What are some interesting facts about Plateau State?
Plateau is a state located in eastern central Nigeria. The state was created by Yakubu Gowon administration.
The postal code for Plateau State is 930001.
It is bordered by Bauchi and Kaduna to the north, Taraba on the east, and Nassarawa on the Southwest.
As of 2006, the population of Plateau State was 3,206,531. It is the 26th most populous state in Nigeria.
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Plateau State is the 12th largest state in Nigeria in terms of total area with 30,913 square kilometers (11,936 square miles).
The largest and capital city is Jos. Jos is located on the Jos plateau in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.
Plateau State’s nickname is “The Home of Peace and Tourism.” It derives its name from the Jos Plateau, which is the home of the natural formation of rocks, waterfalls, and hills.
The state has so many beautiful places and tourist attractions to offer visitors coming to the state.
The majority of the area of land in Plateau State is made up of hills, mountains, and rocks.
The highest points in the state are Mt. Shere and Peak Sara, at 5,843 feet and 5,544 feet.
There are more than 40 ethnic groups and 17 local government areas in the state.
Tin mining and processing are very common in the state. The Jos Plateau is the source of rivers like the Yobe river, Kaduna river, Hadeja river, Gongola river, among others.
Plateau State has parks such as Jos Wildlife Safari Park, Pandam Game Reserve, and Lake and Jos Zoological Garden.
Wase River is a river in the local government of Wase with its mouth in the River Benue, and its river banks are used for growing crops like vegetables and mangoes. maize and yams.
Jos Wildlife Safari Park, which was established in 1972 and is located on Miango Road in Jos, has a lot of wild animals, birds, and reptiles, and a museum where one can learn about the history of the park.
Jos Wildlife Park is situated on eight square kilometers of land.
The Kerang Highlands in Mangu local government is the source of spring water for the UAC Swan Spring Water.
The state has one airport known as Yakubu Gowon Airport, also called Jos Airport. The airport obtained its name from one of Nigeria’s military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon.
Plateau became a state in 1976 during General Yakubu Gowon’s administration when the then twelve states were further divided into nineteen states.
The state was further split into two states: Plateau and Nassarawa, in 1996.
The vegetation of the state is grassland, which is majorly used for farmland and grazing of animals, and the climate is great for growing groundnuts, soya beans, cotton, Irish potatoes, and rice.
The oldest museum in Nigeria is the Jos National Museum in Jos, Plateau State.
Other tourist attractions that can be found in the state are Kura Falls, the Museum of Traditional Nigerian Architecture, Kerang Volcanic Mountain, Shere Hills, Zoological Gardens, Wase Rocks, and Asop Falls.
Farming is also predominant in the state, even though mining production is heavily carried out also.
Jos, Plateau is one of the highest points in the country, and as a result, it is colder than most places in the country. However, during the hot weather, there can be a very high level of heat being experienced.
Some of the oldest Nok Terracotta sculptures in Africa can be found in the Jos Museum, Plateau State.
Minerals that can be found in the state are zircon, kaolin, tantalite, thorium compounds, tungsten, cassiterite, gemstones, feldspar, barytes, columbite, and tin.
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Tin and columbite are the most exported minerals in Plateau State, which they are the major exporters of in the whole of Nigeria.
The most important mining region in Nigeria is Bukuru, the Tin and Columbite Mines in Plateau State.
Previously, the name of the capital city was “Gwosh”, but due to the wrong pronunciation of the city as “Jos” by the Hausas residing and trading in the city, the new name stuck.
The dome-shaped Wase Rock, with a height of 450 meters, is one of the five homes of the White Pelican birds in Africa.
The Kahwang Rock Formation is a beautiful work of nature made up of basalt rocks, second only to the Biu Plateau basalt rock in Nigeria.
These are the two notable basalt rocks in Nigeria.
Many of the residents understand the Hausa language. In fact, the Hausa language is a well-accepted medium of communication.
Tropical diseases such as malaria are really reduced in the area because of the low-temperature region the state is in.
Riyom Rock Formation is a spectacular and beautiful formation of neatly arranged rocks by nature more than a century ago and is situated in Riyom Town along the Jos-Akwanga road.
It is also called the “Three Rocks.” Riyom Town is hugely inhabited by Berom people.
Kurra Falls, the first hydroelectric power station in Plateau State, was formed as a result of mining activities and it is being used to generate electricity for neighboring communities by the Nigerian Electricity Supply Company (NESCO).
Panyam Fish Farm is a fish farm that is older than Nigeria, having been established in 1950. It is the biggest fish farm in Nigeria, covering 309 hectares of land that can hold 3.9 tonnes of fish and not less than 10 million fingerlings for a year. It is situated in Mangu local government area in Plateau State.
Rose Merchant, otherwise known as Helena Farm, is a farm where herbal plants such as rosemary, asparagus, basil, cauliflower, roses, leeks, and ornamental vegetables such as broccoli, cucumbers, lettuce, and many more are grown majorly for exportation.
Hill Station Hotel, one of the biggest hotels in Nigeria during its time and probably up till now, situated on top of a hill, was established in 1938. The hotel that once hosted the Queen of England is located in Plateau State.
The hotel can boast 150 rooms. Unfortunately, the beauty and grandeur have been diminished due to lack of maintenance and negligence. The hotel’s name was derived from the Hill Station Junction not far from the place.
