Enugu, State capital in southeastern Nigeria
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in southeastern Nigeria and sits at the foot of the Udi Plateau. The city spreads across three local government areas and is marked by numerous hills that shape the entire townscape.
The discovery of large coal deposits in 1909 by Europeans transformed this rural area into a major industrial center under British colonial rule. After independence it became the capital of the newly created state in 1991.
The name comes from Enu Ugwu, meaning top of the hill in Igbo and referring to the elevated position of the earliest settlements. Today residents speak mostly Igbo in daily life while English is used in schools and official institutions.
Akanu Ibiam International Airport offers direct connections to several major Nigerian cities and a few international destinations. A dense road network connects the city with Port Harcourt and other locations in the region.
The sprawling underground tunnels of Iva Valley coal mine belong to the oldest mining facilities in the country and testify to the beginning of Nigerian coal industry. Some of these passages remain accessible today and are occasionally explored by visitors.
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