Question

Difficulty: MediumLocation, Position, Size, and Boundaries of Nigeria

Nigeria extends from the coastal waters of the Gulf of Guinea in the south to the semi-arid region near Lake Chad in the north. Which pair of parallels of latitude defines the precise southern and northern limits of the country?

  1. 4∘N4^\circ\text{N} and 14∘N14^\circ\text{N}Answer
  2. B
    3∘E3^\circ\text{E} and 15∘E15^\circ\text{E}
  3. C
    4∘S4^\circ\text{S} and 14∘S14^\circ\text{S}
  4. D
    3∘N3^\circ\text{N} and 15∘N15^\circ\text{N}

Answer

4∘N4^\circ\text{N} and 14∘N14^\circ\text{N}
Nigeria is situated in West Africa between parallels of latitude 4∘N4^\circ\text{N} and 14∘N14^\circ\text{N}, giving the country a total north-south angular span of 10∘10^\circ.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the geographical extent of Nigeria along the north-south latitudinal axis.
The coastal southernmost border lies at latitude 4∘N4^\circ\text{N}, while the northern boundary reaches latitude 14∘N14^\circ\text{N}.
Latitude measures angular distance north or south of the Equator (0∘0^\circ).
2
Distinguish latitudinal boundaries from longitudinal boundaries.
Nigeria's latitudinal range is 4∘N4^\circ\text{N} to 14∘N14^\circ\text{N}, whereas its longitudinal range is 3∘E3^\circ\text{E} to 15∘E15^\circ\text{E}.
Interchanging latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates is a common error when learning regional location facts.

Key Concept

Latitudinal Extent of Nigeria
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