Nigeria, often referred to as the “Giant of Africa,” holds a prominent position both geographically and politically within the West African sub-region. Located on the western coast of the continent, Nigeria’s strategic position along the Gulf of Guinea gives it access to important maritime trade routes and rich natural resources. Understanding the location and position of Nigeria, along with its size and major physical features, is vital for grasping the country’s geographical importance, economic potential, and regional influence. This article highlights the Location And Position Of Nigeria on the globe, its territorial dimensions, and the physical features that define its landscape.
Table Of Contents
- Describe the location and position of Nigeria with reference to her latitudes to, longitudes, boundaries and neighbors.
- Describe the size of Nigeria and distance.
- Revision Questions.
Size, Location And Position Of Nigeria
LOCATION OF NIGERIA
Nigeria is located between 4°N and 14°N of the equator and between 3°E and 15°E of the Greenwich meridian. Therefore, the latitudinal extent or stretch of Nigeria is about 10° (14°N – 4°N) while the longitudinal extent or stretch is 12° (15°E – 3°E).
POSITION OF NIGERIA
Nigeria is in West Africa and centrally located in Africa. In West Africa, apart from the Atlantic ocean in the south, she is surrounded by Francophone (French speaking) countries. She is bounded in the west by Benin Republic, in the North by Niger Republic, in the east by Cameroon Republic, in the north-east by Chad Republic and in the south by Atlantic Ocean.
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SIZE OF NIGERIA
Nigeria is the fourth largest country in west Africa in terms of land area after Niger, Mali and mauritanana. The total land area of Nigeria is approximately 923,768 square kilometers.
The greatest distance from East to West is approximately 1,3000km while from north to south about 1,100km.
In terms of population, Nigeria is the most populous single country in Africa with over 200million people in 2022.
Political Division Of Nigeria
The country, Nigeria came into existence in 1914 as a result of the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates. She became independent in 1960. As at independence, the country had three region namely, North, East and West. The northern region had its headquarter in Kaduna, East in Enugu and West in Ibadan.
In 1960, Nigeria became a Republic and the fourth region known as Mid-West was created from the then western region with its headquarter in Benin City. The political divisions remains four until 1967 when the country was further divided into twelve states.
In 1976, the country was further divided into 19 States. In September 23rd 1987, two more states were created, making the total number to be 21. Nigeria recently has 36 States and a federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja which is the federal capital of Nigeria.
Other Notable Features About Nigeria
- Ethnic groups of over 250: The human variety about Nigeria is remarkable. The Yoruba, Igbo, ijaw, Efik and Edo live in the South, while the Hausa-Fulani, Kanuri, etc are found in the North. The Number of ethnic groups in Nigeria is over 250. As people are different, so are their cultures, customs and the wide varieties of their dresses, fashions, including Western styles – all contributing to the rich cultural heritage which the country is proud of.
- As Giant of Africa: As a result of the nearly equal distance and easily accessible location from many African countries, a relatively large size, as well as factors of population and many other resources confer on Nigeria, a commanding and enviable leadership position in African affairs. This entitled Nigeria to be called The Giant of Africa.
- Nigeria one hour ahead of GMT: As the country lies within longitude 15° east of Greenwich, the Nigerian local time is one hour ahead of the Greenwich mean time (GMT).
- Nigeria is located within the tropics: The location of the country between latitude 4° and 14° north of the equator places it right within the tropics, in the zone where trade winds blows and reverse direction within the year.
- Dominance of rainy and dry season: With a desert to the North and a sea to the south, will get dry continental (harmattan) influences when these winds blow from the north, and wet maritime (rain) influences when they reverse and blow from the south. This brings about the two seasons (rain and dry season) we have in the year.
- Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources: Nigeria is blessed with a wide variety of resources namely, agricultural, Forest, mineral and above all human resources. All these resources placed Nigeria above all other countries in Africa.
Local Government Areas In Nigeria
The local government area is formed by the combination of several towns and villages which have similar physical and cultural features. Local government area represent the third tier of government in Nigeria and each local government area has its own administrative headquarters.
Names of villages and towns in your local government area should be listed and physical features like rivers, lakes, mountains, Lagoons, oceans, etc should be identified and named.
The local government area performs a combination of both the functions of a village and a town. Social services like trading, banking, etc and social amenities like electricity, pipe-borne water, hotels and hospitals should also be identified and named.
The relative position between villages, towns or between towns and villages should be located. This can be done by the use of compass points or cardinal points which enable us to locate the position of one place from another. For example, the eight cardinal points comprising North, East, West, South: North-East, south-west, South-East and North-West can be used.
With this, the direction of one town of Village can be located from another position. For example, agege is in the direction of north west of bariga, both in Lagos State.
Students should try to identify and study the physical features, the people, mode of transportation and economic activities of their local government areas..
Revision Questions for Students
- Describe the location and position of Nigeria in relation to other countries of west Africa. (b) Describe the size of Nigeria.
- (a) State 10 ethnic groups in Nigeria (b) write short notes on setting interesting features about Nigeria
Conclusion
In conclusion, Nigeria’s geographical location in West Africa, along the Gulf of Guinea, provides it with significant advantages in terms of trade, climate, and natural resources. Its position between latitudes 4°N and 14°N and longitudes 3°E and 15°E places it within the tropical zone, influencing its weather patterns and biodiversity. With a large land area and a variety of physical features such as rivers, plains, and highlands, Nigeria is richly endowed and plays a vital role in the socio-economic development of the African continent. A clear understanding of Nigeria’s location, size, and natural features is essential for appreciating its national potential and regional influence.