Map of Nigeria
Nigeria is a country in Africa with its capital at Abuja, home to about 237.53 million people across 923,768 km². The interactive map below plots 68 cities and towns, 12 rivers, 2 lakes, 2 mountain summits and 26 ports recorded for Nigeria in YearMaps.
- Population
- 237.53 million
- Area
- 923,768 km²
- Capital
- Abuja
- Continent
- Africa
Interactive Map of Nigeria
Centred on Abuja at 9.0853° N, 7.5314° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Nigeria
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 mi2). With a population of more than 242 million, it is the most populous country in Africa, and the world's sixth-most populous country. Nigeria borders Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west. Nigeria is a federal republic comprising 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, where its capital, Abuja, is located. The largest city in Nigeria by population is Lagos, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and the second largest in Africa.
Nigeria is a multinational state inhabited by more than 250 ethnic groups speaking 500 distinct languages, all identifying with a wide variety of cultures. The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo together constituting over 60% of the total population. The official language is English. Nigeria's constitution ensures freedom of religion. The country is divided roughly in half between Muslims and Christians; indigenous religions, such as those native to the Igbo and Yoruba ethnicities, are in the minority.
Nigeria has been home to several indigenous material cultures, pre-colonial states and kingdoms since the second millennium BC. The Nok culture, c. 1500 BC, marks one of the earliest known civilisations in the region. The Hausa Kingdoms inhabited the north, with the Edo Kingdom of Benin in the south, the Igbo Kingdom of Nri in the southeast, and in the southwest the Yoruba Empire of Oyo. The present-day territory of Nigeria was home to a vast array of city-states. In the early 19th century, the Fulani Jihads culminated in the Sokoto Caliphate. The modern state originated with British colonialization in the 19th century, taking its present territorial shape with the merging of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and the Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1914. The British set up administrative and legal structures and incorporated traditional monarchs as a form of indirect rule.
Nigeria officially gained independence as a federation on 1 October 1960. From 1967 to 1970, the country was ravaged by civil war, followed by a series of military dictatorships (as well as an unstable democracy from 1979 to 1983), until a stable democracy was established in 1999. However, the work of the Nigerian Electoral Commission (INEC) has been criticised both nationally and internationally for lacking transparency.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Nigeria (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Nigeria
In ancient and pre-colonial times, the area of present-day Nigeria was occupied by a variety of ethnic groups with different languages and traditions. These included large Islamic kingdoms such as Borno, Kano, and the Sokoto Caliphate dominating the north, the Benin and Oyo Empires that controlled much of modern western Nigeria, and more decentralized political entities and city states in the south and southeast. In 1914, the British amalgamated their separately administered northern and southern territories into a Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Nigeria achieved independence from Britain in 1960 and transitioned to a federal republic with three constituent states in 1963 under President Nnamdi AZIKIWE. This structure served to enflame regional and ethnic tension, contributing to a bloody coup led by predominately southeastern military officers in 1966 and a countercoup later that year masterminded by northern officers. In the aftermath of this tension, the governor of Nigeria’s Eastern Region, centered on the southeast, declared the region independent as the Republic of Biafra. The ensuring civil war (1967-1970), resulted in more than a million deaths, many from starvation. While the war forged a stronger Nigerian state and national identity, it contributed to long-lasting mistrust of the southeast’s predominantly Igbo population. Wartime military leader Yakubu GOWON ruled until a bloodless coup by frustrated junior officers in 1975. This generation of officers, including Olusegun OBASANJO, Ibrahim BABANGIDA, and Muhammadu BUHARI, who would all later serve as president, continue to exert significant influence in Nigeria to the present day. Military rule predominated until the first durable transition to civilian government and adoption of a new constitution in 1999. The elections of 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history. National and state elections in 2011 and 2015 were generally regarded as credible. The 2015 election was also heralded for the fact that the then-umbrella opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, defeated the long-ruling (since 1999) People's Democratic Party and assumed the presidency, marking the first peaceful transfer of power from one party to another. Presidential and legislative elections in 2019 and 2023 were deemed broadly free and fair despite voting irregularities, intimidation, and violence. The government of Africa's most populous nation continues to face the daunting task of institutionalizing democracy and reforming a petroleum-based economy whose revenues have been squandered through decades of corruption and mismanagement. In addition, Nigeria faces increasing violence from Islamic terrorism, largely in the northeast, large scale criminal banditry, secessionist violence in the southeast, and competition over land and resources nationwide.
- Location
- Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon.
- 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.
- Highest point
- Chappal Waddi 2,419 m.
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 853 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 4,477 km; border countries: Benin 809 km; Cameroon 1,975 km; Chad 85 km; Niger 1,608 km.
- Major rivers
- Niger river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, Benin, and Niger) - 4,200 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth.
- Major lakes
- Fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km note - area varies by season and year to year.
- Natural resources
- Natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 76.2% (2023 est.); arable land: 40.5% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 27.6% (2023 est.); forest: 19.1% (2023 est.); other: 4.7% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Periodic droughts; flooding.
- Geographic note
- The Niger River enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rainforests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea.
- Languages
- English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, over 500 additional indigenous languages.
- Religions
- Muslim 53.5%, Roman Catholic 10.6%, other Christian 35.3%, other 0.6% (2018 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Hausa 30%, Yoruba 15.5%, Igbo (Ibo) 15.2%, Fulani 6%, Tiv 2.4%, Kanuri/Beriberi 2.4%, Ibibio 1.8%, Ijaw/Izon 1.8%, other 24.9% (2018 est.)
- Economy
- Largest African market economy; enormous but mostly lower middle income labor force; major oil exporter; key telecommunications and finance industries; susceptible to global energy price shocks; regional leader in critical infrastructure; primarily agrarian employment.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Nigeria in Numbers
- Population
- 237.53 million
- GDP
- US$290.8 billion
- GDP per person
- US$1,224
- Life expectancy
- 54.6 years
- Population growth
- 2.06% a year
- Population density
- 255 per km²
- Urban population
- 63.8%
- Surface area
- 923,768 km²
- Forest cover
- 18.9%
- Arable land
- 40.8%
- Access to electricity
- 62.5%
- Internet users
- 41.2%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Nigeria in Depth
History
Kainji Dam excavations showed ironworking by the 2nd century BC. The transition from Neolithic times to the Iron Age was accomplished without intermediate bronze production. Some have suggested the technology moved west from the Nile Valley. But the Iron Age in the Niger River valley and the forest region appears to predate the introduction of metallurgy in the upper savanna by more than 800 years, as well as predating it in the Nile Valley. More recent research suggests that iron metallurgy was developed independently in Africa.
The Nok civilisation thrived between 1500 BC and 200 AD. It produced life-sized terracotta figures that are some of the earliest known sculptures in Africa and independently invented iron smelting by about 550 BC and possibly a few centuries earlier.
Geography
Nigeria is located in western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea and has a total area of 923,768 km2 (356,669 mi2), making it the world's 31st-largest country. Its borders span 4,047 kilometres (2,515 mi), and it shares borders with Benin (773 km or 480 mi), Niger (1,497 km or 930 mi), Chad (87 km or 54 mi), and Cameroon (including the separatist Ambazonia) 1,690 km or 1,050 mi. Its coastline is at least 853 km (530 mi). Nigeria lies between latitudes 4° and 14°N, and longitudes 2° and 15°E. The highest point in Nigeria is Chappal Waddi at 2,419 m (7,936 ft). The main rivers are the Niger and the Benue, which converge and empty into the Niger Delta. This is one of the world's largest river deltas and the location of a large area of Central African mangroves.
Economy
Nigeria's economy is the third largest in Africa, the 46th-largest in the world by nominal GDP, and 19th-largest by PPP. As of 2023, Nigeria's economy is classified as lower-middle-income. Before 1999, economic development was hindered by years of military rule, corruption, and mismanagement. In the decades thereafter, the restoration of democracy and subsequent economic reforms led to rapid growth. In 2011, Citigroup projected that Nigeria would have the highest average GDP growth in the world between 2010 and 2050.
In April 2026, FTSE Russell upgraded Nigeria from ‘unclassified’ to ‘frontier market’. Moody’s and S&P upgraded Nigeria in their rankings in 2025 and 2026.
