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Nigeria
Home of the Nok, Ife, Benin, Hausa and Sokoto civilizations; Africa's most populous nation.
Overview
Nigeria's territory hosted the Nok terracotta culture (c. 1000 BCE), the Yoruba kingdoms of Ife and Oyo, the Kingdom of Benin (famed for its bronzes), and the Sokoto Caliphate founded in 1804.
Basic Information
CapitalAbuja
Population228 million
Area923,768 km²
CurrencyNaira (NGN)
LanguagesEnglish, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo
RegionSub-Saharan Africa
History Timeline
- c. 1000 BCENok culture
- c. 900Kingdom of Ife emerges
- c. 1440 – 1897Kingdom of Benin
- 1804 – 1903Sokoto Caliphate
- 1914 – 1960British colony of Nigeria
- 1960Independence
Ancient Peoples
- Nok
- Yoruba
- Igbo
- Hausa
- Edo
Ancient Kingdoms
- Ife
- Oyo Empire
- Benin
- Kanem-Bornu
Empires
- Kanem-Bornu Empire
- Sokoto Caliphate
- British colonial
Religions
- Islam
- Christianity
- Traditional religions
Culture
Yoruba drumming, Igbo masquerades, Nollywood, Afrobeats (Fela Kuti).
Language
English official; 500+ languages.
Important Battles
- Biafran War1967 – 1970
Civil war
Historical Figures
Usman dan Fodio
1754 – 1817
Founder of Sokoto Caliphate
Nnamdi Azikiwe
1963 – 1966
First president
Archaeological Sites
- Nok sites
- Igbo-Ukwu
- Sungbo's Eredo
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Sukur Cultural Landscape
- Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove
Dynasties
- Oba of Benin
- Alaafin of Oyo
Colonial Period
British colony 1914 – 1960.
Modern History
Federal republic; Africa's largest economy.