Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Nigeria is a federal republic comprising 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, where its capital, Abuja, is located. Nigeria, often referred to as the Giant of Africa, is famous for her huge population of more than 230 million people - the largest national population on the African continent.
The following table presents a listing of Nigeria's 36 states ranked in order of their surface area.
| Rank | State | Area (km²) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niger State | 76,363 |
| 2 | Borno State | 70,898 |
| 3 | Taraba State | 54,473 |
| 4 | Kaduna State | 46,053 |
| 5 | Bauchi State | 45,837 |
| 6 | Yobe State | 45,502 |
| 7 | Zamfara State | 39,762 |
| 8 | Adamawa State | 36,917 |
| 9 | Kwara State | 36,825 |
| 10 | Kebbi State | 36,800 |
| 11 | Benue State | 34,059 |
| 12 | Plateau State | 30,913 |
| 13 | Kogi State | 29,833 |
| 14 | Oyo State | 28,454 |
| 15 | Nasarawa State | 27,117 |
| 16 | Sokoto State | 25,973 |
| 17 | Katsina State | 24,192 |
| 18 | Jigawa State | 23,154 |
| 19 | Cross River State | 20,156 |
| 20 | Kano State | 20,131 |
| 21 | Gombe State | 18,768 |
| 22 | Edo State | 17,802 |
| 23 | Delta State | 17,698 |
| 24 | Ogun State | 16,762 |
| 25 | Ondo State | 15,500 |
| 26 | Rivers State | 11,077 |
| 27 | Bayelsa State | 10,773 |
| 28 | Osun State | 9,251 |
| - | Abuja FCT | 7,315 |
| 29 | Enugu State | 7,161 |
| 30 | Akwa Ibom State | 7,081 |
| 31 | Ekiti State | 6,353 |
| 32 | Abia State | 6,320 |
| 33 | Ebonyi State | 5,670 |
| 34 | Imo State | 5,100 |
| 35 | Anambra State | 4,844 |
| 36 | Lagos State | 3,345 |
The name Nigeria derives from the Niger River running through the country. This name was coined on 8 January 1897, by the British journalist Flora Shaw. The neighboring Republic of Niger takes its name from the same river.
1. Niger State: Niger is the largest state in the country. It has twenty-five Local Government Areas.
2. Borno State: Borno is the second biggest state in Nigeria. As of 2016, the state's population was predicted to be 5.86 million, making it the ninth most populated state.
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3. Taraba State: The Borno borders Adamawa State on the northwest, Gombe on the west, and Taraba on the southwest. Its eastern border forms the national eastern border with Cameroon.
4. Kaduna State: It is the third most populous state in the country, with numerous educational institutions of importance, such as Ahmadu Bello University.
5. Bauchi State: The state is bordered by seven states: Kano and Jigawa on the north, Taraba and Plateau on the south, Gombe and Yobe on the east, and Kaduna on the west. According to 2016 estimates, the population of Bauchi State was over 6,530,000, making it the ninth most populous country.
6. Yobe State: It has seventeen Local Government Areas. They include: Bade, Bursari, Damaturu, Geidam, Gujba, Gulani, Fika, Fune, Jakusko, Karasuwa, Machina, Nangere, Nguru, Potiskum, Tarmuwa, Yunusari, and Yusufari.
7. Zamfara State: Zamfara is a state in northwestern Nigeria with a predominantly Hausa and Fulani population. The state's primary industries and main sources of revenue are agriculture and gold mining.
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8. Adamawa State: Adamawa is the thirteenth least populated in population, with an estimated 4.25 million residents as of 2016.
9. Kwara State: Kwara is located within the North Central geopolitical zone, commonly referred to as the Middle Belt. It has 16 Local Government Areas.
10. Kebbi State: Kebbi State is bordered by Sokoto State, Niger State, Zamfara State, Dosso Region in the Republic of Niger and the nation of Benin. Kebbi is the tenth largest state in the region and the 22nd most populous, with an estimated population of 4.4 million people in 2016.
A state with a large landmass does not determine if it will be more economically productive than others (those with a small landmass), for example, Lagos State is the smallest in the country, yet it has the largest economic prowess.
Map of Nigerian States
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Land is in abundance in Nigeria for agricultural, industrial and commercial activities. It has a land mass of 923,768 square kilometers (356,668 square miles).
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