Ondo State

Ondo State (Yoruba: Ìpínlẹ̀ Oǹdó) is a state in southwestern Nigeria. It was created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State. It borders Ekiti State to the north, Kogi State to the northeast, Edo State to the east, Delta State to the southeast, Ogun State to the southwest, Osun State to the northwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The state’s capital is Akure, the former capital of the ancient Akure Kingdom. The State includes mangrove-swamp forest near the Bights of Benin.

Nicknamed the “Sunshine State”, Ondo State is the 19th most populated state in the country, and the 25th-largest state by landmass. The state is predominantly Yoruba, and the Yoruba language is commonly spoken. The state economy is dominated by the petroleum industry. Cocoa production, asphalt mining, and activities related to the state’s extensive coastline also are part of the economy. It is the home to the Idanre inselberg hills, playing host to the highest geographical point in the western half of Nigeria at higher than 1,000 metres in elevation.