Zamfara
| Zamfara | |
|---|---|
| State | |
| Nickname(s): Farming is Our Pride | |
 Location of Zamfara State in Nigeria |
|
| Coordinates: 12°10′N 6°15′E / 12.167°N 6.250°ECoordinates: 12°10′N 6°15′E / 12.167°N 6.250°E | |
| Country |
 Nigeria
|
| Date created | 1 October 1996 |
| Capital | Gusau |
| Government | |
| • Governor (List) |
Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari (APC) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 39,762 km2 (15,352 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 7th of 36 |
| Population | |
| • Estimate (2011) | 3,838,160 |
| • Rank | 23rd of 36 |
| Demonym(s) | Zamfaran |
| GDP (PPP) | |
| • Year | 2007 |
| • Total | $4.12 billion |
| • Per capita | $1,237 |
| Time zone | WAT (UTC+01) |
| ISO 3166 code | NG-ZA |
Zamfara is a state in northwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Gusau and its Governor is Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Until 1996 the area was part of Sokoto State.
Zamfara is peopled by Hausa and Fulani peoples. Major groups of people include the Zamfarawa mainly peopling Anka, Gummi, Bukkuyum and Talata Mafara Local Governments areas. Gobirawa peopled Shinkafi Local Government. Gobirawa actually migrated from the Gobir Kingdom. Burmawa are found in Bakura and Fulani peopled Bungudu, Maradun, Gusau and are scattered all over the State. In Tsafe, Bungudu and Maru Local Governments are mainly Katsinawa, Garewawa and Hadejawa. While Alibawa peopled Kaura Namoda and Zurmi.
Although the people of Zamfara have over the years struggled to have autonomy, it was not until 1996 that the then Military Administration of the Late General Sani Abacha detached Zamfara State from Sokoto State. With an area of 38,418 square kilometres, it is bordered in the North by Niger republic, to the South by Kaduna State. In the east it is bordered by Katsina State and to the West by Sokoto and Niger States. It has a population of 3,278,873 according to the 2006 census and contains fourteen local government areas.
The area today called Zamfara state was one of the old Hausa city-states like Kano, Katsina, Gobir, Kabi and Zazzau.The earliest inhabitants of Zamfara were said to be hunters and also giant people.They estalished their first settlement at Dutsi which was the first capital of Zamfara.It extends up to the bend of River Rima to the north west and River Ka in the south west. Zamfara Kingdom was established in the 11th century and flourished up to 16th century as a city-state. Its capital has shifted with the fortunes of the kingdom from place to place like Dutsi and Birnin Zamfara. In the first half of the 18th century, its then capital Birnin Zamfara, was destroyed by the Gobir Kingdom and a new capital was established in Anka by the second half of the 19th century. Zamfara had many centers of commerce and scholarship that attracted many scholars like the Yandoto city. It became part of the Sokoto Caliphate after the 1804 jihad by Usman dan Fodio. In fact, Usman Danfodiyo settled in Sabon Gari where Sarkin Zamfara Abarshi had already established a garrison headquarters during the early days of his Jihad as a base from where fought Gobir and Kabi.
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