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). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian but a civilian-led 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 led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006 QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has neutralized his opponents crippled Fiji's democratic institutions and refused to hold elections.


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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: 18,274 km²
Rank: 157
Land: 18,274 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1129 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
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 1324 m

Natural resources: timber fish gold copper offshore oil potential hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 10.95%
Permanent crops: 4.65%
Other: 84.4% (2005)

Irrigated land: 30 km² (2008)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 28.6 km³ (1987)

Natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Geography
Note: includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited


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Population: 883,125 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 160
Growth rate: 0.798% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 134
Below poverty line: 25.5% (FY90/91)

Nationality
Noun: Fijian
Adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups: Fijian 57.3% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture) Indian 37.6% Rotuman 1.2% other 3.9% (European other Pacific Islanders Chinese) (2007 census)

Languages: English (official) Fijian (official) Hindustani

Religions: Protestant 55.4% (Methodist 34.6% Assembly of God 5.7% Seventh-Day Adventist 3.9% Anglican 0.8% other 10.4%) Hindu 27.9% Roman Catholic 9.1% Muslim 6.3% Sikh 0.3% other or unspecified 0.3% none 0.7% (2007 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 28.9%
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 297,071/female 284,643)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 21,187/female 24,945) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 26.9 years
Male: 26.7 years
Female: 27.1 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.798% (2011 est.)
Rank: 134

Birth rate: 21.11 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 82

Death rate: 5.9 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 167

Net migration rate: -7.24 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 204

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 52% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

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 Wetlands
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(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 11 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 144
Male: 12.12 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 9.82 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.31 years
Rank: 138
Male: 68.73 years
Female: 74.03 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.61 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 80

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.4529 physicians/1000 population (2003)
Rank: 129

Hospital bed density: 2.08 beds/1000 population (2008)
Rank: 100

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 124
People living with hivaids: fewer than 1000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 143
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 139

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23.9% (2004)
Rank: 12

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 6.2% of GDP (2004)
Rank: 26

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
Total: 13 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 13 years (2005)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Fiji
Conventional short form: Fiji
Local long form: Republic of Fiji/Matanitu ko Viti
Local short form: Fiji/Viti

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Suva
Geographic coordinates: 18 08 S 178 25 E
Time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins fourth Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in March

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 10 October 1970 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day second Monday of October (1970)

Constitution: enacted 25 July 1997; effective 28 July 1998; note - constitution encourages multiculturalism and makes multiparty government mandatory

Legal system: common law system based on the English model

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU
Head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000); note - although QARASE is still the legal prime minister he has been confined to his home island; former President ILOILOVATU appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime minister under the military regime
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and responsible to Parliament; note - coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet
Elections: under the constitution president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); in 2007 the Great Council of Chiefs was suspended from its role in electing the president; prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU was appointed by Chief Justice Anthony GATES

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 members appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister 8 on the advice of the opposition leader and 1 appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 members reserved for ethnic Fijians 19 reserved for ethnic Indians 3 reserved for other ethnic groups 1 reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)
Elections: House of Representatives - last held on 6-13 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - SDL 44.6% FLP 39.2% UPP 0.8% independents 4.9% other 10.5%; seats by party - SDL 36 FLP 31 UPP 2 independents 2

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

Political parties and leaders: Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE] Fijian Association Party or FAP Fijian Political Party or SVT [Sitiveni RABUKA] (primarily Fijian) and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP (became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP; Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR; National Federation Party or NFP [Pramond RAE] (primarily Indian); Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]

International organization participation: ACP ADB AOSIS C (suspended) CP FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA NAM OPCW PCA PIF Sparteca (suspended) SPC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNMISS UNMIT UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Winston THOMPSON
In the us chancery: 2000 M Street NW Suite 710 Washington DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 466-8,320
In the us fax: [1] (202) 466-8,325
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador C. Steven MCGANN
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 blue symbolizes the Pacific ocean and the Union Jack reflects the links with Great Britain; the shield - taken from Fiji's coat of arms - depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George; the four quarters depict stalks of sugarcane a palm tree bananas and a white dove

National symbols

National anthem
Name: 'God Bless Fiji'
Lyricsmusic: Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT/C. Austin MILES (adapted by Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT)
Note: adopted 1970; the anthem is known in Fijian as 'Meda Dau Doka' (Let Us Show Pride); adapted from the hymn 'Dwelling in Beulah Land' the anthem's English lyrics are generally sung although they differ in meaning from the official Fijian lyrics

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 remittances from Fijians working abroad and a growing tourist industry - with 400,000 to 500,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange. Fiji's sugar has special access to European Union markets but will be harmed by the EU's decision to cut sugar subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity but is not efficient. Fiji's tourism industry was damaged by the December 2006 coup and is facing an uncertain recovery time. In 2007 tourist arrivals were down almost 6% with substantial job losses in the service sector and GDP dipped. The coup has created a difficult business climate. The EU has suspended all aid until the interim government takes steps toward new elections. Long-term problems include low investment uncertain land ownership rights and the government's inability to manage its budget. Overseas remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have decreased significantly. Fiji's current account deficit reached 23% of GDP in 2006.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 168
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 187

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 154
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 16.1%
Industry: 24.4%
Services: 59.5% (2010 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: 335,000 (2007 est.)
Rank: 160
By occupation agriculture: 70%
By occupation industry and services: 30% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.6% (1999)
Rank: 83

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 25.5% (FY90/91)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $781.7 million
Expenditures: $885.9 million (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -3.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 107

Taxes and other revenues: 25% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 126

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.7% (2009 est.)
Rank: 156

Central bank discount rate: 3% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 103

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 7.9% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 130

Stock of narrow money: $663.2 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 147

Stock of broad money: $1.741 billion
Rank: 147

Stock of domestic credit: $1.737 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 133

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 98

Current account balance: -$237.8 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 114

Exports: $625.3 million (2006)
Rank: 163
Commodities: sugar garments gold timber fish molasses coconut oil
Partners: US 15.7% Australia 14.6% Japan 6.1% Samoa 5.7% Tonga 5% (2010)

Imports: $1.3 billion (2006)
Rank: 168
Commodities: manufactured goods machinery and transport equipment petroleum products food chemicals
Partners: Singapore 31.1% Australia 19.1% NZ 15.1% China 8.6% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $567.3 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt external: $127 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 183

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 970 million kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 147
Consumption: 865.8 million kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 149
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 182
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 176
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 96
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 119
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 136

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 137,000 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 140
Mobile cellular: 1 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 153

Telephone system
General assessment: modern local interisland and international public and special-purpose telephone telegraph and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center
Domestic: telephone or radio telephone links to almost all inhabited islands; most towns and large villages have automatic telephone exchanges and direct dialing; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 80 per 100 persons
International: country code - 679; access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth stations - 2 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean) (2009)

Broadcast media: Fiji TV a publicly-traded company operates a free-to-air channel as well as the Sky Fiji and Sky Pacific multi-channel pay-TV services; state-owned commercial company Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Ltd operates 6 radio stations - 2 public broadcasters and 4 commercial broadcasters with multiple repeaters; 5 radio stations with repeaters operated by Communications Fiji Ltd; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2009)

Internet
Country code: .fj
Hosts: 17,088 (2010)
Hosts rank: 113
Users: 114,200 (2009)
Users rank: 157

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 73

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2010)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 28 (2010)
Rank: 118
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 24
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 19 (2010)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 597 km
Rank: 108
Narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
Note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during the harvest season which runs from May to December (2008)

Roadways
Total: 3,440 km
Rank: 162
Paved: 1692 km
Unpaved: 1748 km (2000)

Waterways: 203 km (122 km are navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges) (2010)
Rank: 98

Merchant marine
Total: 10
Rank: 112
By type: passenger 4 passenger/cargo 4 roll on/roll off 2
Foreign owned: 2 (Australia 2) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Lautoka Levuka Suva


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs