Kaduna

Kaduna
Kaduna Location in Nigeria
Coordinates: 10°31′23″N 7°26′25″E / 10.52306°N 7.44028°E / 10.52306; 7.44028
Country	Nigeria
State	Kaduna State
Government
- Governor	Mohammed Namadi Sambo
Area
- Total	1,189.2 sq mi (3,080 km2)
Population (2006)
- Total	1,458,900
- Ethnicities	Hausa
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+1)
Website	http://www.kadunastate.gov.ng/

Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 1,652,844. The symbol of Kaduna is the crocodile, called kada in the native Hausa language.

History

Kaduna was founded by the British in 1913 and became the capital of Nigeria's former Northern Region in 1917.^[1] It retained this status until 1967.

Kaduna Parade.

Persons hailing from Kaduna include Emmanuel and Celestine Babayaro (Nigerian footballers) and Fiona Fullerton (British actress and former Bond girl)

Religious strife

Due to its religious makeup, Kaduna has been the scene of deadly religious tensions between Muslims and Christians, particularly over the implementation of shari'a law in Kaduna State beginning in 2001. One particular incident in February 2000 saw at least 1000 killed in a particular riot. The city remains segregated to this day, with Muslims living mainly in the north of the city and Christians in the south.^[2] Another incident stemmed from an article in a Lagos newspaper that offended Muslims over the upcoming Miss World pageant scheduled for that week in the capital city of Abuja, suggesting that if Muhammad watched the beauty pageant he would end up marrying one of its contestants. A riot ensued.^[3]

Education

Kaduna is home to the Nigerian Defense Academy (1964), Kaduna Polytechnic (1968), Ahmadu Bello University (1962), Kaduna State University (2007), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology and the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research (1951).

Kaduna School.

Economy and transport

Kaduna is an industrial center of Northern Nigeria, manufacturing products like textiles, machinery, steel, aluminum, petroleum products and bearings.

Pottery is highly prized from Kaduna, especially from Maraban-Jos, which follows close behind Abuja and Minna. The main highway through the city is called Ahmadu Bello Way. Many of the place names come from past sultans, emirs and decorated Civil War heroes. Kaduna has a large market, recently rebuilt after an extensive fire in the mid-1990s.

Kaduna Airport.

There is a large racecourse, approximately one mile round, inside which the Ahmadu Yakubu Polo Club and Kaduna Crocodile Club are situated, whilst the Kaduna and Rugby Clubs are on the periphery. There are two airports, one of which is Kaduna Airport.

Chanchangi Airlines has its head office in Kaduna.^[4]

Railways

In September, 2009, construction was approved for a railway branchline to the national capital of Abuja. ^[5]

References

External links

• FallingRain Map - elevation = 612m (Red dots are railways)

Coordinates: 10°31′N 7°26′E / 10.517°N 7.433°E / 10.517; 7.433