Enugu

Enugu (/eɪˈnuːɡuː/ ^ⓘ ay-NOO-goo; Igbo: Énugwú) is the capital city of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in southeastern part of Nigeria. The city had a population of 820,000 according to the last Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Énú Ụ́gwụ́, meaning "hill top", denoting the city's hilly geography. Enugu acquired township status in 1917 and was called Enugwu-Ngwo, but because of the rapid expansion towards areas owned by other indigenous communities, the city was renamed Enugu in 1928.

Since the 17th century the location of present-day Enugu has been inhabited by the Enugwu-Ngwo and Nike (/niːˈkeɪ/ nee-KAY) subgroup of the Igbo people. In 1900, the Southern Nigeria Protectorate was established by the colonial administration of the British Empire. The discovery of coal by the colonists led to the creation of what was then known as the Enugu Coal Camp, named after the nearby village of Enugu Ngwo, under which coal was first found. The nearby city of Port Harcourt was created for the purpose of shipping this coal abroad, being located 243 kilometres (151 mi) south of the camp. Coal mining opportunities in Enugu attracted people from throughout the region; this marked the core of the first urban settlement of what is today known as simply Enugu. Enugu developed as one of the few cities in West Africa created entirely from European contact. By 1958 Enugu had over 8,000 coal miners. As of 2005 there are no significant coal mining activities left in the city.

Enugu became the capital of the Eastern Region after Nigeria's independence in 1960; a succession of territorial adjustments in 1967, 1976 and 1991 led to Enugu becoming the capital of what is now Enugu State. On 30 May 1967 Enugu was declared the capital of the short-lived Republic of Biafra; for this Enugu is known as the "capital of Igboland." After Enugu was captured by the Nigerian armed forces, the Biafran capital was moved to Umuahia.

Industries in the city include the urban market and bottling industries. Enugu is also one of the primary filming locations for directors of the Nigerian movie industry, dubbed "Nollywood". Enugu's main airport is the Akanu Ibiam International Airport.

The 2006 national census in Nigeria estimated the population of Enugu state at 3,267,837. While males constitute 48.84% of the population, the female population constitute 51.16% (1,596,042 males and 1,671,795 females). However, demographers have indicated that the actual population of Enugu state is around six million. Enugu state has three senatorial zones namely; Enugu North, Enugu East and Enugu West.