Nigeria+Culture

=Culture=


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The People:
As the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria is responsible for over half of West Africa's total population. The life expectancy in Nigeria is approximately 47 years.

Population:
Nigeria has a population of about 155,215,573 people. Nigeria is the most populous country in all of Africa, and the 8th most populous country in the world.

History:
The country of Nigeria is known officially as the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This history of Nigeria can be dated back all of the way to 2000 B.C. Prehistorically, the country of Nigeria mainly consisted of nomadic tribes people. These people cultivated crops and grazed their livestock. The history of Nigeria portrays the Noks as the most well-known settlers within the surrounding region. These were the people that began creating bronze and terracotta sculptures. It was during the 11th century that many people began to migrate to inhabit Nigeria. People that have descended from this country are referred to as Nigerians. British control over what would become Africa's most populous country grew largely during the 19th century. Nigerian people were transported out of their own country as a part of the slave trade. After numerous battles and political uprisings, Nigeria finally gained its independence on October 1 of 1960. This was an extremely significant day in Nigeria's history.

Artwork :
Nok people created sculptures made out of terracotta, which is a kind of earthenware. The first of these African sculptures were excavated in 1943. Terracotta heads, figurines, animals, and broken shards were all discovered. Many of the sculptures were human figurines. These sculptures can vary greatly in size, with some measuring only 2.5 centimeters large while others are life-size! The human heads feature pierced ears and eyes that are hollowed out. These figurines are very human-like in design, but it is unknown what function these sculptures played in Nok society. The Nok people that created these terracotta statues lived in farming communities and made their own iron weapons and tools to use in farming. Below are three examples of terracotta sculptures created by the Noks.

Music:
Nigerian music contains many different kinds of Folk and popular music. The numerous styles of Folk music are related to the numerous ethnic groups that reside in Nigeria. Bronze carvings from the 16th and 17th centuries have been founding to depict musicians and instruments. The music made my Nigerians has received international acclaim. Nigeria is actually referred to as "the heart of African music" due to its development of new music styles. [|Click here to listen to music made by various Nigerian artists!]

Religions:
There are several main religions that are followed in Nigeria, including: > (Nigeria, CIA fact book, 2011)
 * Muslim (50%)
 * Christian (40%)
 * Indigenous Beliefs (10%)

Nigerian Food:
Nigerian food is considered to be essential to Nigerian culture because people feel that their food defines them. Below are some examples of common Nigerian foods. Click on the pictures to find the recipes for these tasty creations!







Ethnic Groups:
As Africa's most populous country, Nigeria contains more than 250 ethnic groups. The large number of ethnic groups have formed Nigeria into a richly diversified country with a variety of customs, languages, and traditions. Several of these ethnic groups are considered to be the most populous and influential in all of Nigeria, including: >
 * Hausa and Fulani (29%)
 * Yoruba (21%)
 * Igbo (18%)
 * Ijaw (10%)
 * Kanuri (4%)
 * Ibibio (3.5%)
 * Tiv (2.5%).

Languages :
Although English is the official language of Nigeria, it is not the only common language of this country. Common languages in Nigeria include:
 * English
 * Hausa
 * Yoruba
 * Igbo
 * Fulani
 * More than 500 Indigenous languages

Political System:
A presidential election was held in April of 2011 in Nigeria. This election was controversial and considered to be a major issue because citizens could not agree whether a Muslim or a Christian should be allowed to become president. On April 19, Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian, was declared the winner.

Economics:
When it comes to the topic of currency, one Nigerian Naira is equal to 0.0062 United States dollars. The gross national product in Nigeria $341.677 billion.

Trade:
Nigeria is the United States' largest trading partner out of all of the Sub-Saharan Africa area. This is significantly due to the high levels of petroleum imports from Nigeria. These account for and supply 8% of all US oil imports.