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		  <div class="titlu"><a name="General Information" ></a>General Information </div>
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            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="20%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Introduction</td>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="80%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Nigeria</td>
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            <div align="right">Background:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">British influence and control over what would become Nigeria grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960. Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The government continues to face the daunting task of reforming a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, Nigeria continues to experience longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Although both the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were marred by significant irregularities and violence, Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence. The general elections of April 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history. </td>
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            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="20%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Geography</td>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="80%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Nigeria</td>
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            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Location:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Geographic coordinates:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">10 00 N, 8 00 E </td>
        </tr>
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            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Map references:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Africa </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Area:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total:</i> 923,768 sq km <br/>
            <i>land:</i> 910,768 sq km <br/>
            <i>water:</i> 13,000 sq km </td>
        </tr>
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            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Area - comparative:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">slightly more than twice the size of California </td>
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            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Land boundaries:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total:</i> 4,047 km <br/>
            <i>border countries:</i> Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Coastline:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">853 km </td>
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            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Maritime claims:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>territorial sea:</i> 12 nm <br/>
            <i>exclusive economic zone:</i> 200 nm <br/>
            <i>continental shelf:</i> 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation </td>
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            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Climate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north </td>
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        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Terrain:</div>
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            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Elevation extremes:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>lowest point:</i> Atlantic Ocean 0 m <br/>
            <i>highest point:</i> Chappal Waddi 2,419 m </td>
        </tr>
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            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Natural resources:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land </td>
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            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Land use:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>arable land:</i> 33.02% <br/>
            <i>permanent crops:</i> 3.14% <br/>
            <i>other:</i> 63.84% (2005) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Irrigated land:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">2,820 sq km (2003) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Total renewable water resources:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">286.2 cu km (2003) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total:</i> 8.01 cu km/yr (21%/10%/69%) <br/>
            <i>per capita:</i> 61 cu m/yr (2000) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Natural hazards:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">periodic droughts; flooding </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Environment - current issues:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Environment - international agreements:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>party to:</i> Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands <br/>
            <i>signed, but not ratified:</i> none of the selected agreements </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Geography - note:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea </td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
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            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="20%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">People</td>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="80%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Nigeria</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6" width="90%" align="center" border="0">
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Population:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">135,031,164 <br/>
            <i>note:</i> estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Age structure:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>0-14 years:</i> 42.2% (male 28,726,380/female 28,301,729) <br/>
            <i>15-64 years:</i> 54.7% (male 37,543,678/female 36,277,038) <br/>
            <i>65 years and over:</i> 3.1% (male 1,987,521/female 2,194,818) (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Median age:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total:</i> 18.7 years <br/>
            <i>male:</i> 18.8 years <br/>
            <i>female:</i> 18.6 years (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Population growth rate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">2.379% (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Birth rate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">40.2 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Death rate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">16.68 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Net migration rate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Sex ratio:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>at birth:</i> 1.03 male(s)/female <br/>
            <i>under 15 years:</i> 1.015 male(s)/female <br/>
            <i>15-64 years:</i> 1.035 male(s)/female <br/>
            <i>65 years and over:</i> 0.906 male(s)/female <br/>
            <i>total population:</i> 1.022 male(s)/female (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Infant mortality rate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total:</i> 95.52 deaths/1,000 live births <br/>
            <i>male:</i> 102.44 deaths/1,000 live births <br/>
