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The Resources of the Niger Delta

• this current Chapter (eleven) covers land, water and fish;
• Chapter twelve covers forests;
• Chapter thirteen, soil and agriculture;
• Chapter fourteen, oil and gas; and
• Chapter fifteen, the impact of oil mining.

11.2 LAND

ECOZONE	APPROX. AREA	MAJOR ACTIVITIES
Lowland Equatorial Monsoon (LEM)	7400km²	Oil extraction and infrastructure; Arable agriculture; Oil palm and rubber; and Urban & industrial.
Freshwater (FAM)	11700km²	Oil extraction and infrastructure; Traditional forest exploitation; Modern forestry; Raffia and Oil palm; Rice and arable agriculture; and Fishing.
Brackish water (BAM)	5400km²	Oil extraction and infrastructure; Traditional mangrove exploitation; and Port and associated activities.
Sand Barrier Islands	1140km²	Oil industry and infrastructure, including major terminals; Fishing; and Raffia and Oil Palm.
TOTAL	25649km²

In relation to the land resource in the Niger Delta, two issues need to be explained: reclamation and population density.

Human Population Density in the Niger Delta

The issue of land and human population density is important in relation to the development pressure that is put on the Niger Delta. At a glance the area seems to have

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