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Obudu Plateau is a
plateau
In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...
found on the
Oshie Ridge of the
Sankwala Mountain range, in
Cross River State
)
, image_map = Nigeria - Cross River.svg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Location of Cross River State in Nigeria
, coordinates =
, coor_pinpoint ...
, in the southeast of
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
. The plateau is found in
Obanliku
Obanliku is a Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Its headquarter is in the town of Sankwala. Obanliku is made up of ten wards namely: Busi, Basang, Bebi, Bisu, Utanga, Becheve, Bendi 1, Bendi 2, Bishiri North & Bishiri South. Oba ...
local government area
A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...
of the Cross River State. The plateau extends towards Nigeria's south eastern border. The Obudu Plateau is spread over an area of over and rises to about 5,200 ft (1,584 metres) above sea level. The plateau is a giant massif in its own right, and its peak reaches a height of about above sea level. The plateau is a habitat of rare species of birds.
Geography
Obudu Plateau is found on the Oshie Ridge, one of the two ridges that make up the Sankwala Mountains in Cross River state of Nigeria (the other being the Sankwala ridge itself from which the mountain range takes its name). The terrain of the Obudu Plateau is hilly with deep gorges.
Climate
The climate on the Obudu Plateau is comparatively cold. The plateau experiences a
semi-temperate climate, with temperatures going between to during the
dry season
The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The ...
of November to January. The
rainy season
The rainy season is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs.
Rainy Season may also refer to:
* ''Rainy Season'' (short story), a 1989 short horror story by Stephen King
* "Rainy Season", a 2018 song by Monni
* '' ...
in June to September is colder with temperature lows of between to recorded. The plateau receives heavy and abundant rainfall during the rainy season. A total of 4,200 millimeters of rainfall is received on the plateau between April to November.
Orographic
Orography is the study of the topographic relief of mountains, and can more broadly include hills, and any part of a region's elevated terrain. Orography (also known as ''oreography'', ''orology'' or ''oreology'') falls within the broader disci ...
activity is a factor contributing to the heavy rainfall. Clouds coming into southern Nigeria from the Atlantic Ocean drop their moisture content onto the plateau as the barrier of the Sankwala mountains forces the cloud upward and the resulting rapid cooling is followed by heavy rainfall on the plateau.
History
The Sankwala mountain ranges were first explored in 1949 by McCaughley, a
Scottish rancher who camped out in the mountains for a month, before returning with Hugh Jones – a fellow rancher who, in 1951, together with Crawfeild developed a cattle ranch on the plateau known as the
Obudu Cattle Ranch. Although the ranch has been through troubles since, it has very recently been rehabilitated to its former glory by the
South African Protea hotel chain.
Come Visit Obudu – Obudu Forum
TripAdvisor (2011-03-27). Retrieved on 2011-04-09.
A cable car transport network takes visitors from the foot of the mountain to the top of the plateau. An airstrip is located at the foot of the plateau for visitors reaching the plateau by air from other parts of the world.
References
{{Reflist
Plateaus of Nigeria
Cameroonian Highlands forests