Nigeria, formally known as the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a nation situated in western Africa. It is a federal constitutional republic consisting of its federal capital area and 36 other states. The country is bordered in the west, by the Republic of Benn, in the east by Cameroon and Chad, in the north by Niger. The Gulf of Guinea situated on the Indian Ocean borders the southern side of the country. Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba are the three most powerful groups is Nigeria. The Muslims as well as the Christians, each form fifty percent of the population, with a minor percentage of people practicing traditional religion.

Archeological proofs reveal that there were traces of human existence in Nigeria some 9000 BCE ago. The region surrounding the Cross River and Benue were considered to be the initial residence for the Bantu refugees. The migrants occupied a major portion of Africa’s southern and central region in between the 1st millennium and 2nd millennium.
The country derived its name “Nigeria” from the Niger River, which crisscrosses its area. Nigeria occupies the top slot as the most densely populated country in Africa and the seventh position as the most thickly populated nation in the earth. It is a constituent of the Common wealth of Nations and also finds a place in the “Next Eleven economies”.

Capital: Abuja

Independence: Gained Independence on 1st October 1960, declared as Republic on 1st October 1963.

Language: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo recognized as national languages.

Religion: Christians (50.8%), Muslims (50.4%), other religions (1.4%)

Currency: Naira (₦) (NGN)

Time zone: WAT (UTC+1)

History

In the central portion of Nigeria, the Nok people manufactured the initial terracotta sculptures. The cities of Kano and katsina have a history recorded, some 999 years ago. In the west and North Africa, the kingdoms of Kanem-Bornu and Hausa flourished as trading posts.

In the twelfth and the fourteenth centuries, the Ife and Oyo Yoruba kingdoms became very famous. The bronze and terracotta porcelain were created by the Ife. Oyo stretched from the western part of Nigeria to the Togo.

The explorers from Portugal and Spain were the initial Europens to start trade with Nigeria Calabar and Lagos ports. The Europeans were involved in the lucrative Slave trade. The Royal Niger Company, a mercantile company belonging to the British Government was licensed to have trade in Nigeria in 1886. After a few years in 1900, the territories of the company came under the influence of the British Monarchy. It had control over the areas, now called as present day Nigeria. In the year 1901, Nigeria formed part of the British monarchy was recognized as a British protectorate.

The areas of Nigeria were officially combined as Protectorate and colony of Nigeria in the year 1914. For Administrative purposes, Nigeria was segregated into the Lagos colony, the southern and Northern provinces.

Subsequent to the Second World War, in reaction to the Nationalism growth in Nigeria, the claim for Independence gained momentum. The British Government legislate consecutive constitutions, made Nigeria to have a self government on the basis of representative and rising federal structure. However in the middle of the 20th century, the enormous wave for Independence got intense and spread all over Africa and Nigeria finally got Independence on October 1, 1960.