            <i>female:</i> 88.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Life expectancy at birth:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total population:</i> 47.44 years <br/>
            <i>male:</i> 46.83 years <br/>
            <i>female:</i> 48.07 years (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Total fertility rate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">5.45 children born/woman (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">5.4% (2003 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">3.6 million (2003 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">HIV/AIDS - deaths:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">310,000 (2003 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Major infectious diseases:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>degree of risk:</i> very high <br/>
            <i>food or waterborne diseases:</i> bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever <br/>
            <i>vectorborne disease:</i> malaria and yellow fever <br/>
            <i>respiratory disease:</i> meningococcal meningitis <br/>
            <i>aerosolized dust or soil contact disease:</i> one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever <br/>
            <i>water contact disease:</i> leptospirosis and shistosomiasis <br/>
            <i>note:</i> highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Nationality:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>noun:</i> Nigerian(s) <br/>
            <i>adjective:</i> Nigerian </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Ethnic groups:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5% </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Religions:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10% </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Languages:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Literacy:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>definition:</i> age 15 and over can read and write <br/>
            <i>total population:</i> 68% <br/>
            <i>male:</i> 75.7% <br/>
            <i>female:</i> 60.6% (2003 est.) </td>
        </tr>
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            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="20%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Government</td>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="80%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Nigeria</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6" width="90%" align="center" border="0">
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Country name:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>conventional long form:</i> Federal Republic of Nigeria <br/>
            <i>conventional short form:</i> Nigeria </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Government type:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">federal republic </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Capital:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>name:</i> Abuja <br/>
            <i>geographic coordinates:</i> 9 12 N, 7 11 E <br/>
            <i>time difference:</i> UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Administrative divisions:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Independence:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">1 October 1960 (from UK) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">National holiday:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Constitution:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">new constitution adopted 5 May 1999; effective 29 May 1999 </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Legal system:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">based on English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Suffrage:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">18 years of age; universal </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Executive branch:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>chief of state:</i> President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government <br/>
            <i>head of government:</i> President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007) <br/>
            <i>cabinet:</i> Federal Executive Council <br/>
            <i>elections:</i> president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011) <br/>
            <i>election results:</i> Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA elected president; percent of vote - official results not yet posted as of September 2007 </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Legislative branch:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (109 seats, 3 from each state plus 1 from Abuja; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) <br/>
            <i>elections:</i> Senate - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011); House of Representatives - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011) <br/>
            <i>election results:</i> Senate - percent of vote by party - official results not yet posted as of May 2007; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - official results not yet posted as of May 2007 </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Judicial branch:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Political parties and leaders:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Accord Party [Ikra Aliyu BILBIS]; Action Congress or AC [Hassan ZUMI]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Mojisoluwa AKINFENWA]; All Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Edwin UME-EZEOKE]; All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Victor C. UMEH]; Democratic People's Party or DPP [Jeremiah USENI]; Fresh Democratic Party [Chris OKOTIE]; Labor Party [Dan NWANYANWU]; Movement for the Restoration and Defense of Democracy or MRDD [Mohammed Gambo JIMETA]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [vacant]; Peoples Progressive Alliance [Clement EBRI]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [Mallam Selah JAMBO] </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Political pressure groups and leaders:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">NA </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">International organization participation:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Diplomatic representation in the US:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>chief of mission:</i> Ambassador Oluwole ROTIMI <br/>
            <i>chancery:</i> 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 <br/>
            <i>telephone:</i> [1] (202) 986-8400 <br/>
            <i>FAX:</i> [1] (202) 775-1385 <br/>
            <i>consulate(s) general:</i> Atlanta, New York </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Diplomatic representation from the US:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>chief of mission:</i> Ambassador Robin SANDERS <br/>
            <i>embassy:</i> 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Abuja <br/>
            <i>mailing address:</i> P. O. Box 5760, Garki, Abuja <br/>
            <i>telephone:</i> [234] (9) 461-4000 <br/>
            <i>FAX:</i> [234] (9) 461-4036/4273 </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Flag description:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green </td>
        </tr>
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            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="20%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Economy</td>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="80%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Nigeria</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
