Profile of Nigeria

Welcome to Nigeria, a land of amazing contrast--skilled artists and nomadic shepherds, grass huts and concrete buildings, huge forests and sprawling cities.  Although the country gained independence in October 1960, even a casual visitor can tell that Nigeria has a long way to go before it will be a unified nation.  Most of its 35 million people have strong loyalties to their tribal groups, each tribe has a different language, and a large group like the 5 million Ibos will speak a number of separate dialects.  Adding to the difficulty of communication is the fact that 75 percent of the population is illiterate, although new schools are being built as rapidly as possible.