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Infant mortality rate: 70.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.65 years male: 53.32 years female : 56.03 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.17 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups: Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, Ijaw

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

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

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

@Nigeria:Government

Country name: conventional long form : Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria

Data code: NI

Government type: 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

National capital: Abuja note : on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially moved from Lagos to Abuja; many government offices remain in Lagos pending completion of facilities in Abuja

Administrative divisions: 30 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe note: the government has announced the creation of six additional states named Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nassarawa, and Zamfara as part of the process of transition to a civilian government

Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960)

Constitution: 1979 constitution still partially in force; plan for 1989 constitution to take effect in 1993 was not implemented

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces and Defense Minister Gen. Sani ABACHA (since 17 November 1993); Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council Oladipo DIYA (since 17 November 1993); note - the chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces and Defense Minister Gen. Sani ABACHA (since 17 November 1993); Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council Oladipo DIYA (since 17 November 1993); note - the chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Executive Council elections: none; Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council Gen. Sani ABACHA assumed power in a military coup 17 November 1993; the government's provisions for a return to civilian rule call for the election of a president by universal suffrage in the third quarter of 1998 (inaugeration planned for October 1998)

Legislative branch: National Assembly note: the National Assembly was suspended after the military takeover of 17 November 1993; in October 1995, the government announced a three-year program for transition to civilian rule; elections to the National Assembly are to take place in the second quarter of 1998

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Armed Forces Ruling Council; Federal Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee

Political parties and leaders: political party system, which was suspended after the military takeover of 17 November 1993, was reestablished by the Provisional Ruling Council on 30 September 1996 with the registration of five of 15 competing political parties; these were the United Nigeria Congress Party or UNCP [Isa MOHAMMED, chairman]; National Center Party of Nigeria or NCPN [Magaji ABDULLAH, chairman]; Grassroots Democratic Movement or GDM [Gambo LAWAR, chairman]; Comittee for National Consensus or CNC [Abel UBEKU, chairman]; Democratic Party of Nigeria or DPN [Sale HASSAN, chairman]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C (suspended), CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wakili Hassan ADAMU chancery: 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 986-8400 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Walter C. CARRINGTON embassy: 2 Eleke Crescent, Lagos mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos telephone : (1) 261-0097 FAX: (1) 261-0257

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

Economy