Description of Gombe State

Gombe State is located in northeastern Nigeria, and it has borders with the states of Borno and Yobe to the north, Taraba State to the south, Adamawa State to the southeast, and Bauchi State to the west. Gombe State was established on October 1, 1996, from a portion of Bauchi State and was given its current name in honor of the state's capital and largest city, Gombe. Gombe is the 32nd most populated and the 21st largest in size out of Nigeria's 36 states. Its population in 2016 was estimated at 3.25 million.

Located in the tropical West Sudanese savanna, the state is a prime example of the biodiverse African savanna. Part of the Muri Mountains, a tiny range in the extreme south of the state, and the Gongola River, which flows through Gombe's north and east into Lake Dadin Kowa, are also noteworthy geographical features. In addition to hippos, Senegal parrots, and grey-headed kingfishers, the state is home to a variety of snake species, such as the carpet viper, puff adder, and Egyptian cobra.

The Fulani, Bolewa, Kanuri, and Hausa peoples are the most numerous in the northern and central sections of Gombe, while the Cham, Dadiya, Jara, Kamo, Pero, Tangale, Tera, and Waja peoples live in the state's diverse eastern and southern regions. The bulk of the people of the state are Muslims (75%), with Christian and traditionalist minority making up roughly 20% and 5%, respectively.

Gombe State's present-day location was contested territory among several pre-colonial governments until the early 1800s, when the Fulani jihad conquered a large portion of the region and established the Gombe Emirate within the Sokoto Caliphate. The Emirate and its surrounding territory were captured by British forces in the early 20th century and subsequently integrated into British Nigeria, until finally achieving independence in 1960 under the name Nigeria. After Nigeria's independence, the Northern Region included the present-day Gombe State; however, the region was split in 1967, and the territory became part of the North-Eastern State. In 1976, Bauchi State and eleven other states were created after the North-Eastern State was divided. Twenty years later, some local government areas (LGAs) in western Bauchi were separated to establish the new state of Gombe.

As of the year 2006, the state's population was near 2,365,000, and its land area was 20,265 km sqr.

It was established by Abacha's military regime in October 1996 from a portion of the previous Bauchi State. The state can be found in the savannahs of both Guinea and Sudan in Nigeria. The terrain consists of rolling hills, sandy rocks, and isolated volcanic rocks. Its proximity to the states of Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Adamawa, and Bauchi, all of which are located in the north eastern zone and inside the vast savannah, makes it a natural border state.

Climate in Gombe is bimodal, with a dry period from November to March and a wet period from April to October, with an average rainfall of 850 mm.

Economy

Sorghum, groundnuts, millet, and tomatoes form the backbone of Gombe State's economy. Livestock herding of camels, cattle, goats, and sheep is also an important industry, notably in the city of Gombe. Gombe ranks last in the country in terms of both the Human Development Index and GDP.

The majority of Gombe State's population relies on agriculture for their livelihood. Crops grown in the state include maize, millet, Guinea corn, rice, cotton, groundnut, beans, Beni seed, and many others. The state also has a thriving livestock industry. Known as (Babbar kasuwa) in Hausa, the Gombe Urban Market can be found in the city's HERWAGANA neighborhood. Because of its convenient location and stable economy, the state is attracting business owners from all over, including the surrounding states. These small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have provided countless people with jobs and stable incomes.

Due to its strategic placement in the center of the North-East, the town of Gombe is frequently visited by visitors and merchants from all across the region and beyond.

Inorganic minerals

In addition to being a key hub for the local trade of sorghum, millet, cowpeas, cassava (manioc), beans, onions, and tobacco, Gombe Town serves as a major collection point for peanuts (groundnuts) and cotton since the installation of the railroad in 1963. The locals pursue the age-old arts of cotton weaving and dyeing in addition to keeping cattle, goats, sheep, horses, and donkeys. During the early 1970s, a cement mill was constructed at nearby Ashaka due to the abundance of available limestone.