality: Nigerian Population: 152,217,341
Currency: Naira Off. Lang: English Area: 923,768 sq km
Internet DM: ng GDP: $216.8 bil. Life Exp: 47.24 yr.
Literacy: 68% Location: 10 00 N 8 00 E Calling Code: 234

Nigeria (naɪˈdʒɪərɪə) is a west African country bordered by Niger to the north, Benin to the west, Cameroon, Chad to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, with a location of 10 00 N, 8 00 E. Abuja is the capital. English is the official language.










Population


The population is 152,217,341, with an average life expectancy of 47.24 years. Nigeria is 50% Muslim, 40% Christian, and 10% traditional beliefs. The population is 17.5% Yoruba, 17.2% Hausa, 13.3% Igbo (Ibo), 10.7% Fulani, 4.1% Ibibio,3.6%  Kanuri, 2.9% Egba, 2.6% Tiv, 1.1% Igbirra (Ebira) , 1% Nupe, 1% Edo , 0.8% Ijo, 0.9% non ethnic, and 23.3% other. The literacy rate is 75.7% male and 60.6% female.

Indexes


 Index  Value
 Mo Ibrahim Governance Index  45.8(2014)
 Corruption Perception Index  27(2014)
 Ease of Doing Business  170 (2014)
 Human Development Index  .504(2014)
 World Press Freedom  34.09(2015)

History


Nigeria was the site of one of Africa's earliest civilization, the Nok civilization, around 1,000 B.C. The civilization smelted iron and was known for its life-like terracotta. The civlization vanished around 200 A.D. Many believe Ife, settled around 1000 A.D., and other Nigerian forest states were continuation of the Nok civilization, as reflected in Ife art. Ife would emerge as the center of Yoruba culture and numerous states and empires would claim descent-- Oyo, Benin, Ketu, Sabe, and Owu. The latter are known for surrounding their cities with giant mud  walls and famous of those the Benin Walls, the largest man-made structure in the world and Sungbo's Eredo, the second largest man-made structure in Africa.    

In the grassland Sahelian area, in northern Nigeria we see the rise of states and empires. Most important of those states and empires were the Hausa Kingdoms, Kanem-Bornu, Nupe, and Jukun.  The latter states connected the forest kingdoms with North Africa in the trans-Saharan trade. Later, a Fulani/Hausa empire would arise based in Sokoto and dominate northern Nigeria, called the Sokoto Caliphate. 

In the delta region, we had Igbo-Ukwo, where the art of bronze casting was being practice at around 900 A.D. and the development of the Igbo kingdom of Nri. Numerous city states developed in the Delta to exploit trade with Europeans and formed ekpe, trading associations.

Economy


Nigerian Stock Exchange(NSE, http://www.nse.com.ng) 


Nigerian Stock Exchange(NSE, http://www.nse.com.ng) is the stock market of Nigeria, with a listing of 196 companies as of June 5, 2013, and 200 listed equities and 258 listed securities. Between 2001 to 2009, the market experience a growth rate of 10.03%. This growth was fueled by the banking sector.  In 2011, the stock market had a market capitalization of US$39.27 billion.

The Nigerian stock market was founded in 1960. It is regulated by the Securities Exchange Commission of Nigeria. Transactions are electronic and automatic using the Clearing, Settlement and Delivery (CSD) service, run by the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc., an affiliate company of NSE.

Cuisine


Nigeria's cuisine is very diverse as is her population. If one wants a quick snack one can grab the breaded snack chin chin on the streets. Standard west African cuisine fufu , towi corn dish, and soups like kuka. Popular alcoholic beverages are sorghum and millet base from northern Nigeria pito and burukutu. Palm wine is popular. A gin distilled from palm wine, popular in the Niger Delta and goes by several names is ogogoro, kai kai , akpuru-achia , or Sapele Water. Purchase these drinks only in established restaurants and retail establishments. 



Works Cited


Hooker, Ryan. How to Invest in Nigeria Stock Exchange. investinginafrica.net retrieved 2-June-2013