Katsina State

Katsina State (Hausa: Jihar Katsina; Hausa Ajami: جِىهَرْ کَڟِࢽَ) is a state in the northwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is bordered to the west by Zamfara State, to the east by Kano and Jigawa states, and to the south by Kaduna State, while its northern border forms part of the national border with Niger. The state capital is the city of Katsina, and the state is divided into 34 local government areas. The state is nicknamed the "Home of Hospitality". With an estimated population of 9.3 million residents as of 2023, Katsina State is the third most populous state in the country, despite the fact that it only ranks 17th out of 36 states in terms of area. Geographically, Katsina is primarily located within the West Sudanian savanna, although parts of the north of the state transition into the semi-desert Sahelian savanna. Major rivers in the state include the Bunsuru, Gada, and Sokoto rivers, which provide water for agriculture and settlements. Demographically, the Hausa people are the largest ethnic group in the state with minorities of Fulani and other groups. In terms of religion, Islam (79%) is the most practised faith with minorities of adherents of Christianity (20%) and traditionalist religions (~1%), particularly Maguzawa groups. In the pre-colonial period, much of Katsina State was part of the Hausa Bakwai states, with the cities of Daura and Katsina emerging as a major centers of trade and Islamic learning during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In the early nineteenth century, the Fulani jihad led to the establishment of Daura and Katsina as emirates within the Sokoto Caliphate. During the British colonial era, Katsina was incorporated into the Northern Nigeria Protectorate which later merged into British Nigeria. Upon Nigeria's independence in 1960, Katsina was part of the Northern Region until the region...