PEOPLE
The most populous country in Africa, Nigeria accounts for approximately half of West Africa's population. Although less than 25% of Nigerians are urban dwellers, at least 24 cities have populations of more than 100,000. The variety of customs, languages, and traditions among Nigeria's 250 ethnic groups gives the country a rich diversity. The dominant ethnic group in the northern two-thirds of the country is the Hausa-Fulani, most of whom are Muslim. Other major ethnic groups of the north are the Nupe, Tiv, and Kanuri. The Yoruba people are predominant in the southwest.
About
half of the Yorubas are Christian and half Muslim. The predominantly
Catholic Igbo are the largest ethnic group in the southeast, with
the Efik, Ibibio, and Ijaw (the country's fourth-largest ethnic
group) comprising a substantial segment of the population in that
area. Persons of different language backgrounds most commonly
communicate in English, although knowledge of two or more Nigerian
languages is widespread. Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo are the most
widely used Nigerian languages.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Nigerian(s).
Population (2006 est.): 140 million.
Total fertility rate (avg. number of children per woman): 5.7.
Ethnic groups (250): Hausa-Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba, and Ijaw are the largest.
Religions: Muslim, Christian, indigenous African.
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, others.
Education: Attendance (secondary)--male 32%, female 27%. Literacy--39%-51%.
Health: Life expectancy (2004 est.)--43.7 years.
