Nasarawa | ||
---|---|---|
State | ||
|
||
Nickname(s): Home of Solid Minerals | ||
Location of Nasarawa State in Nigeria |
||
Coordinates: 8°32′N 8°18′E / 8.533°N 8.300°ECoordinates: 8°32′N 8°18′E / 8.533°N 8.300°E | ||
Country | Nigeria | |
Date created | 1 October 1996 | |
Capital | Lafia | |
Government | ||
• Governor | Umaru Tanko Al-Makura | |
• Deputy Governor | Silas Ali Agara | |
• Representatives | List | |
Area | ||
• Total | 27,117 km2 (10,470 sq mi) | |
Population (2005) | ||
• Total | 2,040,112 | |
• Density | 75/km2 (190/sq mi) | |
GDP (PPP) | ||
• Year | 2007 | |
• Total | $3.02 billion | |
• Per capita | $1,588 | |
Time zone | WAT (UTC+01) | |
ISO 3166 code | NG-NA | |
Website | www |
Nasarawa is a state in the north central Nigeria. Its capital is Lafia.
Nasarawa was created on 1 October 1996 by the Abacha government from the (today neighboring) Plateau State.
Nasarawa State is bounded in the north by Kaduna State, in the west by the Abuja Federal Capital Territory, in the south by Kogi and Benue States and in the east by Taraba and Plateau States.
A network of roads exist within the state, linking all the rural areas and major towns. The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) operates train services from Kuru, Gombe and Maiduguri.
The State has three National Senatorial Districts (South, North and West).
Nasarawa State consists of thirteen (13) Local Government Areas (shown with 2006 population figures):
List of current Local Government Area Chairmen.
Nasarawa State has agriculture as the mainstay of its economy with the production of varieties of cash crops throughout the year. It also contains various minerals such as salt, Barite, bauxite, etc which are mostly mined by artisanal miners.
The state has a Federal Polytechnic in Nasarawa local Government Area of the state, College of Education in Akwanga, College of Agriculture in Lafia, Nasarawa State Polytechnic in Lafia, Nasarawa State University in Keffi,a newly established Federal University of Lafia in Lafia town, and other vocational training schools.