Port Harcourt Travel Guide, Nigeria

Port Harcourt Overview, Nigeria

The city of Port Harcourt serves as the capital of Rivers State, one of the 36 states in Nigeria and it lies along Bonny River and in Niger Delta. The population of the city has been estimated at about 1,620,200, as per a study conducted in 2007. Founded in 1912 by the British, it was formerly an area inhabited traditionally by Ijaw and Ikwerre. The city has been named after the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lewis, Viscount Harcourt. Originally, the port had been built for exporting coal that was discovered by Albert Ernest Kitson in Enugu. At present, the city has expanded into the deep Ikwere settlements and a large number of residents of the city are Igbo.

Port Harcourt Climate: The temperature of the city remains almost the same throughout the year and may range from 33°C in February and March to 29°C in August and September. December and January are the months that receive the least rainfall of approximately 20 mm while the month of September receives the highest rainfall of about 367 mm.

Port Harcourt Geography and society: The major city of the area is Port Harcourt located in its local government area. The metropolitan area of the city is made up of several parts of Akpor/Obio Local Government area and major neighboring towns are Diobu (Rebisi settlement), Abuloma (Okrika settlement), Isaka (Okrika settlement), Woji Ikwere settlement) and Alesa Eleme (Ogoni settlement). Some of the well known and popular residential areas of the city are Abuloma, GRA phases 1 to 5, Amadi-ama, Borokiri and Amadi Flats. The major industrial area is Trans Amadi.

Port Harcourt Transportation: The city has been well-served by the Port Harcourt International Airport and a large number of airlines provide their service to link the city with other areas of the country and also international destinations. There are also two sea ports, which are PortHarcourt Wharf and FOT Onne. The public transportation system in the city is also good enough for residents as well as visitors.

Port Harcourt Economy: The city of Port Harcourt serves as a chief industrial center as there are several multinational firms in the city in addition to other industrial concerns, especially those related to the industry of petroleum. The city serves as a major oil-refining center of Nigeria which makes oil as one of the most significant commodities of Nigeria. Because of its vast export opportunities, Port Harcourt is one of the major foreign exchange earners in the country.