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    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Economy - overview:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, is undertaking some reforms under a new reform-minded administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 80% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and the country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In the last year the government has begun showing the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003, the government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt - relief deal that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in payments - a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37 billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to stringent IMF reviews. GDP rose strongly in 2007, based largely on increased oil exports and high global crude prices. Newly-elected President YAR'ADUA has pledged to continue the economic reforms of his successor and the proposed budget for 2008 reflects the administrations emphasis on infrastructure improvements. Infrastructure is the main impediment to growth. The government is working toward developing stronger public-private partnerships for electricity and roads. </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">GDP (purchasing power parity):</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$294.8 billion (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">GDP (official exchange rate):</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$126.7 billion (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">GDP - real growth rate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">6.1% (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">GDP - per capita (PPP):</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$2,200 (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">GDP - composition by sector:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>agriculture:</i> 17.6% <br/>
            <i>industry:</i> 53.1% <br/>
            <i>services:</i> 29.3% (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Labor force:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">50.13 million (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Labor force - by occupation:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>agriculture:</i> 70% <br/>
            <i>industry:</i> 10% <br/>
            <i>services:</i> 20% (1999 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Unemployment rate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">5.8% (2006 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Population below poverty line:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">60% (2000 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Household income or consumption by percentage share:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>lowest 10%:</i> 1.9% <br/>
            <i>highest 10%:</i> 33.2% (2003) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Distribution of family income - Gini index:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">43.7 (2003) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Inflation rate (consumer prices):</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">6.5% (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Investment (gross fixed):</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">24.3% of GDP (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Budget:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>revenues:</i> $20.5 billion <br/>
            <i>expenditures:</i> $21.82 billion (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Public debt:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">14.8% of GDP (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Agriculture - products:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Industries:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel, small commercial ship construction and repair </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Industrial production growth rate:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">3.1% (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Electricity - production:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">22.53 billion kWh (2005) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Electricity - production by source:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>fossil fuel:</i> 61.9% <br/>
            <i>hydro:</i> 38.1% <br/>
            <i>nuclear:</i> 0% <br/>
            <i>other:</i> 0% (2001) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Electricity - consumption:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">16.88 billion kWh (2005) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Electricity - exports:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">0 kWh (2005) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Electricity - imports:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">0 kWh (2005) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Oil - production:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">2.63 million bbl/day (2005 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Oil - consumption:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">300,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Oil - exports:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">2.203 million bbl/day (2004) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Oil - imports:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">167,900 bbl/day (2004) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Oil - proved reserves:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">35.88 billion bbl (1 January 2006 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Natural gas - production:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">21.48 billion cu m (2005 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Natural gas - consumption:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">9.936 billion cu m (2005 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Natural gas - exports:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">11.55 billion cu m (2005 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Natural gas - imports:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">0 cu m (2005) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Natural gas - proved reserves:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">5.015 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Current account balance:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$14.61 billion (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Exports:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$61.81 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Exports - commodities:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Exports - partners:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">US 48.9%, Spain 8%, Brazil 7.3%, France 4.2% (2006) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Imports:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$30.35 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Imports - commodities:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Imports - partners:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">China 10.7%, US 8.3%, Netherlands 6.2%, UK 5.8%, France 5.6%, Brazil 5.1%, Germany 4.6% (2006) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Economic aid - recipient:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$6.437 billion (2005) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$50.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Debt - external:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$5.815 billion (31 December 2007 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$31.66 billion (2006 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$12.44 billion (2006 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Market value of publicly traded shares:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">$32.82 billion (2006) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Currency (code):</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">naira (NGN) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Currency code:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">NGN </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Exchange rates:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">nairas per US dollar - 127.46 (2007), 127.38 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89 (2004), 129.22 (2003) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Fiscal year:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">calendar year </td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
