The state is located in the South-South Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria. It shares boundary with Akwa Ibom, Abia, Ebonyi and Benue State and international boundary with the Republic of Cameroon. The state capital is calabar. The state has many centres of attraction, prominent among which are the Obudu Cattle Ranch and Tinapa Resort. The State is known as the People's Paradise. In the 2006 Population and Housing Census, Cross River state is made up of 1,471,967 males and 1,421,021 females