Taraba State was carved out of the former Gongola State on 27th August 1991 by the then regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. Taraba State is named after the Taraba River which traverses the southern part of the state. Taraba’s capital is Jalingo.

Situated in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, Taraba State occupies 54,473 square kilometers. Taraba state is bounded in the West by Plateau, Nassarawa and Benue states, on the eastern border by Adamawa State and the Republic of Cameroon, and on the northern border by Gombe State.

Taraba State lies largely within the middle of Nigeria and consists of undulating landscape dotted with a few mountainous features. These includes the scenic and prominent Mambilla Plateau. The state lies largely within the tropical zone and has a vegetation of low forest in the southern part and grassland in the northern part. The Mambilla Plateau with an altitude of 1,800 meters (6000 ft) above sea level has a temperate climate all year round.

Rivers Benue, Donga, Taraba and Ibi are the main rivers and rise from the Cameroon mountains, straining almost the entire length of the state in the North and South direction to link up with the River Niger.