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 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Reelected 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. Following years of political turmoil, long-delayed legislative elections were held in September 2014 that were deemed 'credible' by international observers and that resulted in BAINIMARAMA being reelected.


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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1129 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation: 0 m
Note: lowest point: Pacific Ocean

Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Land use
Agricultural land: 23.3% (2011 est.)
Forest: 55.7% (2011 est.)
Other: 21% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 km² (2012)

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; approximately 110 are inhabited


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Population
Distribution: approximately 70% of the population lives on the island of Viti Levu; roughly half of the population lives in urban areas: 926,276 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 161
Growth rate: 0.56% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 151
Below poverty line: 31% (2009 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Fijian(s)
Adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups:

Languages: English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

Religions: Protestant 45% (Methodist 34.6%, Assembly of God 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.9%, and Anglican 0.8%), Hindu 27.9%, other Christian 10.4%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other 0.3%, none 0.8% (2007 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 27.45% (male 129,962 /female 124,305)
15-24 years: 15.91% (male 75,165 /female 72,219)
25-54 years: 41.05% (male 194,743 /female 185,469)
55-64 years: 8.79% (male 41,286 /female 40,167)
65 years and over: 6.8% (male 28,924 /female 34,036) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 52.8 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 43.9 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 8.9 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 11.2 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 29.2 years
Male: 29 years
Female: 29.4 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 126

Population growth rate: 0.56% (2018 est.)
Rank: 151

Birth rate: 18.2 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 91

Death rate: 6.2 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 156

Net migration rate: -6.5 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 200

Population distribution: approximately 70% of the population lives on the island of Viti Levu; roughly half of the population lives in urban areas

Urbanization
Urban population: 56.2% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 1.62% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 178,000 SUVA (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: the widespread practice of waste incineration is a major contributor to air pollution in the country, as are vehicle emissions in urban areas; deforestation and soil erosion are significant problems; a contributory factor to erosion is clearing of land by bush burning, a widespread practie that threatens biodiversity
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(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.3 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 10.2 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 8.2 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 142

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.2 years (2018 est.)
Male: 70.5 years (2018 est.)
Female: 76 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 141

Total fertility rate: 2.37 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 82

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.5% of population
Rural: 8.8% of population
Total: 4.3% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.84 physicians/1000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density: 2.3 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 6.6% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 11.6% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 8.9% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2016 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 111
People living with hivaids note: <1000 (2016 est.)
Deaths note: <100 (2016 est.)

Major infectious diseases: note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 30.2% (2016)
Rank: 24

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 3.9% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 113

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

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
Etymology: the Fijians called their home Viti, but the neighboring Tongans called it Fisi, and in the Anglicized spelling of the Tongan pronunciation - promulgated by explorer Captain James COOK - the designation became Fiji

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Suva (on Viti Levu)
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 first Sunday in November; ends second Sunday in January

Administrative divisions: 14 provinces and 1 dependency*; Ba, Bua, Cakaudrove, Kadavu, Lau, Lomaiviti, Macuata, Nadroga and Navosa, Naitasiri, Namosi, Ra, Rewa, Rotuma*, Serua, Tailevu

Dependent areas

Independence: 10 October 1970 (from the UK)

National holiday: Fiji (Independence) Day, 10 October (1970)

Constitution: several previous; latest signed into law September 2013 (2017)

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Fiji
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: at least 5 years residency out of the 10 years preceding application

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Jioji Konousi KONROTE (since 12 November 2015)
Head of government: Prime Minister Voreqe Frank BAINIMARAMA (since 22 September 2014)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament
Electionsappointments: president elected by Parliament for a 3-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 31 August 2018 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Jioji Konousi KONROTE reelected president (unopposed)

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament (51 seats; members directly elected in a nationwide, multi-seat constituency by open-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 14 November 2018 (next to be held in 2022)
Election results: percent of vote by party - FijiFirst 50%, SODELPA 39.6%, NFP 7.4%; seats by party - FijiFirst 27, SODELPA 21, NFP 3; composition - men 41, women 10, percent of women 19.6%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, all justices of the Court of Appeal, and judges appointed specifically as Supreme Court judges); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, all puisne judges of the High Court, and judges specifically appointed to the Court of Appeal); High Court (chaired by the chief justice and includes a minimum of 10 puisne judges; High Court organized into civil, criminal, family, employment, and tax divisions)
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president of Fiji on the advice of the prime minister following consultation with the parliamentary leader of the opposition; judges of the Supreme Court, the president of the Court of Appeal, the justices of the Court of Appeal, and puisne judges of the High Court appointed by the president of Fiji upon the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission after consulting with the cabinet minister and the committee of the House of Representatives responsible for the administration of justice; the chief justice, Supreme Court judges and justices of Appeal generally required to retire at age 70 but may be waived for one or more sessions of the court; puisne judges appointed for not less than 4 years nor more than 7 years with mandatory retirement at age 65
Subordinate courts: Magistrates Court (organized into civil, criminal, juvenile, and small claims divisions)

