Map of Fiji | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


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 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 1997 made the constitution more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 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 page


Location: Oceania island group in the South Pacific Ocean about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S 175 00 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1129 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation

Natural resources: timber fish gold copper offshore oil potential hydropower

Land use

Irrigated land: 10 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Geography
Note: includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited


top of page


Population: 832,494 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 1.41% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture) Indian 44% European other Pacific Islanders overseas Chinese and other 5% (1998 est.)

Languages: English (official) Fijian Hindustani

Religions: Christian 52% (Methodist 37% Roman Catholic 9%) Hindu 38% Muslim 8% other 2%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.41% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 23.48 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 5.78 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.6 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 14.45 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 2.89 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name

Government type: republic

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 1 October 1987); a new constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and promulgated on 25 July 1990; amended 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty government mandatory; entered into force 28 July 1998; note - the May 1999 election was the first test of the amended constitution and introduced open voting - not racially prescribed - for the first time at the national level

Legal system: based on British system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs nine appointed by the prime minister eight appointed by the leader of the opposition and one appointed by the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians 19 reserved for ethnic Indians three reserved for other ethnic groups one reserved for the Rotuman constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji and 25 open; members serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: Christian Fellowship Party (Veitokani ni Lewenivanua Vakarisito Party) or VLV (primarily Methodist Fijian) [leader NA]; Conservative Party of Fiji or CPF [leader NA]; Fiji Conservative Party or FCP [leader NA]; Fiji Independent Labor (Muslim) [leader NA]; Fiji Indian Congress Party [leader NA]; Fiji Indian Liberal Party [leader NA]; Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; Fijian Association Party or FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED]; Fijian Nationalist Party or FNP [Sakeasi BUTADROKA]; Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA]; Four Corners Party [leader NA]; General Electors' Association [David PICKERING]; General Voters Party or GVP [Leo SMITH]; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Jai Ram REDDY]; National Unity Party [Apisai TORA]

International organization participation: ACP AsDB C CCC CP ESCAP FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Intelsat Interpol IOC ISO (subscriber) ITU OPCW PCA Sparteca SPC SPF UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNIFIL UNIKOM UNMIBH UNMIK UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation

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 symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Fiji endowed with forest mineral and fish resources is one of the most developed of the Pacific island economies though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist industry are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity. Roughly 300,000 tourists visit each year including thousands of Americans following the start of regularly scheduled non-stop air service from Los Angeles. Fiji's growth slowed in 1997 because the sugar industry suffered from low world prices and rent disputes between farmers and landowners. Drought in 1998 further damaged the sugar industry but its recovery in 1999 contributed to robust GDP growth. Long-term problems include low investment and uncertain property rights.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 7.8% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: sugarcane coconuts cassava (tapioca) rice sweet potatoes bananas; cattle pigs horses goats; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2.9% (1995)

Labor force: 235,000
By occupation: subsistence agriculture 67% wage earners 18% salary earners 15% (1987)

Unemployment rate: 6% (1997 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0% (1999 est.)

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: $393 million (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: sugar 32% clothing gold processed fish lumber
Partners: Australia 34% UK 18% other Pacific island countries 11% US 11% NZ 5% Japan 5% (1997)

Imports: $612 million (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment petroleum products food chemicals
Partners: Australia 45% NZ 15% Japan 7% US 5% Singapore 4% (1997)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $213 million (1997)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1 - 1.9654 (January 2000) 1.9696 (1999) 1.9868 (1998) 1.4437 (1997) 1.4033 (1996) 1.4063 (1995)


top of page


Electricity
Production: 550 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 512 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 65,000 (1995)
Mobile cellular: 4,300 (1998)

Telephone system: modern local interisland and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone telegraph and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: 2 (1999)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $24 million (FY98)
Percent of gdp: 1.1% (FY98)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 25 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

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

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs