Federal Republic of Nigeria, republic (2005 est. pop. 128,771,988), 356,667 sq mi (923,768 sq km), W Africa. It borders the Gulf of Guinea (an arm of the Atlantic Ocean) in the south, Benin in the west, Niger in the northwest and north, Chad in the northeast and Cameroon in the east.

Abuja is the capital of Nigeria and Lagos is the largest city. In addition to Abuja and Lagos, other major cities include Aba , Abeokuta , Benin , Enugu , Ibadan , Ife , Kaduna , Kano , Maiduguri, Onitsha , Oshogbo , Port Harcourt, and Zaria .

Government :

Nigeria is governed under the constitution of 1999, adopted after nearly 16 years of military rule,. The executive branch is headed by a President, who is popularly elected for a four-year term and is assisted by a cabinet. The bicameral legislature consists of a 360-seat house of representatives and a 109-seat senate; all legislators are elected for four-year terms. Parliament convened for the first time in Abuja in Aug., 1999. Despite some irregularities, the April 2003 elections marked the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's history. For administrative purposes, the country is divided into 36 states and a federal capital territory ABUJA.

Economy :

The economy of Nigeria historically was based on agriculture, and more than half of the workforce is still engaged in farming.
Today, Nigerian is largely a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement.

Petroleum is the leading mineral produced in Nigeria; it is found in the Niger delta, in the bights of Benin and Biafra, and on the Bakassi peninsula along the Cameroon-Nigeria border. Petroleum production on an appreciable scale began in the late 1950s, and by the early 1970s it was by far the leading earner of foreign exchange. Other minerals extracted include tin, limestone, columbite, coal, low-grade iron ore, and gold.

Industry in Nigeria includes the processing of agricultural goods and the manufacture of textiles, footware, soap, tobacco products, paper, cement, fertilizer, chemicals, and steel. Fishing and forestry are also important. In addition, traditional woven goods, pottery, metal objects, and carved wood and ivory are produced. Nigeria's road and rail systems are constructed basically along north-south lines; the country's chief seaports are Lagos, Warri , Port Harcourt, and Calabar.

Other important exports include cocoa, rubber, and palm products. The main imports are machinery, chemicals and refined petroleum products, motor vehicles, manufactured consumer goods, and food. The leading trade partners are Great Britain, the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, and France.