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Anambra State State nickname:
Location
Statistics
Date Created	27 August 1991
Capital	Awka
Official language	English
Area	4,844km² Ranked 35 of 36
Population  - 2006 Census¹  - 2005 (estimate)  - 1991 Census  - Density (2006)	Ranked 10 of 36 4,182,032 7,821,858 N/A 863/km²
Current Governor Previous Governors	Peter Obi (APGA)
ISO 3166-2	NG-AN
Website	[1]
¹ Preliminary results

Anambra is a state in south-eastern Nigeria. Its boundaries are formed by Delta State to the west, Imo State to the south, Enugu State to the east and Kogi State to the north. The origin of the name is derived from the Omambala River - which is easily called Anambra River depending on which dialect is pronouncing it. Omambala River is on the northern part of Anambra state and stretches to the famous River Niger.

The majority ethnic group in Anambra state is Igbo. The state has one of the highest population densities in Africa. The stretch of about 60KM between Onitsha and Uli contains a cluster of numerous thickly populated villages and small towns giving the area an estimated density of 1500-2000 persons living within every square kilometer of the area. Although most of the population is overwhelmingly rural, over the last two decades the rural/urban exodus has caused a shift in that balance. The shift of human migration has posed problems regarding the state's resources, infrastructure, environmental sanitation, erosion control and social services. This increase in demand is especially evident in its huge commercial city of Onitsha. Pipe borne water, electricity and housing for the many residents of Onitsha are a challenge for many.

Anambra is rich in natural gas, crude oil, bauxite, ceramics and almost 100 percent arable soil. Most of its natural resources remain largely untapped.

Contents 1 Politics 2 History 3 Cities and administrative divisions 4 Education and Infrastructure 5 Natives 6 References 7 External links

The state governor since 2003 has been Dr. Chris Ngige, but he was removed in March 2006 when the Court of Appeal in Enugu asserted that his election victory in 2003 was rigged.^[1] He was succeeded by Peter Obi, who in turn was ousted by a faction of the Anambra State House of Assembly on November 2, 2006 and replaced by Virginia Etiaba.^[2] On February 9, 2007 Mrs. Etiaba handed power back to Obi after the Court of Appeal had nullified Obi's removal.^[3]

The state has experienced political turmoil over the past several years, which includes an attempted coup against the government in 2003.

On June 14, 2007 the Supreme Court of Nigeria removed Governor Andy Uba from office and replaced him with his predecessor Peter Obi—citing an illegality in Governor Uba's election on April 14, 2007. [2]

Old Anambra State was created in 1976 from part of East Central State, and its capital was Enugu. A further re-organisation in 1991 divided Anambra into two states, Anambra and Enugu. The capital of Anambra is Awka.

The main towns of Anambra state are Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Ogidi, Obosi, Ihiala, Aguata, Uli, Abagana, Alor, Atani, Nkpor, Eziowelle, Oba, Omor, Ichi, Ojoto, Oraifite, Ozubulu, Umuawulu, Umuoji, Umunachi, Umudioka, Unubi, Umunya, Umuleri, Aguleri,Ekulobia, Igbukwu, Ichida, Akwaukwu, Uke, Ukpo, Okija, Oraukwu, Otu-ocha, Nnobi, Ideani, Adazi Nnukwu, Adazi Enu,Umuanaga, Adazi Ani, Nanka, Nneni, Nmiata-Anam, Awkuzu, Enugwu-Ukwu, Enugwu-Agidi, Nawfia, Amawbia, Agu-Ukwu and Ichida. There are 21 local government areas in the state:

Aguata Awka North Awka South Anambra East Anambra West Anaocha Ayamelum

Dunukofia Ekwusigo Idemili North Idemili South Ihiala Njikoka Nnewi North

Nnewi South Ogbaru Onitsha North Onitsha South Orumba North Orumba South Oyi

Awka, the state capital, is also the center of Nigeria's metalwork and carving industries. Educationally, there are the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, the Anambra State University formerly known as Anambra State University of Science and Technology (ASUTECH) Uli, the Federal Polytechnic in Oko, Nwafor Orizu University of Education, Nsugbe formerly known as the Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe. The College of Agriculture, Igbariam. Now incorporated into the Agricultural sciences campus of the state university. Literacy rate in the state is comparatively high, and abundant qualified personnel can be found in virtually all areas of endeavour. Hundreds of excellent primary and secondary schools exist in the cities and towns of the state. Some of the more notable secondary schools include; Christ the King college (C.K.C) Onitsha, Dennis Memmorial Grammar School (D.M.G.S) Onitsha, Queen Of the Rosary College (Q.R.C.) Onitsha, St. Monica's College, Ogbunike, Igwebuike Grammar school, Awka etc. Primary and secondary school enrollment in the state is one of the highest in the country. Consequently, Anambra state has the highest number of JAMB candidates going after the limited number of spaces in Nigeria's tertiary colleges.

Anambra state is also the home state of many prominent Nigerians including:

• Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, The First President of Nigeria
• Prof. Chinua Achebe, Critically acclaimed author
• Nwafor Orizu, First Senate President of Nigeria.
• Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, Second Republic Vice President of Nigeria
• Emeka Ojukwu, The President of the defunct Republic of Biafra
• P.N. Okeke-Ojiudu, Nigerian Politician and Businessman
• Cardinal Arinze, Roman Catholic Cardinal
• Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi, Priest and Beatified Christian Monk
• Dr. Pius Okigbo, Distinguished economist
• Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, First Nigerian Millionare
• Dr Chuba Okadigbo, Former Senate President of Nigeria
• Christopher Okigbo, Poet
• Charles C.Soludo, CBN Governor
• Philip Njoku Emeagwali, Computer scientist
• James Ezeilo, Mathematician
• Ejikeme Okoye, Physicist
• Cyprian Emeka Uzoh, Father of Modern Chip Interconnection Technologies
• Bennett Mgbodim, Award winning design Architect.

• Government of Anambra
• Satellite map

v • d • e   States of Nigeria
Abia | Abuja Federal Capital Territory | Adamawa | Akwa Ibom | Anambra | Bauchi | Bayelsa | Benue | Borno | Cross River | Delta | Ebonyi | Edo | Ekiti | Enugu | Gombe | Imo | Jigawa | Kaduna | Kano | Katsina | Kebbi | Kogi | Kwara | Lagos | Nasarawa | Niger | Ogun | Ondo | Osun | Oyo | Plateau | Rivers | Sokoto | Taraba | Yobe | Zamfara

Coordinates: 6°20′N, 7°00′E