Nigeria census reveals no change

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Figures released from Nigeria's census say the country's mainly Muslim northern states accounted for just over half of the country's 140m population.

This is roughly the same result as shown in the last census 15 years ago.

The northern state of Kano was the most populous with 9.4 million people, just ahead of Lagos state with nine million.

Previous results have been mired in controversy, but the issues of religion and ethnicity were deliberately excluded from March's questionnaire.

The results maintain the status quo, despite claims by many in the largely Christian south that they are numerically superior. But why does all this matter?

Well, religion and ethnicity are major issues in Nigeria and some had hoped to use the census to justify demands for more recognition and power, especially with elections approaching in just a few months' time.

FACTS AND FIGURES Total: 140m Men: 71.7mWomen: 68.3m <a href="/1/hi/world/africa/4853562.stm" class="">Thumbs up?</a> <a href="/1/hi/world/africa/4512240.stm" class="">Counting controversy</a>

A state's population affects its budget and to an extent its representation in government.

More generally, in national politics, the larger a region's population the more it claims a right to the country's leadership.

This year, the major contenders for the presidency are all Muslim men from the north.

Such is the inherent controversy of the statistics, a person's religion and ethnicity were deliberately left off the questionnaire when the census was conducted last March.

But aside from this internal competition, one statistic from the census makes interesting reading:

Nigeria's population is now 140m, an increase of 63% in just 15 years.