Demographics
The United Nations estimates that the population of Nigeria in 2021 was 213,401,323. It was distributed as 51.7% rural and 48.3% urban, and with a population density of 167.5 people per square kilometre. Around 42.5% of the population were 14 years or younger, 19.6% were aged 15–24, 30.7% were aged 25–54, 4.0% were aged 55–64, and 3.1% were aged 65 years or older. The median age in 2017 was 18.4 years. Nigeria is the world's sixth-most populous country.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Nigeria (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Nigeria: Key Facts
| Currency | naira |
|---|---|
| Official language | English |
| Head of state | Bola Tinubu |
| Head of government | Bola Tinubu |
| Form of government | federal republic |
| Calling code | +234 |
| Internet domain | .ng |
| Highest point | Chappal Waddi |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean |
| Established | 1 October 1963 |
Facts from Wikidata Q1033 (CC0).
History of Nigeria: Empires and States
The atlas records 6 polities whose mapped territory included part of Nigeria, from Bornu Empire in 1487 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Bornu Empire | 1487–1808 CE | A small part |
| Oyo Empire | 1670–1835 CE | A small part |
| Sokoto Caliphate | 1805–1904 CE | A large part |
| The British Empire | 1885–1960 CE | Nearly all |
| British Gold Coast | 1885–1960 CE | Nearly all |
| Federal Republic of Nigeria | 1961–2024 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Nigeria
Nigeria on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Nigeria
Nigeria (Hausa: Najeriya, Igbo: Naíjíríà, Nigerian Pidgin: Naijá, Tyap: Naijeriya, Yoruba: Nàìjíríà) is a large country in equatorial West Africa, the most populous country of the continent, with about 216 million people in 2022. Rich in diversity and landscapes, the country is home to more than 250 ethnic groups and 500 languages.
Nigeria is divided roughly in half between Muslims (who are mostly in the north and make up half the population) and Christians (who are mostly in the south). The majority of Nigerian Muslims are Sunni Muslims, and the majority of Nigerian Christians are Protestants. Nigeria has the fifth largest Muslim population in the world and the sixth largest Christian population in the world.
Nigeria does have its fair share of political and social problems, but don't let that deter you; the country is endowed with a vibrant youth population who have continued to bring glory to the country in various spheres of human endeavours.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Nigeria (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Nigeria
68 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lagos | 9.47 million | Lagos | Admin-0 capital alt |
| 2 | Kano | 3.14 million | Kano | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Ibadan | 2.63 million | Oyo | Populated place |
| 4 | Abuja | 1.58 million | Federal Capital Territory | National capital |
| 5 | Kaduna | 1.44 million | Kaduna | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Benin City | 1.19 million | Edo | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | Ikare | 1.10 million | Ondo | Populated place |
| 8 | Port Harcourt | 1.02 million | Rivers | Admin-1 capital |
| 9 | Ogbomosho | 951,000 | Oyo | Populated place |
| 10 | Aba | 897,560 | Abia | Populated place |
| 11 | Maiduguri | 896,000 | Borno | Admin-1 capital |
| 12 | Zaria | 889,000 | Kaduna | Populated place |
| 13 | Warri | 830,106 | Delta | Populated place |
| 14 | Jos | 816,824 | Plateau | Admin-1 capital |
| 15 | Ilorin | 771,000 | Kwara | Admin-1 capital |
| 16 | Oyo | 736,072 | Oyo | Populated place |
| 17 | Sokoto | 732,178 | Sokoto | Admin-1 capital |
| 18 | Enugu | 688,862 | Enugu | Admin-1 capital |
| 19 | Abeokuta | 593,100 | Ogun | Admin-1 capital |