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    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="20%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Communications</td>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="80%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Nigeria</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6" width="90%" align="center" border="0">
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Telephones - main lines in use:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">1.688 million (2006) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Telephones - mobile cellular:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">32.322 million (2006) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Telephone system:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>general assessment:</i> further expansion and modernization of the fixed-line telephone network is needed <br/>
            <i>domestic:</i> the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002 resulted in faster growth of this service with fixed-line subscribership nearly tripling over the past five years; wireless telephony has grown rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple service providers operate nationally; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity reached 25 per 100 persons in 2006 <br/>
            <i>international:</i> country code - 234; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Radio broadcast stations:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Radios:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">23.5 million (1997) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Television broadcast stations:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2001) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Televisions:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">6.9 million (1997) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Internet country code:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">.ng </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Internet hosts:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">1,968 (2007) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Internet Service Providers (ISPs):</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">11 (2000) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Internet users:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">8 million (2006) </td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
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    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="20%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Transportation</td>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="80%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Nigeria</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
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    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Airports:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">70 (2007) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Airports - with paved runways:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total:</i> 36 <br/>
            <i>over 3,047 m:</i> 6 <br/>
            <i>2,438 to 3,047 m:</i> 12 <br/>
            <i>1,524 to 2,437 m:</i> 10 <br/>
            <i>914 to 1,523 m:</i> 6 <br/>
            <i>under 914 m:</i> 2 (2007) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Airports - with unpaved runways:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total:</i> 34 <br/>
            <i>1,524 to 2,437 m:</i> 1 <br/>
            <i>914 to 1,523 m:</i> 14 <br/>
            <i>under 914 m:</i> 19 (2007) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Heliports:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">2 (2007) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Pipelines:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">condensate 124 km; gas 3,071 km; liquid petroleum gas 156 km; oil 4,347 km; refined products 3,949 km (2007) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Railways:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total:</i> 3,505 km <br/>
            <i>narrow gauge:</i> 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2006) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Roadways:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total:</i> 194,394 km <br/>
            <i>paved:</i> 60,068 km <br/>
            <i>unpaved:</i> 134,326 km (1999) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Waterways:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2007) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Merchant marine:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>total:</i> 55 ships (1000 GRT or over) 284,400 GRT/483,316 DWT <br/>
            <i>by type:</i> cargo 5, chemical tanker 8, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 37, specialized tanker 2 <br/>
            <i>foreign-owned:</i> 3 (Norway 1, Singapore 1, Spain 1) <br/>
            <i>registered in other countries:</i> 23 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 11, Cambodia 2, Panama 6, Poland 1, Seychelles 1, unknown 2) (2007) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Ports and terminals:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos </td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
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            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="20%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Military</td>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="80%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Nigeria</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6" width="90%" align="center" border="0">
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Military branches:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Nigerian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (2007) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Military service age and obligation:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Manpower available for military service:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>males age 18-49:</i> 26,802,678 <br/>
            <i>females age 18-49:</i> 25,668,446 (2005 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Manpower fit for military service:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>males age 18-49:</i> 15,052,914 <br/>
            <i>females age 18-49:</i> 13,860,806 (2005 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Manpower reaching military service age annually:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>males age 18-49:</i> 1,353,180 <br/>
            <i>females age 18-49:</i> 1,329,267 (2005 est.) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Military expenditures - percent of GDP:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">1.5% (2006) </td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
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            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="20%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Transnational Issues</td>
            <td class="SectionHeadingPrint" valign="middle" align="left" width="80%" bgcolor="#cccccc" height="31">Nigeria</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6" width="90%" align="center" border="0">
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Disputes - international:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Refugees and internally displaced persons:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>refugees (country of origin):</i> 6,051 (Liberia) <br/>
            <i>IDPs:</i> undetermined (communal violence between Christians and Muslims since President OBASANJO's election in 1999; displacement is mostly short-term) (2006) </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="FieldLabel" valign="top" width="20%">
            <div align="right">Illicit drugs:</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="80%" bgcolor="#ffffff">a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table></div>

		  <div class="titlu"><a name="History" ></a>History</div>
		  <div class="text"><div class="bannerstangacontinut"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</script></div>History of Nigeria<br/>
<br/>
Nigeria has had a unique history. More than 2,000 years ago, the Nok people were producing sculptures. In Kano and Katsina, recorded history dates back to around 1000. Hausa kingdoms and the Kanem-Bornu Empire prospered as trade posts between North and West Africa. The Yoruba kingdoms of If&#7865; and &#7884;y&#7885; were founded about 700-900 and 1400 respectively. The If&#7865; produced the terra cotta and bronze heads, the &#7884;y&#7885; extended as far as modern Togo. The Kingdom of Benin developed an efficient and renowned army. The Benin (Edos)are related to the Yoruba by history. The southeast produced the Onitsha, Nri, and Arochukwu kingdoms. The Nri kingdom reigned before slavery with Divine priests and powerful Ezenri. A prominent town they controlled was Igbo Ukwu which was home to Bronze figures and was a burial site for Kings. Other kingdoms also flourished, like the Calabar, Opobo, Bonny, Brass, Elem kalabari and others which were controlled by the Ijaw, Efik, Igbo, and Ibibio. <br/>
<br/>
Beginning in the 17th century Europeans established ports for slave trafficking. In the early 19th century the Fulani leader Usman dan Fodio united most areas in the north under the control of an Islamic Fulani Empire centered in Sokoto. <br/>
<br/>
The 17th century brought Portuguese traders to what is now the Lagos area. However, it was the British in the 19th century that established permanent settlement and control over the region. In 1901, Nigeria was made a British protectorate and remained under the control of Britain until its independence in 1960. Nnamdi Azikiwe held the office of Governor-General in 1960, and with the independence of the republic in 1963, he became the first President of Nigeria. <br/>
<br/>
Ethnic and religious tensions following independence led to the Nigerian Civil War and the start of intermit democractic and military rule that did not end until 1999, when the democratic republic was permanently re-established with the election of Olusegun Obasanjo as its current president. Recently, supporters of Obasanjo had tried and failed to extend term limits following rejection by the national assembly. New elections are set for 2007. <br/>
<br/>
With its economy and infrastructure devasted by years of military rule, corruption, and mismanagement, Nigeria is now reforming and rebuilding itself to be a modern, prosperous nation. It is taking advantage of its position as sub-saharan Africa's most populous country to push for a more prominent role in African and international politics. Such examples are its chairmanship of ECOWAS and the deployment of peace keeping troops to Liberia and Sierra Leone, and the African Union with troop deployments to the Sudan. Nigeria is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. <br/>
<br/>
Despite these positive developments, problems abound in Nigeria such as endemic corruption and crime such as the 419 scams; ethnic and religious strife, particularly between Christians and Muslims in the northern half of the country, and insurgents in the oil-rich Niger Delta. The Niger Delta conflict is hampering Nigeria's oil production capabilities and is even affecting international oil prices. <br/>
<br/></div>

		  <div class="titlu"><a name="Culture" ></a>Culture</div>
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</script></div>Culture of Nigeria<br/>
<br/>
Nigeria has over 250 different languages and cultures. The three largest are the Hausa-Fulani who are predominant in the north, the Igbo who are predominant in the southeast, and the Yoruba who are predominant in the southwest. The rest of Nigeria's ethnic groups (sometimes called &quot;micro-minorities&quot;) are found all over the country but especially in the densely populated south. The Hausa tend to be Muslim and the Ibo, Christian. Practitioners of both Christianity and Islam are found among the Yoruba. Indigenous religious practices remain important, especially in the south, and are often blended with Christian beliefs. <br/>
<br/>
Nigeria is famous for its English literature and its popular music. Since the 1990s the Nigerian movie industry, sometimes called &quot;Nollywood&quot; has emerged as a fast-growing cultural force all over the continent. <br/>
<br/>
Literature <br/>
Nigeria has a rich literary history, both prior to British imperialism and after, as Nigerians have authored several monumental works of post-colonial literature in the English language. The first African Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka is Nigeria's most well known writer and playwright. Other Nigerian writers and poets that are well known on the international stage are Chinua Achebe, John Pepper Clark, Ben Okri, and Ken Saro Wiwa who was executed in 1995 by the military regime. <br/>
<br/>
Nigeria has the largest newspaper market in Africa with an estimated circulation of atleast 3.3 million copies daily in 2003. <br/>
<br/>
Entertainment in Nigeria<br/>
Nigerian music includes many kinds of folk and popular music, some of which are known worldwide. Styles of folk music are related to the multitudes of ethnic groups in the country, each with their own techniques, instruments and songs. As a result, there are many different types of music that come from Nigeria. Many late 20th century musicians such as Fela Kuti have famously fused cultural elements of various tribal music with American Jazz and Soul to form Afrobeat music. JuJu music which is percussion music fused with traditional music from the Yoruba tribe and made famous by King Sunny Ade, is also from Nigeria. There is also a budding hip hop movement. World famous musicians that come from Nigeria Fela Kuti,Femi Kuti,King Sunny Ade,Ebenezer Obey. Nigeria has been called &quot;the heart of African music&quot; because of its role in the development of West African highlife and palm-wine music, which fuses native rhythms with techniques imported from the Congo, Brazil, Cuba and elsewhere. <br/>
<br/>
The Nigerian Film Industry also known as Nollywood is famous throughout Africa. Many of the film studios are based in Lagos and Abuja and the industry is now a very lucrative income for these cities. As apposed cinemas the industry relies heavily on selling VCD's or what are often known as home movies. The movies are normally based around domestic issues though some have ventured further, this has led to some commentators branding the strory lines as being trite. <br/>
<br/></div>
		   <div class="text">Last update on 13 March 2008</div>

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