Cross River State, Administrative region in southeastern Nigeria.
Cross River State is an administrative region in southeastern Nigeria that stretches between the border with Cameroon and neighboring Nigerian states. The terrain ranges from coastal plains along the Atlantic to dense rainforest areas and hills rising inland.
The area was part of the Eastern Region until 1967, when it was reorganized under the name South-Eastern State. The current name was introduced in 1976 as Nigeria expanded its federal structure and redrawn administrative boundaries.
Coastal towns use Efik as a trading language, while inland communities maintain their own languages and rituals. Many settlements still carry names linked to the trading routes and river systems that connected people and goods for centuries.
The region is divided into 18 local government areas with varying infrastructure and access. Visitors planning to reach rural areas should expect longer travel times and unpaved roads, especially during the rainy season.
The national park protects the smallest population of a gorilla species found in the wild only here and in neighboring Cameroon. Fewer than 300 individuals of this species live in the mountain forests of both countries combined.
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