| 20 | Uyo | 554,906 | Akwa Ibom | Admin-1 capital |
| 21 | Awka | 500,000 | Anambra | Admin-1 capital |
| 22 | Ife | 482,365 | Osun | Populated place |
| 23 | Calabar | 461,796 | Cross River | Admin-1 capital |
| 24 | Ado Ekiti | 446,749 | Ekiti | Populated place |
| 25 | Katsina | 432,149 | Katsina | Admin-1 capital |
The other 43 (population, region, role)
- Akure · 420,594 · Ondo · Admin-1 capital
- Oshogbo · 408,245 · Osun · Admin-1 capital
- Bauchi · 316,149 · Bauchi · Admin-1 capital
- Sapele · 309,162 · Delta · Populated place
- Makurdi · 292,645 · Benue · Admin-1 capital
- Minna · 291,905 · Niger · Admin-1 capital
- Owo · 276,574 · Ondo · Populated place
- Gombe · 270,366 · Gombe · Populated place
- Umuahia · 264,662 · Abia · Admin-1 capital
- Ondo · 257,005 · Ondo · Populated place
- Damaturu · 255,895 · Yobe · Admin-1 capital
- Iwo · 250,443 · Osun · Populated place
- Gusau · 226,857 · Zamfara · Populated place
- Mubi · 225,705 · Adamawa · Populated place
- Owerri · 215,038 · Imo · Admin-1 capital
- Ijebu Ode · 209,175 · Ogun · Populated place
- Funtua · 180,475 · Katsina · Populated place
- Bida · 173,849 · Niger · Populated place
- Lafia · 127,236 · Nassarawa · Populated place
- Gashua · 125,817 · Yobe · Admin-1 capital
- Bama · 118,121 · Borno · Populated place
- Jalingo · 117,757 · Taraba · Admin-1 capital
- Nsukka · 111,017 · Enugu · Populated place
- Nguru · 111,014 · Yobe · Populated place
- Birnin Kebbi · 108,164 · Kebbi · Admin-1 capital
- Azare · 105,687 · Bauchi · Populated place
- Kontagora · 98,754 · Niger · Populated place
- Iseyin · 98,071 · Oyo · Populated place
- Yola · 96,006 · Adamawa · Admin-1 capital
- Biu · 95,005 · Borno · Populated place
- Wukari · 92,933 · Taraba · Populated place
- Potiskum · 86,002 · Yobe · Populated place
- Keffi · 85,911 · Nassarawa · Populated place
- Numan · 77,617 · Adamawa · Populated place
- Idah · 75,087 · Kogi · Populated place
- Onitsha · 73,374 · Anambra · Admin-1 capital
- Oturkpo · 68,220 · Benue · Populated place
- Lokoja · 60,579 · Kogi · Admin-1 capital
- Kumo · 35,712 · Gombe · Populated place
- Opobo · 34,911 · Akwa Ibom · Populated place
- Koko · 25,792 · Kebbi · Populated place
- Dutse · 17,129 · Jigawa · Admin-1 capital
- Orlu · 9,351 · Imo · Populated place
Highest Mountains in Nigeria
2 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chappal Wadi | 2,419 m | 7,936 ft | Africa |
| 2 | Dimlang | 2,042 m | 6,699 ft | Africa |
Chappal Wadi
Mountain · 2,419 m
Chappal Wadi is a mountain rising to 2,419 metres (7,936 ft) in Nigeria and Cameroon, in the Africa region. The summit stands on the border between them. From PeakBagger.com, with kind permission..
Chappal Waddi (also known as the Mountain of Death) is located in Nigeria and, at 2,419 m (7,936 ft), is the country's highest point and the highest in West Africa. This peak, whose original and indigenous name is "Gang Peak" is steeped in enthralling ancient Mambilla mythologies. It represents the headquarters of some ancient mythological organizations. It is located in Taraba State, near the border with Cameroon, on the edge of the Gashaka Gumti Forest Reserve and the Gashaka-Gumti National Park on the Mambilla Plateau. It is a part of the Bamenda-Alantika-Mandara Mountain chain of Nigeria and Cameroon. According to local Mambilla legends, good fortunes or poor harvests in the agricultural cycles of the Mambilla Plateau were determined at Gang Mountain.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Chappal Waddi (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 2,419 m (7,936 ft)
- Global rank
- #350 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Africa (#47)
- Countries
- Nigeria, Cameroon
- Coordinates
- 7.0600°, 11.7200°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Chappal Wadi ranks #350 by elevation, below Serra Namúli (2,419 m) and above Shimbiris (2,414 m).
