Map of Fiji | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1989 constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji but led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. Amendments enacted in 1989 made the constitution more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1989 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian. Fiji has been a major contributor to UN peacekeeping missions in various parts of the world.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 1,129 km

Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation

Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper; offshore oil potential

Land use: 8% arable land; 5% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures; 65% forest and woodland; 19% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: located 2,500 km north of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean


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Population: 756,559 (July 1989), growth rate 2.1% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Fijian(s; adjective - Fijian

Ethnic groups: 49% Indian, 46% Fijian, 5% European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and others

Languages: English (official; Fijian; Hindustani

Religions: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu with a Muslim minority

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 28 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: - 2 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: subject to hurricanes from November to January; includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 19 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 69 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 80%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Fiji

Government type: military coup leader Major General Sitiveni Rabuka formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Capital: Suva

Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western

Dependent areas

Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 October (1970)

Constitution: 10 October 1970 (suspended October 1987)

Legal system: based on British system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal adult

Executive branch: Chief of State - President Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu GANILAU (since 5 December 1987; Head of Government - Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (since 5 December 1987; note - Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara served as prime minister from 10 October 1970 until the April 1987 election; after a second coup led by Major General Sitiveni Rabuka on 25 September 1987, Ratu Mara was reappointed as prime minister

Legislative branch: integrated ground and naval forces

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ADB, Colombo Plan, EC (associate), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Counselor (Commercial), Vice Consul, Charge d'Affaires ad interim Abdul H. YUSUF; Chancery at Suite 240, 2,233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,007; telephone (202) 337-8,320; there is a Fijian Consulate in New York; US - Ambassador Leonard ROCHWARGER; Embassy at 31 Loftus Street, Suva (mailing address is P. O. Box 218, Suva; telephone Õ679å 314-466 or 314-069

Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of St. George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Fiji is primarily agricultural, with a large subsistence sector. Sugar is a major source of foreign exchange earnings and its processing accounts for a third of industrial output. Industry, including sugar milling, contributes 10% to GDP. In the past Fiji has earned considerable sums of hard currency from the 250,000 tourists who visited each year. In 1987, however, after two military coups, the economy went into decline. GDP decreased by more than 10% as tourism dropped by about 25% and the average length of stay and expenditure of each tourist fell.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: principal cash crop is sugarcane; coconuts, cassava, rice, sweet potatoes, and bananas; small livestock sector includes cattle, pigs, horses, and goats

Industries: sugar, copra, tourism, gold, silver, fishing, clothing, lumber, small cottage industries

Industrial production growth rate: - 10.7% (1987)

Labor force: 176,000; 60% subsistence agriculture, 40% wage earners (1979)

Unemployment rate: 15-20% (1988 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $274 million; expenditures $340 million, including capital expenditures of $55 million (1987 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $328 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: sugar 49%, copra, processed fish, lumber
Partners: UK 45%, Australia 21%, US 4.7%

Imports: $385 million (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: food 15%, petroleum products, machinery, consumer goods
Partners: US 4.8%, NZ, Australia, Japan

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $430 million (December 1988)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1 - 1.4025 (January 1989), 1.4298 (1988), 1.2235 (1987), 1.1320 (1986), 1.1526 (1985)


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Electricity access

Electricity production

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $18.0 million, 3.7% of central government budget (1987)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 26 total, 24 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 203 km; 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges

Merchant marine: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,809 GRT/39,147 DWT; includes 1 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 container, 2 liquefied gas

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs