Osun State, Nigeria

Map of Osun State	Executive Governor Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola	Coat of Arms
Official Website: http://www.osunstate.gov.ng
Population: 3,423,535 (2006 Estimate)     Alias: State of the Living Spring
Local Governments
Aiyedade Aiyedire Atakumosa East Atakumosa West Boluwaduro Boripe Ede North Ede South Egbedore Ejigbo	Ife Central Ife East Ife North Ife South Ifedayo Ifelodun Ila Ilesha East Ilesha West Irepodun	Irewole Isokan Iwo Obokun Odo-Otin Ola-Oluwa Olorunda Oriade Orolu Osogbo

GENERAL INFORMATION Osun State was carved out of Oyo State on August 27, 1991 by the then regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. It's capital is Osogbo. Located in South West Nigeria, Osun state is landlocked and occupies 9,251 square kilometres.  Osun State shares borders Kwara State to the North, Oyo State to the West, Ogun State to the South and Ondo and Ekiti States to the East.

The people of the state are Yorubas and they trace their origin to Oduduwa and the town of Ile-Ife. Ile Ife is an important center of political and religious development for Yoruba culture. Other important cities and towns include the ancient kingdom-capitals of �’kè-�Œlá Oràngún, �Œlá Oràngún, Ede, and Ilesa.

The state's name is derived from the River Osun, a deified natural spring where annual traditional festivities are held. Osun-Osogbo Grove, the shrine of the annual rites of the deity and an important artistic center in western Nigeria, was declared a World Heritage Site in 2005.

Every year, adherents and non-adherents of Osun, one of the Orisa (the traditional deities of the Yoruba), travel from all over the world to attend the annual Osun festival in August. Visitors include nationals of Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad, Grenada, and other nations in the Americas with a significant Yoruba cultural heritage.

ECONOMY
The people of the state are mostly farmers, producing such food crops as yam, maize, cassava, beans and cocoyam. The cash crops grown include tobacco and palm produce.

Transportation in the state is either by road or rail.

TOURISM
The state has a rich cultural heritage which is shown in their music, art, dances, dresses and cultural festivals. They are well known for their talking drums and bata music.

They are also known for good works of art. Areas of tourist attraction include

- The famous Ife Bronze,
- The Oranmiyan Staff which is believed to be the fighting stick of Oranmiyan, the son of Oduduwa who was a great warrior and
- The popular Osun-Osogbo cultural festival.