GOVERNOR UMAR NAMADI SENDS NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO JIGAWA CITIZENS

The topography of the state is generally flat with the northern, central, and eastern parts covered with undulating sand dunes running in the Southwest to Northeast direction. The area around the state capital Dutse is very rocky with some low hills. The southern and western parts of the state around Birnin Kudu and Kazaure have the highest elevations with hills as high as 600 millimeters above sea level. The state is bisected by the Hadejia River and traverses the state from the west to the east through Hadejia-Nguru wetlands and empties into Lake Chad. The state lies between latitudes 11oN and 13oN and longitudes 8oE and 10o35\\\'E with a tropical climate while the temperature varies at different times. High temperatures are normally recorded between the months of April and September. The daily minimum and maximum temperatures are 15 degree and 35 degree Celsius. The rainy season lasts from May to September with average rainfall of between 600 millimeters to 1000 millimeters. The southern part of the state has a higher rainfall percentage than the northern part. The state is situated within the Sudan savannah vegetation zone, but there are traces of Guinea savannah in the southern part of the state. Its total forest covers about 5% due to rainfall characteristics and deforestation due primarily to use of wood for cooking. The name Jigawa is a Hausa word used to describe a vast loamy but non-marshy soil.