Statistical information Fiji 1994

Fiji in the World
top of pageBackground: 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 1990 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 1994 made the constitution more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1994 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.
top of pageLocation: Oceania, Melanesia, 2,500 km north of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal area total: 18,270 km²
Land: 18,270 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,129 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin
ElevationNatural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential
Land useArable land: 8%
Permanent crops: 5%
Meadows and pastures: 3%
Forest and woodland: 65%
Other: 19%
Irrigated land: 10 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
GeographyNote: includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
top of pagePopulation: 764,382 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 1.05% (1994 est.)
Nationality: noun:Fijian(s)
Ethnic groups: Fijian 49%, Indian 46%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5%
Languages: English (official), Fijian, Hindustani
Religions: Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2%
Note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is a Muslim minority (1986)
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.05% (1994 est.)
Birth rate: 24.18 births/1000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate: 6.5 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate: -7.15 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; soil erosion
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 18.1 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 65.14 years
Male: 62.88 years
Female: 67.51 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.92 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1985 est.)
Total population: 86%
Male: 90%
Female: 81%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form:Republic of Fiji
conventional short form
Government type: republic
Note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. 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 areasIndependence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 October (1970)
Constitution: 10 October 1970 (suspended 1 October 1987; a new Constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and promulgated on 25 July 1990; the 1990 Constitution is under review; the review will be complete by 1997
Legal system: based on British system
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: none
Executive branchChief of state: President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (since 12 January 1994); First Vice President Ratu Sir Josaia TAIVAIQIA (since 12 January 1994); Second Vice President Ratu Inoke TAKIVEIKATA (since 12 January 1994); note - President GANILAU died on 15 December 1993 and Vice President MARA became acting president; MARA was elected president by the Great Council of Chiefs on 12 January 1994
Head of government: Prime Minister Sitiveni RABUKA (since 2 June 1992)
Presidential Council: appointed by the governor general
Great Council of Chiefs: (highest ranking members of the traditional chiefly system)
Legislative branch: Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF; including a naval division, police)
Senate: nonelective body containing 34 seats, 24 reserved for Melanesians, 9 for Indians and others, 1 for the island of Rotuma
House of Representatives: elections last held 18-25 February 1994 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (70 total, with ethnic Fijians allocated 37 seats, ethnic Indians 27 seats, and independents and other 6 seats) number of seats by party SVT 31, NFP 20, FLP 7, FA 5, GVP 4, independents 2, ANC 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, PCA, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNOMUR, UNTAC, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representationFrom the us chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William ROPE
From the us chancery: Suite 240, 2,233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,007
From the us telephone: [679] 314-466
From the us fax: (202) 337-1996
From the us consulates: New York
From the us embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
From the us FAX: [679] 300-081
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 Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Fiji's economy is primarily agricultural, with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and tourism are the major sources of foreign exchange. Industry contributes 13% to GDP, with sugar processing accounting for one-third of industrial activity. Roughly 250,000 tourists visit each year. Political uncertainty and drought, however, contribute to substantial fluctuations in earnings from tourism and sugar. In 1992, growth was approximately 3%, based on growth in tourism and a lessening of labor-management disputes in the sugar and gold-mining sectors. In 1993, the government's budgeted growth rate of 3% was not achieved because of a decline in non-sugar agricultural output and damage from Cyclone Kina.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 1% (1993 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $4,000 (1993 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 23% of GDP; principal cash crop is sugarcane; coconuts, cassava, rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; small livestock sector includes cattle, pigs, horses, and goats; fish catch nearly 33,000 tons (1989)
Industries: sugar, tourism, copra, gold, silver, clothing, lumber, small cottage industries
Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (1992 est.), accounts for 13% of GDP
Labor force: 235,000
By occupation subsistenceagriculture: 67%
By occupation wageearners: 18%
By occupation salaryearners: 15% (1987)
Unemployment rate: 5.9% (1991 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues:$455 million
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $417 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities: sugar 40%, clothing, processed fish, gold, lumber
Partners: EC 26%, Australia 15%, Pacific Islands 11%, Japan 6%
Imports: $517 million (c.i.f., 1992 est)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, consumer goods, chemicals
Partners: Australia 30%, NZ 17%, Japan 13%, EC 6%, US 6%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $670 million (1994 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1 - 1.5239 (January 1994), 1.5418 (1993), 1.5030 (1992), 1.4756 (1991), 1.4809 (1990), 1.4833 (1989)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 215,000 kW
Production: 420 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 560 kWh (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaFiji - Communication 1994
top of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: exchange rate conversion - $22.4 million, about 2% of GDP (FY91/92)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsFiji - Transportation 1994
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 25
Usable: 22
With permanentsurface runways: 3
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 2
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 203 km; 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges
Merchant marine: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,911 GRT/54,490 DWT, cargo 1, chemical tanker 2, container 2, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2
Ports and terminalsFiji - Transnational issues 1994
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs