Map of Fiji | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | 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 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.


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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
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added

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: 10.95%
Permanent crops: 4.65%
Other: 84.4% (2001)

Irrigated land: 30 km² (1998 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: 880,874 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 1.41% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: 25.5% (1990-91)

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: 31.7% (male 142,412; female 136,754)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 283,690; female 283,027)
65 years and over: 4% (male 16,047; female 18,944) (2004 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 24 years
Male: 23.6 years
Female: 24.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.41% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 22.91 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 5.68 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.14 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 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, 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: 0.85 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female (2004 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 12.99 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 14.36 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 11.54 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 69.2 years
Male: 66.74 years
Female: 71.79 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 600 (2003 est.)
Deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)

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: 93.7%
Male: 95.5%
Female: 91.9% (2003 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 (Viti Levu)

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: promulgated on 25 July 1990 and amended on 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
Chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18 July 2000)
Head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 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 chief 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 ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch
Elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1 September, 19 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2006)
Election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - FLP 26.5%, SDL 27.5%, NFP 1.2%, MV 4.2%, NLUP 1.3%, UGP .3%, independents 1.4%; seats by party - FLP 27, SDL 32, MV 6, NFP 1, NLUP 2, UGP 1, independents 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders: Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE]; Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE] Fijian Association Party or FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED] Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Felipe BOLE] and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and Freedom Party or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA]; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE]; Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT [leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]

International organization participation: ACP AsDB C CP FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC ISO (correspondent) ITU MIGA OPCW PCA PIF Sparteca UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNMIK UNMISET UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Mr. Paula NAVUNISARAVI (Charge D'Affaires ad Interim)
In the us chancery: 2,233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, 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 David L. LYON
From the us embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
From the us telephone: [679] 331-4,466
From the us fax: [679] 330-0081

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 - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity. Long-term problems include low investment uncertain land ownership rights and the government's ability to manage its budget. Yet short-run economic prospects are good provided tensions do not again erupt between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4.8% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2003 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 16.6%
Industry: 22.4%
Services: 61% (2001 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: NA

Labor force: 137,000 (1999)
By occupation: agriculture including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)