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|capital = Enugu |leader1 = |government_type = Republic |currency = Biafran pound |stat_pop1 = 13500000 |stat_area1 = 77306 |stat_year1 = 1967 |footnotes = }} Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra (the Atlantic bay to its south). The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious tensions among the various peoples of Nigeria. The creation of the new state that was pushing for recognition was among the causes of the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War. The state was formally recognised by Gabon, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Zambia. Other nations which did not give official recognition but which did provide support and assistance to Biafra included Israel, France, Spain, Portugal, Rhodesia, South Africa and Vatican City.〔 (Biafra Free State )〕 Biafra also received aid from non-state actors, including Joint Church Aid, Holy Ghost Fathers of Ireland, Caritas International, MarkPress and U.S. Catholic Relief Services.〔 After two-and-a-half years of war, during which a million civilians died in fighting and from starvation resulting from blockades, Biafran forces unconditionally surrendered to the Nigerian Federal Military Government (FMG), and Biafra was reintegrated into Nigeria. ==Etymology== The name Biafra, like the name Africa, can be traced back to the Moorish Tribe of Bani Ifran, a name meaning the Children of Ephraim. In this setting Ephraim refers to their descent from the Israelite tribe of Ephraim being the House of Joseph. In this regard the authority of the Biafrans was symbolized by the donning of the Moorish Red Fez which became the sign of an Igbo Chief. The Bani-Ifran also established the "Divination System", which the Igbo call EFA or AFA. This Ephraimite Divination System was practiced by the Prophet Joseph in Egypt and was passed on to his son Ephraim being the progenitor of the Bani-Ifran or Biafran people. The word Biafra has its generics from “Ephraim”. Researchers hold the view that the region is inhabited by descendants of Ephraim. Mitchell map of 1839 stated that the important estuaries from where the rivers flow into the ocean is called Ephraim town which is located 60 miles from River Nun which is in the south-south Nigeria today. The river is named after Nun the father of Joshua of the tribe of Ephraim. Biblical meaning of the name “EPHRAIM” is “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction”. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Biafra」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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