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
2 The Environment Varies Nigeria has three main regions The coast is swampy and wet The interior is tropical The north is dry grasslands Although the environment changes it is hot everywhere Temperatures are usually around 90 degrees 32 C Humidity is high Nigeria has a rainy season and a dry season In the north it rains for three to four months The dry season starts in October A trade wind called the Harmattan brings fine sands from the Sahara Desert The air gets hazy The dust is harsh on the skin It causes respiratory and other health problems Nigeria has many environmental challenges Rapid urbanization has led to pollution Forests have been destroyed for the fast-growing population The soil has been over-farmed This causes it to lose nutrients crops need to grow Nigeria is rich in oil but oil spills are common Nigeria is home to a large variety of animals There are more than 274 species of mammals Many are endangered due to hunting 6 The Harmattan winds are harsh on livestock and can last for three months in northern Nigeria
and deforestation One of the most endangered animals is the white-throated guenon a type of monkey These are hunted for their fur Two famous Nigerian animals are the lion and the gorilla Elephants rhinos antelopes and hyenas are found in the savannas The forests and swamps have leopards snakes and hippos Various species of wild cats live all over the country The Cross River gorilla and white-throated guenon monkey are endangered in Nigeria 200 300 Population of critically endangered Cross River gorillas Northern Nigeria is dry and southern Nigeria is wet Harmattan winds from the northeast make the air dusty Deforestation pollution and over-farming are major environmental concerns THINK ABOUT IT Pick an endangered animal you care about Research online to learn more about it Why is the animal endangered What organizations work to save endangered animals 7
