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Difficulty: MediumRelief, Physical Regions, and Drainage Systems of Nigeria

Fill in the blanks to complete the statement regarding the relief and drainage of southwestern Nigeria.

Answer:The 【Western】 Uplands act as a prominent watershed in southwestern Nigeria, dividing rivers that flow northwards into the River Niger from those that flow southwards into the 【Atlantic Ocean】.

Answer

The Western Uplands (or Yoruba Hills) serve as the watershed, and the Atlantic Ocean (or Gulf of Guinea / Bight of Benin) is the southern drainage destination.
The Western Uplands (often referred to as the Yoruba Hills) comprise an undulating landscape formed on Basement Complex rocks in southwestern Nigeria. This upland belt serves as a critical hydrographic divide: streams on its northern slopes (like the Asa and Kampe) drain into the River Niger, while streams on its southern slopes (like the Ogun, Osun, and Yewa) empty into coastal lagoons and the Atlantic Ocean (Gulf of Guinea).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the physical highland region in southwestern Nigeria that acts as a major drainage divide.
The physical region is known as the Western Uplands (or Yoruba Hills), an area composed of ancient basement complex rocks.
Topographically, this region forms an east-west trending arch that sheds water north and south.
2
Determine the destination of the short, southward-flowing rivers originating from this watershed.
Rivers such as the Ogun, Osun, and Mona flow directly south into the coastal lagoons and the Atlantic Ocean (specifically the Bight of Benin within the Gulf of Guinea).
The regional slope of southwestern Nigeria descends from the central watershed southwards toward the coast.

Key Concept

Western Uplands (Yoruba Hills) watershed and drainage divide
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Topics

Relief, Physical Regions, and Drainage Systems of Nigeria

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