Geography & environment — Nigeria
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Nigeria: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
10 00 N, 8 00 E
- Total Area
356,667 Square Miles 923,768 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
351,648 Square Miles 910,768 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
5,019 Square Miles 13,000 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
2,515 Miles 4,047 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
- Coastline
530 Miles 853 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
- Highest Point
2,419 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
- Lowest Point Location
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
- Natural Resources
natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, arable land
- Irrigated Land
1,132 Square Miles 2,932 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Due to its size and diversity, Nigeria has different climate zones. In the coastal area, where Lagos is located, temperatures range from the mid-70s to the low 90s during most of the year. Rainfall is heaviest in this area, averaging 70 inches per year. The rainy season is fairly distinct throughout Nigeria. Along the coast, the heaviest rains fall during May to October. Humidity is high most of the year but declines during the winter months. In the central plateau, where Abuja is located, temperatures can climb to over 100(F) between March and June. Abuja's climate is generally hot and humid during the rainy season of June to September and rainfall in the area averages 50 inches per year. The humidity decreases considerably during the coolest months of December and January, when night temperatures are often in the 60s. The climate in northern Nigeria is drier, averaging as low as 20 inches of rain per year in the far north. A distinctive feature of Nigerian weather is the harmattan, a dry northeasterly wind that carries sand from the Sahara south as far as Nigeria's coast during the months of December through February. The effects of the harmattan are felt strongest in the northern part of the country and decrease gradually the further south one goes. Visually, the harmattan creates a haze that on certain days can almost block the views of the surrounding hills in the Abuja region. Many people experience eye, nose and throat problems during this time of year.
- Terrain
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
- Location
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
- Total Area
356,667 Square Miles 923,768 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
soil degradation
rapid deforestation
urban air and water pollution
desertification
oil pollution - water, air, and soil
has suffered serious damage from oil spills
loss of arable land
rapid urbanization
- Environment - International Agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements