Nigeria

Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It is the most populous country in Africa; Geographically located in the Atlantic Ocean between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea to the south; It covers an area of ​​923,769 square kilometers (356,669 sq mi) with a population of over 211 million. Nigeria borders Niger to the north, Chad to the northeast, Cameroon to the east and Benin to the west. Nigeria is a federal republic made up of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory with Abuja's capital. Nigeria's largest city is Lagos, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and the second largest city in Africa.

Nigeria has been home to many indigenous pre-colonial states and kingdoms since the 2nd millennium BC, and the Nok civilization in the 15th century BC marks the first internal unification in the country. The modern state emerged with British colonialism in the 19th century and took its present territorial form in 1914 with the merging of the Southern Nigerian Protectorate and the Northern Nigerian Protectorate by Lord Lugard. The British established administrative and legal structures while exercising indirect rule through traditional chiefdoms. Nigeria officially became an independent federation on 1 October 1960. It suffered a civil war from 1967 to 1970, followed by a series of democratically elected civilian governments and military dictatorships until stable democracy was achieved in the 1999 presidential election; The 2015 election marked the first time an incumbent president lost re-election.

Nigeria is a multinational state inhabited by more than 250 ethnic groups speaking 500 different languages, all identified with a wide variety of cultures. The three largest ethnic groups are Hausa-Fulani in the north, Yoruba in the west and Igbo in the east, making up more than 60% of the total population. The official language is English and has been chosen to facilitate language unity at the national level. Nigeria's constitution guarantees freedom of religion and is simultaneously home to some of the world's largest Muslim and Christian populations. Nigeria is roughly divided between mostly Muslims living in the north and Christians living mostly in the south; Indigenous religions, such as those specific to Igbo and Yoruba ethnicities, are in the minority.

Nigeria's economy is the largest in Africa, 27th largest in the world by nominal GDP and 25th largest by PPP. Nigeria is often referred to as the Giant of Africa due to its large population and economy and is considered an emerging market by the World Bank. It is a regional power in Africa, a middle power in international relations and a rising global power. However, the country ranks very low on the Human Development Index and remains one of the most corrupt in the world. Nigeria is a founding member of the African Union and a member of several international organizations, including the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, NAM, Economic Community of West African States, and OPEC. It is also a member of the unofficial MINT country group and is one of the Next Eleven economies.