 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2017) |
Benue State | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nicknames: | |
 Location of Benue State in Nigeria | |
| Coordinates: 7°20′N 8°45′E / 7.333°N 8.750°E | |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Date created | 3 February 1976 |
| Capital | Makurdi |
| Government | |
| • Body | Government of Benue State |
| • Governor | Hyacinth Iormem Alia (APC) |
| • Deputy Governor | Samuel Ode (APC) |
| • Legislature | Benue State House of Assembly |
| • Senators | NE: Hon. Emmanuel Udende (APC) NW: Titus Zam (APC) S: Patrick Abba Moro (PDP) |
| • Representatives | List |
| Area | |
• Total | 34,059 km2 (13,150 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 11th of 36 |
| Population (2006 Census) | |
• Total | 4,253,641[1] |
• Estimate (2022) | 6,141,300[2] |
| • Rank | 7th of 36 |
| GDP (PPP) | |
| • Year | 2021 (estimate) |
| • Total | $27.64 billion[3] |
| • Per capita | $4,141[3] |
| Time zone | UTC+01 (WAT) |
| Dialing Code | +234 |
| ISO 3166 code | NG-BE |
| HDI (2022) | 0.582[4] medium · 19th of 37 |
Benue State is one of the North Central states in Nigeria with a population of about 4,253,641 in the 2006 census. The state was created in 1976 and was among the seven states created at that time.[5] The state derives its name from the Benue River initially called Ber-nor, a compound word in Tiv language which means river or lake of hippopotamus (ber meaning river or lake, while nor is the name for hippopotamus) the name Ber-nor was corrupted to BENUE by colonial masters, the river is the second largest river in Nigeria after the River Niger.[6] The state borders Nasarawa State to the North; Taraba State to the East; Kogi State to the West; Enugu State to the South-West; Ebonyi and Cross-Rivers State to the South; and has an international border with Cameroon to the South-East.[7] It is inhabited predominantly by the Tiv, Idoma and Igede people. Minority ethnic groups in Benue are Etulo, Igbo, hausa and Jukun people etc. Its capital is Makurdi.[8] Benue is a rich agricultural region; common crops cultivated in the state include oranges, yams, mangoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, soya bean, guinea corn, flax, sesame, rice, groundnuts and palm trees.
- ^ "2006 PHC Priority Tables – NATIONAL POPULATION COMMISSION". population.gov.ng. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
- ^ "Benue State: Subdivision". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ a b Okeowo, Gabriel; Fatoba, Iyanuoluwa, eds. (13 October 2022). "State of States 2022 Edition" (PDF). Budgit.org. BudgIT. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Sub-national HDI – Area Database – Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ "Benue at 46: Like Winston Churchill, like Samuel Ortom". The Cable. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
- ^ "Historical Background – I am Benue". Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "Benue State". Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission. 7 January 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ "Makurdi | Nigeria". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 19 April 2019.