10.2003 - Source: UK Home Office

Geography of Nigeria ("Country Report - October 2003") [#17332],  [ID 14810]

"2.1. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is the fourth largest and most populous country in Africa. Benin borders Nigeria to the west, Niger to the north, Cameroon to the east and the Bight of Benin to the south. The terrain varies from coastal swamps in the south, through tropical forests and savannah to semi-desert in the north. The highest regions are the Jos plateau (1200-2000 metres above sea level) and mountains along the border with Cameroon. Nigeria is the most populous African nation, in 1999 its population was estimated to be 120 million, but as the last census was in 1991 estimates vary considerably.

A regional power

5.23 Nigeria is a major regional power, and as such is a prominent member of the Economic Community of West African States and contributes a large military contingent to its monitoring force in Liberia and Sierra Leone (ECOMOG). There is a longstanding dispute with the Cameroon over the Bakassi peninsula, which lies to the extreme south of their shared border. [1][24] The issue was decided before the International Court of Justice in The Hague in October 2002. The court decided that Cameroon had sovereignty over the Bakassi peninsular. [25] Both Nigeria and Cameroon appear to be committed to reaching an agreement on this issue through negotiation."

Document(s): Open document

05.2002 - Source:

SFH: Background information on Nigeria ("SFH: Nigeria - Update, May 2002") [ID 14811]

Document(s): SFH: Nigeria - Update, May 2002