- Ranges:
- Marrah Mountains (Africa), Ruwenzori Range (Africa)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Dimlang (2,042 m)
More about Chappal Wadi
Chappal Wadi: Key Facts
| Mountain range | Mambilla Plateau |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q976055 (CC0).
Dimlang
Mountain · 2,042 m
Dimlang is a mountain rising to 2,042 metres (6,699 ft) in Nigeria, in the Africa region.
Mount Dimlang (formerly Vogel peak) is located in the Shebshi Mountains in Adamawa State. It is the highest point of the Shebshi Mountains. Its peak reaches a height of about 2,042 m (6,699 ft.), although Google Maps reports the height as being considerably less, around just under 1,700 m.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Mount Dimlang (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 2,042 m (6,699 ft)
- Global rank
- #407 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Africa (#60)
- Country
- Nigeria
- Coordinates
- 8.3978°, 11.7894°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Dimlang ranks #407 by elevation, below Mount Katmai (2,047 m) and above Iwate-san (2,038 m).
- Ranges:
- Marrah Mountains (Africa), Ruwenzori Range (Africa)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Chappal Wadi (2,419 m), Mount Oku (3,011 m), Mont Ngaoui (1,410 m)
Largest Lakes in Nigeria
2 lakes recorded. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Chad | 1,293 km² | Lake |
| 2 | Kainji Reservoir | 1,238 km² | Reservoir |
Lake Chad
Lake · 1,293 km²
Lake Chad is a lake in Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger, with a mapped surface area of about 1,293 km².
Lake Chad (Arabic: بحيرة تشاد, Kanuri: Sádǝ, French: Lac Tchad) is an endorheic freshwater lake located at the junction of four countries: Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, in western and central Africa respectively, with a catchment area in excess of 1,000,000 km2 (390,000 sq mi). It is an important wetland ecosystem in West-Central Africa. The lake is rich in aquatic resources and is one of the important freshwater fish- producing areas in Africa.
Lake Chad is divided into deeper southern parts and shallower northern parts. The lake's main source of water is the Chari River which has many tributaries. The water level varies greatly seasonally, and the area of the lake also changes dramatically. In the 19th century, it still had an area of 28,000 km2 (11,000 sq mi). However, due to climate change and human water diversion, the lake shrunk significantly between 1960 and 1990, the open water area decreasing from 25,000 km2 in 1960 to just 2000 km2 in 1980. The lake is now no longer estimated to be shrinking, as rainfall recovery has partially occurred. Despite the stabilisation of the lake's water volume, Lake Chad is still under threat from climate change.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Lake Chad (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Surface area
- 1,293 km²
- Area rank
- #156 of 756 indexed
- Type
- Lake
- Countries
- Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger
- Coordinates
- 13.1037°, 14.5204°
Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Lake Chad ranks #156 by surface area, after Lake Bienville (1,303 km²) and ahead of Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir (1,293 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.
- Watercourses:
- Komadugu Yobe (River), Chari (River)
More about Lake Chad
Geography
The Chad Basin includes Chad, Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Sudan, and the Central African Republic. It is an extensional fault depression type rift basin, which can be divided into four secondary structural units: southern depression, northern depression, central uplift, and eastern slope. The southern depression of the basin is characterized by an asymmetric fault depression composite rift with steep slopes in the east and gentle slopes in the west on the profile, and is distributed in an NNW direction on the plane. There are two large basin‐bounding normal faults developed on both sides of the basin, with a graben style fault and depression in the middle. The east and west sides are outward dipping low angle gentle slope areas.
Hydrology
The Chad Basin covers an area of about 1×10^6 km2 (390,000 sq mi), and is injected by the Chari, Logone, and Yobe Rivers. The water supply of the lake is seasonal. Most of the precipitation comes from the Adamawa Plateau in the south of the basin, which is transported to the lake basin through the Chari River and the Logone River. The two contribute 95% of the total inflow of Lake Chad, while the Yobe River only contributes less than 2.5%. The lake seeps through the underground to the lowest point of the Chad Basin, the Bodélé Depression, approximately 480 km (300 mi) northeast of Lake Chad, with the deepest point reaching an elevation of only 155 m (509 ft) above sea level. This takes away most of the salinity and maintains the low salinity of Lake Chad.
Prehistory and history
The Chad Basin was formed by the depression of the African Shield. The floor of the basin is made of Precambrian bedrock covered by more than 3,600 m (11,800 ft) of sedimentary deposits. For most of the Quaternary, the basin had abundant water sources. Towards the end of this period, the climate became drier. Around 20,000–40,000 years ago, eolianite sand dunes began to form in the north of the basin. The area of Lake Chad experienced four heydays between 39,000 BC and 300 BC, leaving thick diatomaceous earth and lacustrine deposits in the strata. This has been called Mega-Chad.
Ecology
Part of the Chad Basin is located within the Chad Basin National Park in Nigeria, and the country and Cameroon have established the Lake Chad Ramsar Wetland with a total area of 8,225 km2 (3,176 sq mi).
The wetland plants in the south mainly include cyperus papyrus, etc. Reeds mainly grow in the north where the salinity is high, and the floating plant pistia sometimes covers large areas of open water. Changing patterns of land use and progressive degradation have reduced diversity and resulted in a more open woodland increasingly composed of species adapted to reduced moisture. Plants such as hyparrhenia rufa grow on the shores of lakes with long floods in the south.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Lake Chad (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Lake Chad: Key Facts
| Surface area | 1,540 km² |
|---|---|
| Maximum depth | 10.5 m |
| Volume | 6.3 km³ |
| Surface elevation | 100 m |
| Inflows | Chari River, Yobe River, Ngadda River |
| Drainage system | Chad Basin |
Facts from Wikidata Q125309 (CC0).
Rivers in Nigeria
12 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
Ports in Nigeria
26 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forcados | 53 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
| 2 | Burutu | 53 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | medium vessels |
| 3 | Koko | 49.4 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | medium vessels |
| 4 | Sapele | 49.4 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
| 5 | Warri | 45.7 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
| 6 | Onne | 42.1 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
| 7 | Okrika | 42.1 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
| 8 | Calabar | 42.1 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
| 9 | Tin Can Island | 38.4 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
| 10 | Bonny | 27.4 m | Minor | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
The other 16 (channel depth, class, sea, max vessel)
- Okwori Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Agbami Oil Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Akpo Oil Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Antan Oil Terminal · 5.5 m · Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Brass Oil Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Sea Eagle Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Escravos Oil Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Odudu Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Okono Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Qua Iboe Oil Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Ukpokiti Marine Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Forcados Oil Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Yoho Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · point_of_interest
- Bonny Offshore Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Egina Oil Terminal · 5.5 m · Very Small · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
- Pennington Oil Terminal · Major · Atlantic Coast of Africa · large vessels
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nigeria
2 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sukur | 1999 | Cultural | (iii) (v) (vi) |
| 2 | Osun-Osogbo Grove | 2005 | Cultural | (ii) (iii) (vi) |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Nigeria
6 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Africa | 29.41M km² | Continent | Africa |
| 2 | Sahel | 1.02M km² | Plain | Africa |
| 3 | Adamawa Plateau | 244,004 km² | Plateau | Africa |
| 4 | Jos Plateau | 21,303 km² | Plateau | Africa |
| 5 | Slave Coast | 8,278 km² | Coast | Africa |
| 6 | Niger Delta | 431 km² | Delta | Africa |
States and Provinces of Nigeria
3 first-level divisions with their own map.
Countries Bordering Nigeria
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Africa
Nigeria: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Nigeria?
- The capital of Nigeria is Abuja.
- What is the population of Nigeria?
- Nigeria has a population of about 237.53 million, the #6 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Nigeria?
- Nigeria covers 923,768 km², ranking #33 by area, with about 257 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Nigeria in?
- Nigeria is in Africa.
- Which countries border Nigeria?
- Nigeria shares a land or maritime border with Chad, Benin, Cameroon, Niger, Sao Tome and Principe.
- What is the largest city in Nigeria?
- Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria, with a metropolitan population of about 9.47 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Nigeria?
- The highest summit recorded for Nigeria in YearMaps is Chappal Wadi at 2,419 m (7,936 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.
- What is the largest lake in Nigeria?
- The largest lake recorded in or bordering Nigeria is Lake Chad, at roughly 1,293 km².