Nigeria Surf Trip Vacation Destinations

Geography: Area: 923.8 thousand sq. km. (356,700 sq. mi.) about the size of California, Nevada, and Arizona. Cities: Capital--Abuja (pop. est. 452,000). Other cities--Kano (9.3 million), Lagos (9.01 million), Ibadan (5 million), Enugu (500,000). Terrain: Ranges from southern coastal swamps to tropical forests, open woodlands, grasslands, and semi-desert in the far north. The highest regions are the Jos Plateau 1,200-2,400 meters above sea level and the mountains along the border with Cameroon.

Climate: As in most of West Africa, Nigeria's climate is characterized by strong latitudinal zones, becoming progressively drier as one moves north from the coast. Rainfall is the key climatic variable, and there is a marked alternation of wet and dry seasons in most areas. Two air masses control rainfall--moist northward-moving maritime air coming from the Atlantic Ocean and dry continental air coming south from the African landmass. Topographic relief plays a significant role in local climate only around the Jos Plateau and along the eastern border highlands.Annual rainfall ranges from 381 cm. along the coast to 64 cm. or less in the far north.

Nigeria Map: