ABOUT
Rivers State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria. Its capital is Port Harcourt. It is bounded on the South by the Atlantic Ocean, to the North by the Anambra, Imo and Abia States, to the East by Akwa Ibom State and to the West by the Bayelsa and Delta States.
The inland part of Rivers state consists of tropical rainforest; towards the coast the typical river delta environment features many mangrove swamps. Rivers state was part of the Oil Rivers Protectorate from 1885 till 1893, when it became part of the Niger Coast Protectorate. In 1900 the region was merged with the chartered territories of the Royal Niger Company to form the colony of Southern Nigeria.

HISTORY
The state was formed in 1967 with the split of the Eastern Region of Nigeria. It gained Ughelli from Bendel State, and Opobo from the Cross-River State in 1976. Until 1996 the state contained the area which is now in the Bayelsa State.
Rivers State is currently made up of 22 local government areas. These are Ogba/Egbema, Ndoni, Ahoada, Ikwerre, Etche, Andoni/Opobo, Bonny, Okrika, Iyigbo, Ehana, Gokana Tai/Eleme, Obio/Akpor, Emohua, Degema, Aseri Toru, Akuku, Abua/Odial, Omumma, Opobo/Nkoro, Ogu/ Bolo, Ahaoda West and Eleme.

Rivers State with a population of about three million people occupies an area of 21,850 sq. km. With two thirds of it in the Niger Delta geographical terrain. The dominant ethnic groups are Ijwa, Ikwere, Etche, Ogoni, and Ogba/Egbema. Ijaw and Ikwerre are the most spoken languages although pidgin English is widely used in radio and television broadcasts.

LOCATION
Port Harcourt is a city located in the Niger Delta in Nigeria, with an area of 924,000 km². It is the administrative center of the Rivers state.
Port Harcourt was founded by the British in 1912 on land originally inhabited by the Ijaw people and named for Lewis, Viscount Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Colonies (1910–15). The initial purpose of the port was to export coal that arrived in large quantities from the mining town of Enugu to the north via the Bonny River along which the port sits. It has a population of 1,133,400 (as of 2004 census records). Business related to the petroleum industry is conducted here; the city is a cosmopolitan city with diversified business potentials. Although recently there have been spates of violence, we hope that sooner things will normalize. Port Harcourt is the chief oil-refining city in Nigeria, oil being one of Nigeria's most important commodities. There is also a fishing industry here, different species of sea foods can be found here even rare species can equally available.

RELIGION
Port Harcourt is also one of the centers for strong Pentecostal Christian growth in the region and is host to several large churches such as Royal House of Grace International Church and Abundant Life Evangel Mission headed by apostle Zilly Aggrey and Apostle Eugene Ogu respectively. There are some mosques around to serve the religious needs of Muslims that live in the city.

INDUSTRIES
Port Harcourt is also known as "the goose that lays the golden egg" due to its vast oil resources. Nigeria depends on its oil resources to run the nation. The capital, Port Harcourt, is the nerve centre of the famous Nigerian Oil industry and over ninety industrial concerns, including the Shell Petroleum Development Company of (Nigeria) Limited, AGIP, Texaco, Elf, NPRC, Michelin, West African Glass Industry, Alcan Aluminium, Metaloplastica, Risonpalm, Pabod Breweries, to mention a few. The initial purpose of the port was to export coal that arrived in large quantities from the mining town of Enugu to the north via the Bonny River along which the port sits. It has a population of 1,133,400 (as of 2004). Business related to the petroleum industry is conducted here. Port Harcourt is the chief oil-refining city in Nigeria, oil being one of Nigeria's most important commodities and main foreign exchange earner. There is also a fishing industry and a fish market.

TOURISM
Due to its beautiful layout and peculiar topography, Port Harcourt, christened "Garden City", is accessible by road, rail, air and sea. Apart from being a railway terminus and having one of the busiest airports in Nigeria, Port Harcourt has the unique natural advantage of being the nation's second largest sea port with another sea port, the Ocean Terminal at Onne.

Tourists attracting places includes Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt Man-made * Monument of King Jaja of Opobo Monument * Okrika Aquatic Stadium Man-made * Ifoko Beach, Ifoko Physical * Port Harcourt Tourist Beach Physical

Attractions in the city include a museum. The city is also a transport hub with an International Airport, a railway line to Maiduguri and ferry/ferries to Nembe, Bonny Island and Brass Island.
Port Harcourt is also a place for recreation and great nightlife. Some clubs and bars to note are: The Muriella, Night Box, Bottleggers. And some nice fast food and restaurants are Jevinik, Mr. Biggs, Skippers, Chicken Lickin and Eltees etc.