Map of Fiji | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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 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 but a coup in May of 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. New elections are scheduled for August 2001.


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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
Total: 18,270 km²
Land: 18,270 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1129 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Natural resources: timber fish gold copper offshore oil potential hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 10%
Permanent crops: 4%
Permanent pastures: 10%
Forests and woodland: 65%
Other: 11% (1993 est.)

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


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Population: 844,330 (July 2001 est.)
Growth rate: 1.41% (2001 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Fijian
Adjective: Fijian

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
Note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is a Muslim minority (1986)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 32.92% (male 141,724; female 136,216)
15-64 years: 63.52% (male 268,411; female 267,871)
65 years and over: 3.56% (male 14,007; female 16,101) (2001 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.41% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 23.33 births/1000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 5.75 deaths/1000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.45 migrant(s)/1000 population (2001 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female
15-64 years: 1 male/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female (2001 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 14.08 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 68.25 years
Male: 65.83 years
Female: 70.78 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.86 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 91.6%
Male: 93.8%
Female: 89.3% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
Conventional short form: Fiji

Government type
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 areas

Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day second Monday of 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
Note: armed ethnic Fijian terrorists, led by George SPEIGHT stormed the Parliament building on 19 May 2000; ethnic Indo-Fijian Prime Minister Mahendra CHAUDHRY and his government were held hostage for 56 days; following the attempted coup, the Commander of the Fiji Military Forces, naval Commodore Frank BAINIMARAMA declared martial law and dissolved the government on 29 May 2000; an interim government, headed by interim Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE, was appointed to serve until a new constitution was initiated and subsequent elections held; in November 2000, Fiji's High Court upheld the 1997 constitution and ruled that Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA remained the president; Justice Anthony GATES concluded that MARA should recall the pre-May 19th Parliament and appoint a prime minister to form a new government; the Fiji Court of Appeals upheld GATES' decision on 1 March 2001; it ruled that the 1997 constitution had not been abrogated, Parliament had not been dissolved, only prorogued for six months, and that the presidency remained vacant since MARA's resignation took effect 15 December 2000; President Ratu Josefa ILOILO reinstated QARASE's interim government as the caretaker government and elections were scheduled for August 2001; approximately 23 fluid political parties are currently jockeying for power
Chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILO (since NA 2000); Vice President Jope SENILOLI (since NA 2000)
Head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since NA 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Epeli NAILATIKAU (since NA 2000)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note -there is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs which consists of the highest ranking members of the traditional chiefly system
Elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILO elected president by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch
Elections: House of Representatives - last held 11 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004)
Election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Fiji Labor Party 37, others 34

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; Fijian Nationalist Federation Party or NFP [Singh RAKKA]; Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA]; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Jai Ram REDDY]; United General Party or UGP [David PICKERING]

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 Sparteca SPC SPF UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNIFIL UNIKOM UNMIBH UNMIK UNTAET UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Salaseini Lelelvawalu VOSAILAGI
In the us chancery: Suite 240, 2,233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 337-8,320
In the us fax: [1] (202) 337-1996
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Osman M. SIDDIQUE
From the us embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
From the us telephone: [679] 314,466
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 symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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. The political turmoil in Fiji has had a severe impact with the economy shrinking by 8% in 1999 and over 7,000 people losing their jobs. The interim government's 2001 budget is an attempt to attract foreign investment and restart economic activity. The government's ability to manage the budget and fulfill predictions of 4% growth for 2001 will depend on a return to stability a regaining of investor confidence and the absence of international sanctions (which could cripple Fiji's sugar and textile industry).

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -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: 16%
Industry: 30%
Services: 54% (1999 est.)

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
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $610 million
Expenditures: $501 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

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: $537 million (f.o.b. 1999)
Commodities: sugar garments gold timber fish
Partners: Australia 33.1% US 14.8% UK 13.8% other Pacific island countries 8.8% NZ 4.5% Japan 4.5% (1999)

Imports: $653 million (f.o.b. 1999)
Commodities: manufactured goods machinery and transport equipment petroleum products food chemicals
Partners: Australia 41.9% US 14% NZ 13.3% Japan 4.8% Taiwan 1.9% (1999)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $193 million (1998)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Fijian dollars per US dollar - 2.1814 (January 2001) 2.1286 (2000) 1.9696 (1999) 1.9868 (1998) 1.4437 (1997) 1.4033 (1996)


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Electricity
Production: 510 million kWh (1999)
Production by source fossil fuel: 17.65%
Production by source hydro: 82.35%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1999)
Consumption: 474.3 million kWh (1999)
Exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 72,000 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 5,200 (1997)

Telephone system
General assessment: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center
Domestic: NA
International: access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .fj
Service providers isps: 2 (2000)
Users: 7,500 (2000)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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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


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 27 (2000 est.)
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2000 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 24
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 19 (2000 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 597 km; note - belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation
Narrow gauge: 597 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)

Roadways

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

Merchant marine
Total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,870 GRT/14,787 DWT
Ships by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs