|
The
8, 412 km2 that forms Akwa Ibom State is endowed with
enormous wealth. The land is arable - from the saline
water swamp forest in the south, to the rainforest
in the northernmost part – and supports extensive
agriculture. A number of cash crops which can be processed
into primary and secondary goods are grown in the
state. They include oil palm, rubber, cocoa, kolanut,
coconut, citrus cassava, yam, maize, rice, cowpeas,
plantain, banana, pineapple and gmelina. Akwa Ibom
has the highest number of oil palm tree per capita
in Nigeria. A variety of tropical livestock can also
be found in the state.
In
terms of marines life, its continental shelf and the
neighbouring estuaries of Cross River, Imo, Qua Iboe
and Calabar rivers are very rich in many variety of
fish and other seafood including catfish, sharks,
barracuda, sardines, croaker, shrimps, crayfish, snappers,
bivalves and oysters.
There
are large deposits of oil and gas both on and off-shore.
Plus other mineral resources such as limestone, clay,
gold, salt, coal, silver nitrate and glass sand.
|