Political parties and leaders: FijiFirst [Veroqe 'Frank' BAINIMARAMA]Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]Fiji United Freedon Party or FUFP [Jagath KARUNARATNE]National Federation Party or NFP [Biman PRASAD] (primarily Indian)Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Lynda TABUYA]Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPAUnity Fiji [Adi QORO]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Solo MARA (since 28 January 2016)
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 Judith CEFKIN (since 3 February 2015); note - also accredited to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu
From the us embassy: 158 Princes Rd, Tamavua
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
From the us telephone: [679] 331-4,466
From the us FAX: [679] 330-8,685

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, holding a coconut pod between its paws, above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George; the four quarters depict stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, a banana bunch, and a white dove of peace

National symbols: Fijian canoe; national color: light blue

National anthem
Name: God Bless Fiji
Lyricsmusic: Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT/C. Austin MILES (adapted by Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT): note: adopted 1970; 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 and connected of the Pacific island economies. Earnings from the tourism industry, with an estimated 842,884 tourists visiting in 2017, and remittances from Fijian’s working abroad are the country’s largest foreign exchange earners.Bottled water exports to the US is Fiji’s largest domestic export. Fiji's sugar sector remains a significant industry and a major export, but crops and one of the sugar mills suffered damage during Cyclone Winston in 2016. Fiji’s trade imbalance continues to widen with increased imports and sluggish performance of domestic exports.The return to parliamentary democracy and successful elections in September 2014 improved investor confidence, but increasing bureaucratic regulation, new taxes, and lack of consultation with relevant stakeholders brought four consecutive years of decline for Fiji on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business index. Private sector investment in 2017 approached 20% of GDP, compared to 13% in 2013.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 163

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 113

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 140

Gross national saving:
Rank: 146

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 81.3% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 24.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 29% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -51.6% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 13.5% (2017 est.)
Industry: 17.4% (2017 est.)
Services: 69.1% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: sugarcane, copra, ginger, tropical fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, chicken, fish

Industries: tourism, sugar processing, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (2017 est.)
Rank: 108

Labor force: 353,100 (2017 est.)
Rank: 161
By occupation agriculture: 44.2%
By occupation industry: 14.3%
By occupation services: 41.6% (2011)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 63

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 31% (2009 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 34.9% (2009 est.)
Highest 10: 34.9% (2009 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: 1.454 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 1.648 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 157

Taxes and other revenues: 29.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 80

Public debt:
Rank: 106

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 140

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 122

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 129

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 132

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 140

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 135

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 113

Current account balance:
Rank: 101

Exports:
Rank: 164
Partners: US 20.8%, Australia 14.9%, NZ 7.7%, Tonga 5%, Vanuatu 4.6%, China 4.5%, Spain 4.3%, UK 4.3%, Kiribati 4.1% (2017)
Commodities: fuel, including oil, fish, beverages, gems, sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil, mineral water

Imports:
Rank: 168
Commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food and beverages, chemicals, tobacco
Partners: Australia 19.2%, NZ 17.2%, Singapore 17%, China 13.8% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 130

Debt external:
Rank: 166

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 108

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 110

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access population without electricity: 375,274 (2012)
Access electrification total population: 59% (2012)
Access electrification urban areas: 72% (2012)
Access electrification rural areas: 45% (2012)
Production: 914 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 155
Consumption: 850 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 159
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 135
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 149
Installed generating capacity: 338,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 154
Generation sources fossil fuels: 34% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 181
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 91
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 38% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 55
Generation sources other renewable sources: 27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 24

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 136
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 124
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 128
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 132

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 146
Products consumption: 16,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 151
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 156
Products imports: 17,460 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 131

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 133
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 147
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 105
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 126
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 136

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 2.369 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 155

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 75,952 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 147
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1,033,915 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 159

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; subject to occasional devastating cyclones; Fiji is a leader in the Pacific region in terms of development of its ICT sector and investment in telecoms infrastructure; initial progress towards 5G readiness (2017)
Domestic: telephone or radio telephone links to almost all inhabited islands; most towns and large villages have automatic telephone exchanges and direct dialing; fixed-line 8 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 112 per 100 persons (2017)
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); 2018 Fijian government to implement cable to connect the two major islands via submarine cable system (2017)

Broadcast media: Fiji TV, a publicly traded company, operates a free-to-air channel; Digicel Fiji operates 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 (2017)

Internet
Country code: .fj
Users total: 425,680 (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 46.5% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 152

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 12,135 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
Rank: 167


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 116

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory retirement at age 55 (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,336,976 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 83,686,504
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: DQ (2016)

Airports: 28 (2013)
Rank: 121
With paved runways total: 4 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 24 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 19 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 597 km (2008)
Narrow gauge: 597 km
Note: 0.600-m gauge (2008): note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during the harvest season, which runs from May to December
Rank: 109

Roadways
Total: 3,440 km (2011)
Paved: 1686 km (2011)
Unpaved: 1754 km (2011)
Rank: 163

Waterways: 203 km
Note: (122 km are navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges) (2012)
Rank: 97

Merchant marine
Total: 68 (2017)
By type: bulk carrier 6, general cargo 25, oil tanker 2, other 35 (2017)
Rank: 103

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Lautoka, Levuka, Suva


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs