 Background:
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 faces the daunting task of reforming a
petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been
squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and
institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the defusing
longstanding ethnic and religious tensions are a
priority if Nigeria is to build a sound foundation for
economic growth and political stability. Although the
April 2003 elections were marred by some irregularities,
Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of
civilian rule since independence. General elections in
April 2007 were considered significantly flawed by
Nigerian and international observers but they marked the
first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the
country's history. President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA took
office on 29 May 2007.
Borders:
Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497
km
Population:
131,529,700
Capital with population:
Abuja - 339,000
GDP per capita:
$737.62 per capita
Largest city
with population:
Lagos - (est. 10,000,000 to 15,000,000)
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