12 Story Library EXPLORE NIGERIA 12 KEY FACTS by Rosie Nanz
1 Nigeria Is a Land of Rivers and Savannas Nigeria is a country on the western coast of Africa It shares borders with Niger to the north Chad and Cameroon to the east and Benin to the west Its coast lies along the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean The country has almost 500 miles 800 km of coastline Nigeria has a total area of 356,669 square miles 923,768 sq km It is larger than the US state of Texas Because of its size it is often called the Giant of Africa Nigeria also has more people than any other country in Africa Many rivers and creeks flow through Nigeria The two main rivers are the Niger and the Benue They meet form a Y and turn into the Niger Delta It is the third-largest delta in the world The delta leads into the Gulf of Guinea The southern lowlands are along Nigeria’s coast Further north are huge grassy plains called savannas Some stretch as far as the eye can Logs are floated down the Niger River to sawmills to be processed for export 4
2,600 Length in miles 4,184 km of the Niger the third-longest river in Africa Nigeria is on the west coast of Africa It shares borders with four other nations It is called the Giant of Africa The geography is diverse THE MOUNTAIN OF DEATH Chappal Waddi is a mountain near Nigeria’s border with Cameroon Rising 7,936 feet 2,419 m it is the highest peak in Nigeria Another name for the mountain is Gangirwal This means the mountain of death According to legend the keeper of the mountain sleeps at its base He has a bad temper Climbers who wake him will suffer disaster Most of Nigeria’s jungles are in the Niger Delta see The central region has hills and plateaus There are extinct volcanoes and lava flows Nigeria also has swamps jungles and deserts Its geography is very diverse 5
