Jos and the Plateau State

Jos and Plateau State

"The home of peace and tourism."

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The city of Jos is the state capital for Plateau State which is one of the 31 states of Nigeria. It is located in the central part of the country.

The state has about 20 different ethnic groups (for example: Angas, Berom, Jarawa, Pyem, Ron and many others). It has about 17 local governments (counties). In some of these local councils you can have about 2 - 4 ethic groups.

LANDFORM:

The State is located on a plateau landform (the reason for naming the state plateau), the land formation is categorize into two: upper plateau (rocky and a lot of hills) and lower plateau (sandy). But some of landform have been defaced as a result of Tin mining (which was one the major exports in the 60's), these have created a lot of what is referred to as mining ponds, that are now turned into recreational spots.

TEMPERATURE:

The weather is quiet nice, a mixed of temperate and tropical climates, most especially on the upper section of the state. And that has brought about a lot of colonial masters (British) and expatriates settling in Jos.

PEOPLE:

The people are nice natured, very receptive of visitors. They were warriors in early days, but civilization has great changed that way of living. Most of the population are dark in complexion.

AGRICULTURE:

As staple food, the people grow crops like: Maize (corn), Guinea corn, Irish potato, Cassava, Yams, Acha (sometimes referred to as "hungry rice," a kind of mustard seed crop). With the nature of the weather, a lot of vegetables and fruits are grown.

JOS

Jos is a pear-shaped upland known as Jos Plateau. This upland stretches for approximately 104km. from north to south, and 80km. from east to west, covering an area of about 8,600km² or 860,000 hectares. Characterized by impressive ridges and isolated rocky hills separated by extensive plains, the Plateau exhibits a variety of land forms which provide excellent picnic resorts. It maintains an average height of 1,200m. (4,000 ft) above sea level, and reaches its highest peak in the Shere Hills where it stands at 1,766m (5,829 ft).

Another remarkable feature of the Jos Plateau is the clusters of hamlets and villages which lend colour and beauty to the landscape. These settlements together with the farm plots are, in many cases, demarcated by cactus hedges.

The town of Jos was originally established in 1915 as a tin transportation camp and its early history was closely linked to the prosperity of the tin mining industry. In 1976 it became the capital of, first, the Benue-Plateau State and, later, the Plateau State of Nigeria and has become an important administrative and commercial centre, therefore you find people of different backgrounds (race, tribe and religion) leaving together. With a population of about 800,000, Jos remains one of the most cosmopolitan towns in Nigeria. It is adjudged the "home of peace" or as the safest city to live in Nigeria.

Situated almost at the geographical centre of Nigeria and about 288km. from Abuja, the nation's capital, Jos is linked by road, rail and air to the rest of the country. It has an equable climate averaging 22°C (75°F) daily. Average humidity is 60% and average annual rainfall 1400 mm (56").

Attractions in and around Jos include probably the largest Museum in Nigeria, a Public Library, a Wild Life Park, , Holiday resorts for boating, Naraguta Pottery and Leather Workshop, Shere Hills and Lamingo Dam.

Adapted and updated by Daniel Inusa