View source for Abia State

{{Infobox state
| name                    = Abia State
| official_name           = 
| type                    = [[States of Nigeria|State]]
| image_skyline           = 
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = 
| image_flag              = 
| flag_alt                = Flag of Abia State
| image_seal              = 
| seal_alt                = Seal of Abia State
| nickname                = [[List of Nigerian state nicknames|God's Own State]]<br /> [[Igbo language|Igbo]]: ''Ulo Chi/Chukwu''
| image_map               = Nigeria Abia State map.png
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = Location of Abia State in Nigeria
| latd  = 5|latm  =  25|latNS  = N
| longd =  7|longm =  30|longEW = E
| coor_pinpoint           = 
| coordinates_type        = region:NG_type:adm1st
| coordinates_display     = inline,title
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
| coordinates_region      = NG
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = {{flag|Nigeria}}
| established_title       = [[List of Nigerian states by date of statehood|Date created]]
| established_date        = 27 August 1991
| seat_type               = [[List of Nigerian state capitals|Capital]]
| seat                    = [[Umuahia]]
| government_footnotes    = 
| leader_party            = [[Progressive Peoples Alliance|PPA]]
| leader_title            = [[List of Nigerian state governors|Governor]]<ref>See [[List of Governors of Abia State]] for a list of prior governors</ref>
| leader_name             = [[Theodore Orji]]
| leader_title1           = [[Senate of Nigeria|Senators]]
| leader_name1            = Eyinnaya Abaribe, Uche Chukwumerije, Nkechi Justina Nwaogu
| leader_title2           = [[Nigerian House of Representatives|Representatives]]
| leader_name2            = [[Nigerian National Assembly delegation from Abia|List]]
| unit_pref               = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_footnotes          = 
| area_total_km2          = 6320
| area_rank               = 
| area_note               = 
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 
| population_footnotes    = <ref name=census>{{cite web| url=http://www.nigerianstat.gov.ng/Connections/Pop2006.pdf| title=Legal Notice on Publication of the Details of the Breakdown of the National and State Provisional Totals 2006 Census| author=Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette|date=15 May 2007|format=PDF|accessdate=2007-05-19}}</ref>
| population_total        = 2,833,999
| population_as_of        = 2006 census
| population_est          = 
| pop_est_as_of           = 
| population_rank         = 
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_note         = 
| demographics_type1      = [[List of Nigerian states by GDP|GDP (PPP)]]
| demographics1_footnotes = 
| demographics1_title1    = Year
| demographics1_info1     = [[List of Nigerian states by GDP|2007]]
| demographics1_title2    = Total
| demographics1_info2     = $18.69&nbsp;billion<ref name="C-GIDD GDP">{{cite web|url=http://www.cgidd.com|publisher=Canback Dangel|title=C-GIDD (Canback Global Income Distribution Database)|accessdate = 2008-08-20}}</ref>
| demographics1_title3    = Per capita
| demographics1_info3     = $3,003<ref name="C-GIDD GDP"/>
| timezone1               = [[West Africa Time|WAT]]
| utc_offset1             = +01
| blank_name_sec1         = Official language
| blank_info_sec1         =[[Igbo language|Igbo]]
| postal_code_type        = 
| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          = 
| area_code               = 
| iso_code                = [[ISO 3166-2:NG|NG-AB]]
| website                 = [http://www.abiastateonline.com/ abiastateonline.com]<!-- [http://www.example.com example.com] -->
| footnotes               = 
}}

'''Abia State''' is a [[States of Nigeria|state]] in southeastern [[Nigeria]]. The capital is [[Umuahia]], although the major commercial city is [[Aba, Nigeria|Aba]], formerly a [[United Kingdom|British]] colonial government outpost. The state was created in 1991 from part of [[Imo State]] and its citizens are predominantly [[Igbo people]] (95% of population).<ref>http://www.igbofocus.co.uk/html/enugu_state.html</ref> It is one of the nine constituent states of the [[Niger Delta]] region.

== History and population ==
Abia State was carved out of the former Imo State in 1991. The name "Abia" is an abbreviation of four of the state's densely populated regions [[Aba]], [[Bende, Nigeria|Bende]], Isuikwuato, and Afikpo.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abia-union.org/abia_state_history |title=Abia State history}}</ref> It is one of the thirty-six (36) States that constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Abia people are of the Igbo [[ethnic group]] who predominates much of the Southeastern part of Nigeria. Their traditional language is [[Igbo language|Igbo]]. [[English language|English]] is widely spoken and serves as the official language in governance and business. Globally, Igbos are well travelled. Abia's 2.4mm people are mainly [[Christianity|Christians]] and entrepreneurial. They are known and reputed to be industrious, highly market oriented, very hospitable and accommodating, probably due to their migratory nature.

== Politics ==
The State Government is led by a democratically-elected [[Governor of Abia State|executive Governor]] who works closely with an elected State House Assembly. The capital city is Umuahia. There are Seventeen (17) local government areas (LGAs).

In 1999 Nigeria became a [[democracy]], and [[Orji Uzor Kalu]] contested on the platform of the [[People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)|People's Democratic Party]] (PDP) and won the Governorship election in Abia State. Consequently he was sworn-in on 29 May 1999. In 2003, when it was time for fresh elections, Kalu re-contested on the platform of the PDP and got a second mandate to govern. (The [[Constitution of Nigeria]] limits Governors to two terms in office.) 
[[Theodore Orji]] (PPA) defeated [[Onyema Ugochukwu]] (PDP) in the [[Nigerian general election, 2007|2007 general elections]] to become Abia's next Governor.

===Local Government Areas===
Abia State has 17 [[Local Government Areas of Nigeria|local government areas]] (LGAs). They are:
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Aba North]]
*[[Aba South]]
*[[Arochukwu]]
*[[Bende, Nigeria|Bende]]
*[[Ikwuano]]
*[[Isiala Ngwa North]]
*[[Isiala Ngwa South]]
*[[Isuikwuato]]
*[[Obi Ngwa]]
*[[Ohafia]]
*[[Osisioma Ngwa]]
*[[Ugwunagbo]]
*[[Ukwa East]]
*[[Ukwa West]]
*[[Umuahia North]]
*[[Umuahia South]]
*[[Umu Nneochi]]
{{div col end}}

===Traditional rulers===
{| class="wikitable" style=width:80% align="left" 
! Title || Ethnic Group || Name || Class || LGAs || Palace
|-
| ''Enyi'' (''Eze'') of Aba || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / ? || Eze Issac Ikonne
|-
| ''Eze Aro'' || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / [[Arochukwu]] || Mazi Ogbonnaya Vincent Okoro (Eze Aro III) || 1 || [[Arochukwu Local Government Area|Arochukwu]] || Oro Arochukwu
|-
| ''Ike 1 of Ikeisu'' || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / [[Isu]] || Dr. Augustine O. Igwe (Ike I) || ? || [[Arochukwu Local Government Area|Arochukwu]] || Ikeisu (Utugiyi)
|-
| ''Ugo Oha'' (''Eze'') of Etiti Mgboko Umuanunu || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / [[Etiti]] || Ngozi Ibekwe || 1 || Obi ngwa || ?
|-
| ''Eze'' 1 of ovukwu abam onyerubi || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / [[Ndi oji Abam]] || Oriji Ojembe || 1 || [[Isuikwuato Local Government Area|Isuikwuato]] || ?
|-
| ''Eze Ukwu 1'' of Ngwa-Ukwu || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / Ngwa ||  Benard Enweremadu || 1 ||Isiala Ngwa || Ngwa Ukwu
|-
| ''Eze'' of Nunya || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / ? || Dr. M.E. Ihevume || ? || ? ||
|-
| ''Ossah-Ibeku'' (''Eze'') of Umuahia<ref>Chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers</ref>  || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / ? || Hope Onuigbo || X || X || Umuahia [ [AMIBO,NSUKWE] ]
|-
| ''Eze'' of Uturu || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / [[Uturu]] || A.E. Ude || ? || [[Isuikwuato Local Government Area|Isuikwuato]] || Uturu
|-
| ''Igbojiakuru'' (Eze) of Alayi || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / [[Alayi]] || Ukeje Philip || ? || [[Bende, Nigeria|Bende]] || [[Alayi|Amaeke Alayi]] 
|-
| ''Awu'' (''Eze'')of Isuamawu || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / [[Isuikwuato]] || Surveyor Chris E Aboh,FNIS || ? || [[Isuikwuato Local Government Area|Isuikwuato]] || Eluama Isuama
|- Eze of Obunebere || [[Igbo language|Igbo]] / [[Isuikwuato]] ||Ndubuisi N. Alatta || ? || [[Isuikwuato Local Government Area]] || Eluama
|-
| ''Enachioken'' Of Abiriba || [[Igbo language|Igbo]]  / [[Abiriba]] ||Kalu Kalu Ogbu  || ? || [[Ohafia LGA]] || Abiriba
|}
{{clr}}

