Colors and the Meaning of the Nigeria Flag
Nigeria flag consists of green and white colors that divide the flag vertically. While the green color on the fluctuating side of the flag symbolizes the agricultural lands and the green nature of the country’s economically backbone, the white color in the center represents peace and unity.
History of the Nigeria Flag
In the early 1800s the British took control over Nigeria, and British Blue Ensigns and British White Ensigns were flying in various parts of the country. In 1870 the British West African flag was adopted. The flag had a British Blue Ensign floor. On the top left side of the flag was Union Jack and a round badge was on the right. This rosette was an elephant, palm tree, sand and green mountains. At the bottom of the badge was ‘West African Settlement’.
In 1884, England claimed sovereignty over the Niger Delta, and the region was renamed the Petroleum Rivers. Oil Rivers The flag of the area that received the name Protectorate was like the Flag of West Africa. Union Jack, the British Blue Ensign and the round badge kept their place on the new flag. The only change was the symbols in the badge on the flag.
When England took control of the port of Lagos, a red ‘L’ replaced the text of the West African Settlement, and they accepted the British West African flag in the region. In 1887, the Royal Niger Company accepted the British White Ensigns with a black Y letter on its flags, and a white circle with a red edge in ARS, JUS and PAX in each corner of the letter Y. In 1888, the flag of the Royal Niger Company was transformed into a British Blue Ensigns with the same badge. The Petroleum Rivers Conservation Agency was renamed the Niger Coast Conservation Agency in 1893 and the British Blue Ensign remained the same.
In 1900, Nigeria was divided into northern and southern parts. The flags were a blue circle with the British Blue Ensigns, a red circle in the north and NORTH NIGERIA, and the SOUTHERN NIGERIA in the south. Both sides joined British Colonial Nigeria in 1914. The flag was transformed into a British Blue Ensigns with a red circle, a green pentagram and a crown in the center. When Nigeria gained independence in 1960, the new green-white-green tri-colored flag was accepted. Designed by Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, the green lines in the flag represent richness in the country, while the white color represents peace.
Neighboring Countries of Nigeria
It is located on the shore of the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa. Cameroon to the east, Chad in the northeast, Niger in the north and Benin to the west.
Main Characteristics of Nigeria
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. A large part of the people constitute the local tribes. Abuja; is the capital of the country. It is a regularly planned city. After the official language English, the most spoken language is Arabic. Local languages are also spoken. The currency is Naira.
Tropical climate prevails. Temperatures are quite high. The average rainfall varies by region. Northern regions have a desert climate. It is similar to the country kitchens in West Africa. There are restaurants serving international cuisine in large cities.
| Country | Nigeria |
| Code | NG (NGA) |
| Calling Code | 234 |
| Capital City | Abuja |
| Currency | nigerian naira (NGN) |
| Emoji Symbol | 🇳🇬 |
| Highest Point | Chappal Waddi (2,419 m) |
| Internet TLD | .ng |
| Population(2017) | 195,977,965 (2018) |
| Total Area | 923,768 km2 |