Taraba State

Taraba State
—  State  —
Nickname(s): Nature's Gift to the Nation
Location of Taraba State in Nigeria
Coordinates: 8°00′N 10°30′E / 8°N 10.5°E / 8; 10.5Coordinates: 8°00′N 10°30′E / 8°N 10.5°E / 8; 10.5
Country	Nigeria
Date created	27 August 1991
Capital	Jalingo
Government
– Governor (List)	Danbaba Danfulani Suntai (PDP)
– Senators	Dr Anthony Manzo Dahiru Gassol Joel Danlami
– Representatives
Area
– Total	54,473 km2 (21,032.1 sq mi)
Area rank	3rd of 36
Population (1991 census)
– Total	1,480,590
– Estimate (2005)	2,688,944
– Rank	30th of 36
– Density	27.2/km2 (70.4/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)
– Year	2007
– Total	$3.40 billion[1]
– Per capita	$1,446[1]
Time zone	WAT (UTC+01)
ISO 3166 code	NG-TA
Website	tarabastate.gov.ng

Taraba State is a state of Nigeria, named after the Taraba River which traverses the southern part of the state. Taraba's capital is Jalingo.

History

The state was created out of the former Gongola State on 27 August 1991, by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida.

Geography

Taraba State is bounded in the west by Plateau and Benue States and on the east by the Cameroon. Taraba has sixteen Local Government Areas, which are governed by elected chairmen. They are as follows: Ardo Kola, Bali, Donga, Gashaka, Gassol, Ibi, Jalingo, Karim Lamido, Kurmi, Lau, Sardauna, Takum, Ussa, Wukari, Yorro, and Zing.

Taraba State lies largely within the middle of Nigeria and consists of undulating landscape dotted with a few mountainous features. These includes the scenic and prominent Mambilla Plateau. The state lies largely within the tropical zone and has a vegetation of low forest in the southern part and grassland in the northern part. The Mambilla Plateau with an altitude of 1,800 meters (6000 ft) above sea level has a temperate climate all year round.

Rivers Benue, Donga, Taraba and Ibi are the main rivers in the state. They rise from the Cameroonian mountains, straining almost the entire length of the state in the North and South direction to link up with the River Niger.

Agriculture

The major occupation of the people of Taraba State is agriculture. Cash crops produced in the state include coffee, tea, groundnuts and cotton. Crops such as maize, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava, and yam are also produced in commercial quantity. In addition, cattle, sheep and goats are reared in large numbers, especially on the Manbilla Plateau, and along the Benue and Taraba valleys. Similarly, the people undertake other livestock production activities like poultry production, rabbit breeding and pig farming in fairly large scale. Communities living on the banks of River Benue, River Taraba, River Donga and Ibi engage in fishing all year round. Other occupational activities such as pottery, cloth-weaving, dyeing, mat-making, carving, embroidery and blacksmithing are also carried out in various parts of the State.

Culture

The government has made concerted efforts to improve areas of tourist attractions like Mambilla Tourist Center, Gumpti Park and game reserve in Gashaka; and the Nwunyu Fishing festival in Ibi, which is usually held in April of each year where activities such as canoe racing, swimming competition and cultural dances are held. Other festivals are Purma of the Chamba in Donga, Takum and Bali, the Puje of Jukuns, Kuchecheb of Kutebs in Takum and Ussa, Kati of the Mambilla and host of others. Taraba is called "Nature's gift to the nation" as the state is rich and have many ethnic groups, including Jenjo, Kuteb Chamba, Mumuyes, Mambila, Wurkums, Fulanis, Jukun,Ichen,Tiv,Hausa and Ndoro.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "C-GIDD (Canback Global Income Distribution Database)". Canback Dangel. http://www.cgidd.com. Retrieved 2008-08-20. 

External links

• Taraba State website
• Nigerian Post Office- with map of LGAs of the state