Borno State

Borno State is a major administrative region in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is a geographically unique territory because it is the only Nigerian state to border three different countries. To the north, it shares a border with Niger. Its northeastern border follows the boundary of Chad. The eastern border forms part of the national line with Cameroon. Within Nigeria, Borno is surrounded by Yobe to the west, Gombe to the southwest, and Adamawa to the south.

The state is massive in scale, ranking as the second largest of Nigeria's 36 states. Only Niger State is larger in total area. Despite this vast size, it is not the most crowded region. It is the eleventh most populous state, with an estimated 5.86 million people as of 2016. The capital city is Maiduguri, which serves as a vital regional center for trade and services. The state was officially formed on February 3, 1976, following the dissolution of the former North-Eastern State.

Borno's landscape is defined by distinct ecological zones. In the north, the environment consists of the semi-desert Sahelian savanna. Moving toward the center and south, the land transitions into the West Sudanian savanna. The southeast contains parts of the montane Mandara Plateau. In the far northeast, the Yobe River flows into the Nigerian portion of Lake Chad. This area includes the Lake Chad flooded savanna ecoregion.

Central Borno also contains the Chad Basin National Park. This park supports diverse wildlife, including the black crowned crane, spotted hyena, patas monkey, and roan antelope. It is also a site for transient herds of African bush elephants.

The history of this region spans many centuries and involves powerful empires. From the 700s, the area was part of the Kanem Empire. This empire was immense, reaching from modern-day southern Libya through much of Chad. In the late 1300s, the empire became the Bornu Empire after unsuccessful wars. It maintained strength and rule for approximately 500 years. The empire began to decline in the early 1800s following the Fulani jihad. During this time, much of southern Borno was seized by the Adamawa Emirate under the Sokoto Caliphate.

Colonial history further reshaped the borders of the region. In 1893, a Sudanese warlord named Rabih az-Zubayr conquered the empire. He ruled until he was killed by French forces during the 1900 Battle of Kousséri. Following this, the territory was divided between the British and German empires. The German-controlled area became part of German Kamerun. The British-controlled area joined the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. Eventually, the eastern periphery became part of the British Cameroons before merging with Nigeria in 1961 through a referendum.

Borno is home to a wide variety of ethnic groups and religious traditions. The Kanuri and Shuwa Arabs live throughout the north and center. The central region is inhabited by groups such as the Dghwede, Glavda, Guduf, Laamang, Mafa, and Mandara. In the extreme northeast, the Afade and Yedina people live. The south is home to the Waja, Kyibaku, Kamwe, Kilba, and Margi groups.

Most residents, about 85 percent, are Muslim. Christian and traditionalist minorities each make up about 7 percent of the population.

In recent years, the state has faced significant challenges due to the Boko Haram insurgency. This conflict began in 2009 and escalated dramatically between 2012 and 2015. The insurgency caused massive displacement, forcing millions of people from their homes. It also heavily impacted the agricultural sector, leading to acute food insecurity. Many schools were destroyed, and the Sambisa Forest became a stronghold for the group. However, since 2016, the insurgency has slightly abated. This has allowed for a renewal of development across the state.