Nigeria
One country, Many Ethnic Groups
Nigeria's History
Before Europeans arrived , what is now Nigeria was ruled by many ethnic groups, including the Hausa, the Yoruba, and the Ibo. But when Europeans drew nigeria's borders, they didn't think about the ethnic groups.
By 1914 , Great Britain had taken over the government of Nigeria . The borders of the British colony of Nigeria included part of Hausaland, part of yorubaland , and Iboland. Nigeria became independent in 1960.
To help unify the country, in 1991 the government moved the nations capital from Lagos, in the south, to Abuja in the central portion of the country.
Three Different Cultures
The Hausa and the Fulani make up about 33 percent of nigeria's people and most are Muslims. For hundreds of years , the Hausa-Fulani have made an important part of their living by trading goods from as far away of trade routes.
About 20 percent of Nigeria's people are Yoruba and many of them still live in Lagos, the city-state they built more than 500 years ago.
Most Yorubas are farmers.
A count of all the people in a country is called a census.