Enugu State

Enugu is in the east of Nigeria.

It has many hills. The name means "top of the hill."

Some parts are wet forests. Other parts are dry. A river flows through the big city.

People grow food there. They grow rice and yams. They also grow oil palm.

Many people work in trade. They sell things in big markets. Some people find coal in the hills.

It is a very busy place to live.

Enugu State is in the southeast part of Nigeria. It sits near several other states. These include Abia to the south and Anambra to the west. The state's name comes from its capital city, Enugu. The name means "the top of the hill."

The land changes as you travel through it. The far south has swamp forests. The rest of the state has drier forests and savanna. The Udi-Nsukka Plateau is a major feature of the land. The Ekulu River also flows through the capital city.

Many people live here. Most are Igbo people. Farming is a big part of life. People grow rice, yams, and oil palm. Others work in trade at large markets. The Ogbete Main market is a very busy place.

Enugu is also known for coal. A man named Albert Kitson found coal in the Udi Hills. This discovery helped the area grow. Today, the state has many schools. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, is the first indigenous university in the country.

St. Theresa Catholic Cathedral is in Nsukka.

Enugu State is a place in the South-East part of Nigeria. It sits near several other states like Abia to the south and Anambra to the west. To the east lies Ebonyi, while Benue and Kogi border it to the north and northwest. The state gets its name from its capital city, Enugu. The name comes from the words "Enu Ugwu," which means "the top of the hill."

The land here looks very different depending on where you stand. In the far south, you will find the Niger Delta swamp forests. The rest of the state has a mix of forest and savanna, which is a drier land. A large feature is the Udi-Nsukka Plateau. The Ekulu River also flows right through the capital city. The weather is tropical with wet and dry seasons. The city is often cooler than the rest of Nigeria.

History has shaped this land many times. Long ago, it was part of the Kingdom of Nri. In 1909, a British engineer named Albert Kitson arrived. He was looking for silver but found coal instead. This discovery in the Udi Hills changed everything. It led to a railway and many new businesses. Enugu became a very important place for the British.

Many people live in Enugu State today. There are over 4.4 million people there. Most of the people are from the Igbo ethnic group. Some smaller groups like the Idoma and Igala also live in certain areas. The state is the 22nd most populous in Nigeria. It is also known as the heart of Igboland. This makes it a very important cultural center.

Life in the state involves many different jobs. Many people are farmers who grow rice, yams, and cassava. Others work in big markets like the Ogbete Main market. There is also a lot of trading and service work. The state has many schools, including the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. This was the very first indigenous university in the country.

Enugu State is a significant administrative region located in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It serves as a vital cultural and economic hub within the region known as Igboland. The state is named after its capital and largest city, Enugu. This name is derived from the Igbo words "Enu Ugwu," which translates to "the top of the hill." As of 2016, the state had an estimated population exceeding 4.4 million people. It ranks as the 22nd most populous state among Nigeria's 36 states.

The geography of the state is diverse and varies by location. In the far south, the landscape consists of Niger Delta swamp forests. The rest of the state features a Guinean forest–savanna mosaic. This area includes some savanna lands. A major landmark is the Udi-Nsukka Plateau. Another important feature is the Ekulu River, which flows through the capital city. The state is situated at the foot of the Udi Plateau. The highest point is found on the ridge of the Enugu Escarpment.

Enugu State shares borders with several other Nigerian states. To the south, it shares a 25 km border with Abia State. Ebonyi State lies to the east. To the north and northeast, it borders Benue State for 84 km. To the northwest, Kogi State borders the state for 112 km. Anambra State lies to the west, sharing a border of 139 km. The capital city is a major transport hub. It sits on a railroad from Port Harcourt. It also serves as an intersection for roads from Aba, Onitsha, and Abakaliki.

The climate is classified as a tropical wet and dry or savanna climate. The weather in the capital city is often cooler than the national average. The average yearly temperature is 28.27°C, which is 1.19% lower than Nigeria's average. Temperatures in the city range from about 17°C in cooler months to 28°C in warmer months. The state receives approximately 158.57 millimeters of precipitation annually. There are about 192.73 rainy days per year. The lowest rainfall typically occurs in February, while the highest occurs in July.

History has played a major role in the development of the region. Long before colonial rule, the area was part of the medieval Kingdom of Nri. It was also part of the Aro Confederacy. In 1909, a British mining engineer named Albert Kitson arrived in the area. He was searching for silver but discovered coal in the Udi Ridge instead. This discovery led to the state being called the "coal city state." The British incorporated the area into the Southern Nigeria Protectorate. By 1914, the area became part of British Nigeria. Enugu became a site of resistance after a 1949 massacre of striking coal miners in the Iva Valley.

The political history of the state involves many changes in administration. After Nigeria gained independence in 1960, the area was part of the Eastern Region. In 1967, the region split, and the area became the East Central State. During the Nigerian Civil War, Enugu served as the capital of the secessionist state of Biafra. Federal forces captured the city in October 1967. Later, the Murtala Muhammed regime formed Anambra State in 1976. In 1991, the eastern part of Anambra was broken off to create the modern Enugu State. In 1996, part of Enugu was further divided to form Ebonyi State.

The economy of Enugu State is built on several different sectors. Agriculture is a primary occupation for many people in rural areas. Farmers grow crops such as yams, rice, cocoyam, oil palm, and cassava. In urban areas, trading and services are the dominant occupations. The Ogbete Main market is a prominent trading center in the capital. The Orie Orba Market is also significant, as it is one of the largest grain markets east of the Niger. Manufacturing is present in cities like Enugu, Oji, Ohebedim, and Nsukka. This includes industries like plastics and a factory named Dongfeng.

Natural resources and education are also key to the state. The region contains coal, lead, zinc, and limestone. The Oji River Power Station is located here, which historically supplied electricity to Eastern Nigeria. Education is highly developed, with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, being the first indigenous university in the country. The state also hosts the Enugu State University of Science & Technology and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital. These institutions help support the development and health of the population.