== Geography ==
Abia State, which occupies about 5,834 square kilometers, is bounded on the north and northeast by the states of [[Anambra]], [[Enugu]], and [[Ebonyi]]. To the west of Abia is [[Imo State]], to the east and southeast are [[Cross River State]] and [[Akwa Ibom State]], and to the south is [[Rivers State]]. The southern part of the State lies within the riverine part of Nigeria. It is low-lying with a [[rain|heavy rainfall]] of about 2400&nbsp;mm/year especially intense between the months of April through October. The rest of the State is moderately high plain. The most important rivers in Abia State are the [[Imo River|Imo]] and [[Aba River (Nigeria)|Aba Rivers]] which flow into the [[Atlantic Ocean]] through the Niger Delta.

===Infrastructure and economy===
[[Petroleum|Crude oil]] and [[Natural gas|gas]] production is a prominent activity, as it contributes to 39%  of the GDP.<ref name="ReferenceA">Nigeria's 36 States and the FCT, Economic, societal and political profiles, World Bank Report</ref>
Representing 27% of the GDP,<ref name="ReferenceA"/> agriculture, which employs 70% <ref name="ReferenceA"/> of the state workforce, is the second economic sector of Abia. With its adequate seasonal rainfall, Abia has much [[arable land]] that produces [[Yam (vegetable)|yams]], [[maize]], [[potatoes]], [[rice]], [[cashews]], [[plantains]], and [[cassava]]. Abia also has large [[crude oil]] deposits.
The manufacturing sector only accounts for 2% of the GDP.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

===University and Colleges===
There are two universities in the state: the federally owned [[Michael Okpara University of Agriculture]] at [[Umudike]] and the state-owned [[Abia State University]] in [[Uturu]]. There are two tertiary hospitals, the Federal Medical Center in Umuahia and the Abia State University Teaching Hospital in [[Aba, Nigeria|Aba]], which serve as referral hospitals in the state. The [[Abia State Polytechnic]] is also in the city of Aba.
Abia is one of the more peaceful states of Nigeria and has been a "haven" for [[investment|foreign investors]]. The state's population has grown rapidly since its creation.

== Travel ==
The nearest [[airport]] to Abia state is [[Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport]] (Owerri Airport), an hour's drive to Aba; and [[Port Harcourt International Airport]] (airport code: [[PHC]]), 2 hours to Aba and about three hours to Umuahia.
The state, as most of the Southern states of Nigeria, is affected by armed robbery. The security forces are usually ineffective, and are usually found on extorting money from drivers on main routes. The part bounding troubled Rivers State is more secured thanks to a military presence.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
*[http://www.abiastate-ng.com/   Abia State official web site]
*[http://www.usafricaonline.com/abia.html ABIA State of Nigeria &ndash; A Profile]
*[http://www.onlinenigeria.com/links/abiaadv.asp Abia State Background Information]
*[http://www.abia-union.org/ Abia Union USA]

{{LGAs and communities of Abia State}}
{{AbiaStateGovernors}}
{{Nigeria states}}

[[Category:States of Nigeria]]
[[Category:Abia State| ]]
[[Category:States in Igboland]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1991]]

[[bg:Абия]]
[[de:Abia]]
[[et:Abia osariik]]
[[es:Abia (estado)]]
[[fr:État d'Abia]]
[[ko:아비아 주]]
[[ig:Nkeji Ochíchííwu Abia]]
[[id:Abia (negara bagian Nigeria)]]
[[it:Abia (Nigeria)]]
[[sw:Abia (jimbo)]]
[[mrj:Абия (штат)]]
[[lt:Abija]]
[[hu:Abia állam]]
[[nl:Abia (staat)]]
[[ja:アビア州]]
[[pl:Abia (stan)]]
[[pt:Abia (estado)]]
[[ro:Statul Abia]]
[[ru:Абия (штат)]]
[[fi:Abia]]
[[sv:Abia]]
[[tr:Abia Eyaleti]]
[[yo:Ìpínlẹ̀ Ábíá]]
[[zh:阿比亚州]]