Part 548

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 30 nm

International disputes: demarcation of international boundaries in vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Cameroon over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the ICJ

Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources: petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 31% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 23% forest and woodland: 15% other: 28%

Irrigated land: 8,650 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification; recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities natural hazards: periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

People ------

Population: 103,912,489 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 23,455,266; female 23,245,099) 15-64 years: 52% (male 27,645,106; female 26,553,135) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,522,862; female 1,491,021) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.05% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 42.89 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 12.71 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female all ages: 1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 72.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.34 years male: 53.06 years female: 55.65 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.24 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic divisions: non-Africans 27,000 north: Hausa and Fulani note: Hausa and Fulani, Yoruba, and Ibos together make up 65% of population southwest: Yoruba southeast: Ibos

Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 57.1% male: 67.3% female: 47.3%

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria

Data code: NI

Type of government: military government; Nigeria has been ruled by one military regime after another since 31 December 1983; on 1 October 1995, the present military government announced it will turn power over to democratically elected civilian authorities in October 1998