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Lagos State facts for kids

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Lagos State, often called just Lagos, is a busy and important state in the southwestern part of Nigeria. It's known for being one of the most active states for business and trade in the country. The main city and capital of Lagos State is Ikeja.

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Lagos State

Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó  (Yoruba)
Flag of Lagos State
Flag
Country  Nigeria
Geopolitical Zone South West
Date created 27 May 1967
Capital Ikeja
Number of LGAs 20
Area
 • Total 3,577 km2 (1,381 sq mi)
Population
 (2006 census)
 • Total 9,113,605
 • Estimate 
(2012 by LASG)
17,552,940
 • Rank 1st of 36
 • Density 2,547.8/km2 (6,598.9/sq mi)
GDP
 • Year 2014
 • Total $91 billion
 • Per capita $4,333
Time zone UTC+01 (WAT)
ISO 3166 code NG-LA
HDI (2018) 0.673
medium · 1st of 37
Website lagosstate.gov.ng

History of Lagos State

Lagos State was officially created on May 27, 1967. Before that, the area was known as Eko. This name was used until traders from Portugal arrived.

The word "Eko" comes from a Yoruba word. It means "war camp" in English. The very first people to settle in Eko were the Aworis.

Local Government Areas

Lagos State is divided into 20 smaller areas called local government areas (LGAs). These areas help manage different parts of the state. They are grouped into 5 main administrative divisions.

Here are the 20 local government areas:

  • Agege
  • Alimosho
  • Ifako-Ijaye
  • Ikeja
  • Kosofe
  • Mushin
  • Oshodi-Isolo
  • Shomolu
  • Apapa
  • Eti-Osa
  • Lagos Island
  • Lagos Mainland
  • Surulere
  • Ajeromi-Ifelodun
  • Amuwo-Odofin
  • Ojo
  • Badagry
  • Ikorodu
  • Ibeju-Lekki
  • Epe

People of Lagos

Most people living in Lagos State are from the Yoruba ethnic group. However, Lagos is a very diverse place. It attracts many people from other parts of Nigeria and even from other countries. This makes Lagos a melting pot of cultures and ideas.


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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Estado de Lagos para niños

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