Nigeria is one of the largest and one of the most interesting countries on the African continent. The indigenous population of Nigeria is about 250 nationalities! It is this ethnic diversity that attracts the bulk of tourists to this country. What is the population density and population of Nigeria? You will learn about this from our article.
Nigeria is Africa's largest country
Nigeria is a federal republic located in the equatorial belt of the mainland. The climate of the country is characterized by high humidity, as well as average annual temperature indicators. The state has direct access to the Atlantic Ocean (to its Gulf of Guinea).
The country is the most populated in Africa. Moreover, the population of Nigeria is growing rapidly. Nigeria is a multiethnic and multilingual country. Even in neighboring villages, they can speak different local dialects here. Nigeria is also characterized by religious diversity. Thus, about 40% of the country's population consider themselves Muslims, 40% -Christians, and another 20% are adherents of various local beliefs.
Nigeria population (key statistics)
The demographic situation of this country is characterized by high mortality rates. But at the same time, Nigeria is also characterized by very high birth rates. As a result, the population dynamics is positive.
Nigeria's population is increasing by an average of one million every year. About 9,000 babies are born every day in the country.
The demographic situation in Nigeria is complicated by a number of acute and urgent problems. Thus, the country is characterized by high rates of child and maternal mortality. According to statistics, about 5-6 percent of the Nigerian population is infected with the HIV virus. The average life expectancy in the country is low at 47 years.
One of the indicators that determine the economic well-being of the country is the size of the gross domestic product (GDP per capita). Nigeria in the ranking of countries for this indicator is not the worst position. So, as of 2015, GDP per capita here is about 900 US dollars. For African countries, this is a fairly high figure. It is worth recalling here that the state's economy is based on the oil industry (Nigeria is one of the leaders in oil production in Africa).
Nigeria population dynamics by years
Nigeria's population is growing rapidly withevery year. Data on how it has changed over the past 50 years is presented in the table below.
| Year | Number of inhabitants of the country, in million people |
| 1965 | 50, 2 |
| 1970 | 56, 1 |
| 1975 | 63, 6 |
| 1980 | 73, 7 |
| 1985 | 83, 9 |
| 1990 | 95, 6 |
| 1995 | 108, 4 |
| 2000 | 122, 8 |
| 2005 | 139, 6 |
| 2010 | 159, 7 |
| 2015 | 170, 1 |
As can be seen from the table, the most active population growth in Nigeria began around the end of the last millennium. As of April 2015, the Nigerian population counter stood at 174.5 million. And this figure, according to demographers, will continue to grow rapidly in the coming years.
Nigeria population density
Nigeria has an average population density of 188/km2. This is a fairly high figure not only for Africa, but for the whole world.
Nigeria's population density varies greatly by region. So, its maximum indicators are typical for the so-called coastal states, which have access to the ocean. For comparison: in the state of Taraba, which is located indepth of the country, the population density is about 40 people/km2, but in the state of Lagos on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the figure exceeds 2000 people/km2.
In general, the entire south-east of Nigeria is characterized by high population density. In the southwestern part of the country, it is somewhat lower. But the northern and central states are characterized by an extremely low degree of population. The only exception in the north of the country can be considered the state of Kano, where the population density in some areas reaches 600 people / km2.
The strip of the least populated land in Nigeria starts from the state of Kwara, runs along the valley of the Niger River and ends in the state of Borno.
The level of urbanization and the largest cities in Nigeria
The population of Nigeria (for the most part) lives in rural settlements. Citizens make up about 40 percent. The states in the southwestern part of Nigeria remain leaders in terms of urbanization. The main and largest cities of the state include Abuja, Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Zaria, Iwo, Kano and others.
Abuja is a city in the center of the country, which is its modern capital (since 1991). The capital was moved to this small settlement by decision of a special commission, as part of the implementation of the regional policy in the country. Abuja has been preparing for her new role for a long time. For about 15 years (from 1976 to 1991) the reconstruction of the city continued.
Today over 1 million people live here. The area around Abuja is differentethnic and religious neutrality. It was this moment that was taken into account by the Nigerian authorities when choosing a location for the new capital of the state.
Today, the infrastructure of the city is developing rapidly. An international airport is already operating in Abuja, hotels and administrative buildings are being built. Several highways link Abuja with other major cities in Nigeria.
Lagos is the former capital of Nigeria. Nevertheless, this settlement continues to be the largest not only in its own country, but throughout Africa. Today, about 13 million people live directly in the city, and at least 20 million within the Lagos metropolitan area.
The name of this entity was given by the Portuguese colonists. "Lagos" means "lake" in Portuguese. Prior to European colonization, the city was called Eko, which means camp.
Lagos is a city of striking contrasts. Here you can see poor areas - slums, and business districts with dozens of modern high-rise buildings. About 50% of all industrial production in Nigeria is concentrated in Lagos. It is the most important financial, scientific and cultural center of all of West Africa.
Ethnic diversity of the country
In Nigeria, there are at least 250 ethnic groups, each of which has retained its dialect and cultural traditions. However, only ten of them are the most numerous.
In the northern states of Nigeria, these are the Fulbe, Tiv, Hausa and Kanuri peoples. Representatives of the Hausa people are distinguished by militancy, but the Fulbe, on the contrary, is very liberal and conservative. Almost all representatives of these nationalities profess Islam, except for the Tiv, who consider themselves Christians.
Other ethnic groups live in the eastern part of the country. These are mainly for, ijo and ibibio-efik. They all live in small villages headed by their elders. The Yoruba people of Nigeria are also interesting. He managed to preserve his traditions, folk music and vibrant religious rites.
Religious Diversity of the Country
In addition to Christianity and Islam, numerous local beliefs and religions are also widespread in Nigeria. Among them are fetishism, animalism and the cult of ancestors. The most interesting and original religious belief in Nigeria is the system of cults of the Yoruba people.
Adherents of Islam are concentrated, as a rule, in the northern regions of the country, and Christians - in the south and east. The modern religious picture of the country is characterized by rather intense competition between these two confessions.
Conclusion
Nigeria is one of the most densely populated countries on the planet. On the African continent, this country is the absolute leader in terms of the number of inhabitants. The population of Nigeria today is over 170 million people and continues to grow.
Nigeria is a state characterized by significant linguistic, ethnic and religious diversity. Apparently, this is what attracts tourists to the country, thirstyexotic and adventure.
