Question

Difficulty: Very hardRelief, Physical Regions, and Drainage Systems of Nigeria

Match each physical region of Nigeria listed on the left with its corresponding geological structure and drainage characteristic on the right.

  • Jos PlateauHigh basement complex structural dome acting as Nigeria's main hydrographic center with a prominent radial drainage pattern.
  • Biu PlateauVolcanic plateau capped by extensive tertiary/quaternary basalt flows, forming a major watershed for tributaries of the Hawal and Gongola rivers.
  • Sokoto PlainsSedimentary basin underlain by Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks, characterized by cuesta landforms and drained by the Rima river system.
  • Cross River BasinStructural lowland trough underlain by marine sediments, drained by streams originating from the Oban Hills and Western Cameroon highlands.

Answer

Jos Plateau corresponds to the high basement complex dome with radial drainage; Biu Plateau corresponds to the basaltic volcanic plateau forming a watershed for Hawal and Gongola rivers; Sokoto Plains corresponds to the sedimentary basin with cuestas drained by the Rima system; and Cross River Basin corresponds to the structural lowland trough drained from the Oban Hills and Western Cameroon highlands.
Each physical region in Nigeria possesses a unique combination of rock geology and drainage patterns: the Jos Plateau is a basement dome with radial drainage; the Biu Plateau is a volcanic basaltic upland; the Sokoto Plains consist of sedimentary cuestas drained by the Rima; and the Cross River Basin is a lowland trough fed by the Oban Hills and Cameroon highlands.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the drainage and geological features of the Jos Plateau.
Recognize that the Jos Plateau is an elevated basement complex mass from which rivers flow outwards in all directions (radial pattern) toward the Niger, Benue, and Lake Chad basins.
Topographical elevation and crystalline rock structure make it the country's primary hydrographic apex.
2
Identify the origin and drainage traits of the Biu Plateau.
Determine that unlike the basement complex plates, Biu is a basaltic volcanic plateau feeding regional tributaries like River Hawal.
Cenozoic volcanic activity created distinct basalt caprocks distinguishing it from granitic uplands.
3
Analyze the rock structure and landforms of the Sokoto Plains.
Associate the northwestern plains with Cretaceous-Tertiary sedimentary strata, cuesta ridges, and the Rima-Sokoto river network.
The Iullemmeden sedimentary basin structure dictates the low-gradient dip slopes and cuesta scarp topography.
4
Evaluate the coastal/southeastern interior relief of the Cross River Basin.
Link the Cross River depression to sedimentary infill bounded by the Oban Hills and Cameroon mountain ranges.
High rainfall and elevated source ranges feed heavily silted streams flowing into the Cross River estuary.

Key Concept

Relief belts, lithological formations, and river basin regimes of Nigeria
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