NIGERIA: Often called as the “Giant of Africa”, Nigeria has a diverse geography. The country is known for the vastness of its land, the diversity of its peoples and languages, its huge population (the largest in Africa), and its oil and other natural resources.
Nigeria is a country in West Africa that shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. It is a large country that has a varied topography.
Nigeria has distinctive regions, including deserts, plains, swamps, mountains, and steamy jungles. It has one of the largest river systems in the world, including the Niger Delta, the third largest delta on Earth. Nigeria has endemic flora of 91 species belonging to 44 families with the Rubiaceae family having the highest composition.
In this article, we will be dwelling on some of Nigeria’s geographical features and their importance to the development of its citizens and the country as a whole.
Nigeria’s prominent geographical features
. Rivers
. Mountains
. Deserts
Nigeria is endowed with many natural resources. We will be looking at some of the most important territorial waters which form the major rivers in Nigeria.
These rivers include; River Niger, River Benue, River Delta, and river Kaduna among other rivers.
River Benue; this is formerly known as ‘River Chadda or Tchadda’. It is about 1,400 kilometers long. This river is located between Adamawa and Benue state.
River Niger; the river is the origin of West African rivers. It has 2,118,700 KM in mass area. The river has its sources from Guinea close to Sierra Leone. Rivers Niger is the largest river in Nigeria and has its source from Guinea highlands .
The river Kaduna; is the originator of the river Niger. This river runs from 550 kilometers through Nigeria. River Kaduna has its name from the crocodiles that were occupying the river for some time.
River or water has a significant role to play in the life of every human as every soul needs it for survival.
Without a river or water, human beings’ life wouldn’t have been the same as it is necessary for a drink and domestic purposes. However, rivers are used in different dimensions such as for construction, energy production, food science, and transportation.
Mountains, this is large and elevated land or earth that is covered with space and this is far different from hills. Nigeria has abundant mountains that are capable of creating and boosting the economy of Nigeria.
Some of these mountains include; Mount Patti, Mount Dimlang, Chappal Waddi, Shere Hills, and Sir Lugard Empire Hill.
The Nigerian government should invest keenly in the mountain, by making it an amusement park, zoo, and recreational center for citizens to visit. It will enhance the economic aspect of the country.
Deserts are used as recreational centers, where many people visit during the holiday to spend a good time with their families and relatives. During holidays in Nigeria, desert areas are places of visit to spend a good time with family and friends.
While there are no actual desert areas in Nigeria, the northern part of Nigeria borders with a region known as the Sahel. The Sahel region is a large swathe of territory in the northern part of Africa that stretches from the Atlantic coast of the continent to the Red Sea coast.
Economic importance of Nigeria’s geographical features
The Nigerian economy is one of the largest in Africa. Since the late 1960s it has been based primarily on the petroleum industry. A series of world oil price increases from 1973 produced rapid economic growth in transportation, construction, manufacturing, and government services.
Be it mountain, desert or rivers if probably monitored and invested on is capable of adding more strength to the country’s GDP.
Individual investment has been what is keeping Nigeria’s attractive sites booming as the government of the country has shown a lack of interest in the natural locations.
It is important to encourage both individuals and the government to put more effort into investing in the affirmation centers to reduce the rate of Nigeria’s unemployment.
Also Read: Dario Ruggiero on Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, and Environment
