1. Nigeria, officially known as the Federal Republic of Nigeria obtained it's independence on 1st October 1960.

2. This West African country is the seventh most populous country in the world and is home to diverse ethnicities and languages. Nigeria is situated in the West African region and lies between longitudes 3 degrees and 14 degrees and latitudes 4 degrees and 14 degrees. It has a land mass of 923,768 sq.km. It is bordered to the north by the Republics of Niger and Chad; it shares borders to the west with the Republic of Benin, while the Republic of Cameroon shares the eastern borders right down to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the southern limits of Nigerian Territory. The 800 km of coastline confers on the country the potentials of a maritime power. Land is in abundance in Nigeria for agricultural, industrial and commercial activities.

3. Dame Flora Louise Shaw (wife of Lord Lugard)  writing in the Times magazine in 1897 coined the term Nigeria for territories under the Royal Niger Company. 

4. The three major ethnic groups in Nigeria are Hausa,  Yoruba,  Igbo.Other notable ethnic groups are; Kanuri,  Ijaw,  Ibibio, Tiv.

5. Nigeria is a federal republic with 36 states and operates a democratic system of government. The federal government of Nigeria is composed of three distinct branches: legislative,  executive,  judiciary  whose powers are vested by the Constitution of Nigeria in the National Assembly, the President, and the federal courts, including the Supreme Court, respectively.

6. Over 520 languages are spoken in Nigeria, though English is the official language of the country. Bauchi and Adamawa are the most linguistically diverse states.

7. Nigeria's vegetation is broadly divided into three types: Forests,  Savannahs, Montane vegetation. The Forest vegetation include: Mangrove swamp,  Freshwater swamp or Tropical evergreen. Savannah vegetation consists of Sudan,  Guinea and Sahel Savannah. Montane vegetation characterized by plateaus and highland is found along the Nigeria-Cameroun border. 

8. Nigeria's highest point is the Chappal Waddi standing at 2,419 meters. It is also the second highest point in Sub-Saharan West Africa after Mount Cameroun. It is located in Taraba state near it's border with Cameroon in the Gashaka Gumti National Park. 

9. Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa and is the 24th largest economy in the world. 

10. Nigeria is blessed with biodiversity. Although that trend is fast changing because of deforestation,  poaching and activities harmful to the environment

Fun fact: Nigeria does not have the largest species of butterflies (that trophy goes to Peru) although a wide array of species exists in Cross River state. 1,828 have been identified so far. Neurellipes rhoko was identified as a new species in 2014 in Nigeria. 

Isn't this a wonderful country?  Like and comment, if you love Nigeria. 

If you want to know more about Nigeria. Join me tomorrow for the Second edition of All about Nigeria.