About Enugu
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria and is located in the Cross River basin in the southeast of the country. The name of the city comes from the word 'Enugwu', which means 'the top of the hill' in the local language due to the characteristic of the hilly terrain in which it was founded. Enugu was established in 1900 by the colonial administration of the British Empire. After the discovery of the rich coal deposits, railway connections were built, which led to the city growing rapidly and has become one of the few developed cities of West Africa. Until 1958, 8 thousand miners were working in the actively operated mines.
After independence was gained in 1960, Enugu was made the capital of the region. In 2005 the mining activities decreased significantly in the city and today the developing industries are the bottle-glass industry, the urban market and the film industry which calls it 'Nollywood'. In Enugu, education and culture life is highly developed and is home to the Enugu Campus of the University of Nigeria. The city is also home to important educational institutions such as Enugu State University of Science and Technology and Enugu Institute of Management and Technology.
Today, the city still preserves its European architectural texture created during the colonial period. Victorian houses built for Nigerian colonial workers and European-style churches still exist today. The Masquerade Festival and New Yam Festival are organised traditionally every year and are among the most remarkable cultural events of the city. Murtala Muhammed Park, Onyeama and Okpara historical mines, Sculptural Garden, Old Government Lodge, golf courses and Enugu Zoo are popular sightseeing attractions in the city. The city experiences a tropical savanna type climate and is located in the rainforest region. The humidity of the city reaches its highest level during the wet season between March and November. Enugu Airport is 9.1 km from the city and is located in the northeast.
