Rivers State is a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria. Formed in 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include: Imo to the north, Abia and Akwa Ibom to the east and Bayelsa and Delta to the west.

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.

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, NAFCON, Pabod Breweries to mention a few.

Fishing and farming are the principal occupations of the region. Plantains, bananas, cassava oil palms, coconuts, rubber trees, raffia and citrus fruits are grown.

It notes that Rivers State is a multilingual state in which 28 native or indigenous languages are spoken and that the languages fall into two major sub-families (Benue-Congo and Ijoid) within the Niger-Congo phylum.