Bayelsa State

Bayelsa State State nickname: Glory of all lands
Location
Statistics
Governor (List)	Goodluck Jonathan (PDP)
Date Created	1 October 1996
Capital	Yenagoa
Area	10,773 km² Ranked 27th
Population 1991 Census 2005 est.	Ranked 35th N/A 1,998,349
ISO 3166-2	NG-BY

Bayelsa State is a state in southern Nigeria, on the coast and between Delta State and Rivers State. Its capital is Yenagoa. Languages spoken here include Ijo and Igbo. The state was formed in 1996 from part of Rivers State and thus, it is one the newest states of the Nigerian federation. Bayelsa has a riverine setting. A lot of her communities are almost (and in some cases) completely surrounded by water, hence making these communities inaccessible by road. It has one of the largest crude oil deposits in Nigeria. As a result petroleum production is extensive in the state. The majority of Bayelsans, who live in poverty, are rural dwellers due to its peculiar terrain, lack of adequate transportation and poor road access. This has been a large problem in the state since its creation and successive state governments have not been able to address and repair the issue. The state, as a result, has an almost non-existent commerce. The local population engage in fishing on a subsistence and commercial level.

External links

• Bayelsa State Government Homepage
• Bayelsa State at OnlineNigeria.com
• Bayelsa Council for Arts & Culture