As Africa's 14 th largest territory (924 k sq km) Nigeria is by far the most densely populated nation and accommodates approx. 140 million inhabitants. Nigeria is independent since 1960 and consists of a federal structure with 36 individual States and a Federal Territory . Approximately 40 % of the multi-ethnical society live in cities. 45 % of the Nigerians are Muslims, 49 % are Christians and 6 % are associated to traditional religions. Apart form large crude oil resources the country owns great areas of arable land (75 % of the nation's territory). However, due to the farm structure, agricultural production and subsistence farming is yet unable to satisfy the basic demand of the rapidly growing population. Key crops are corn, millet, rice, manioc and bananas, export commodities are cocoa, palm-oil, peanuts, rubber, coconuts, tobacco and cotton.