Guide to Fiji Introduction 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.
Geography 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 references: Oceania
Area: total
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,129 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea
Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes: lowest point
Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
Land use: arable land
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements: party to
Geography - note: includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
People Population: 893,354 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 1.4% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 22.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 5.65 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun
Ethnic groups: Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)
Religions: Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2% note
Languages: English (official), Fijian, Hindustani
Literacy: definition
Government Country name: conventional long form
Government type: republic note
Capital: Suva (Viti Levu)
Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western
Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)
Constitution: promulgated on 25 July 1990; amended on 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998
Legal system: based on British system
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24 appointed by the President on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, nine appointed by the president, 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 council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms) elections
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]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
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
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
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
Economy 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, but is inefficient. 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. Overseas remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have increased significantly.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $5.173 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 137,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7.6% (1999)
Population below poverty line: 25.5% (1990-91)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2002 est.)
Budget: revenues
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
Electricity - production: 750 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 697.5 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Exports: $609 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities: sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil
Exports - partners: US 24%, Australia 19%, UK 12.6%, Samoa 6.5%, Japan 4.1% (2004)
Imports: $835 million c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals
Imports - partners: Australia 25.9%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 21.1% (2004)
Debt - external: $188.1 million (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $40.3 million (1995)
Currency (code): Fijian dollar (FJD)
Currency code: FJD
Exchange rates: Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003), 2.1869 (2002), 2.2766 (2001), 2.1286 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 102,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 109,900 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 541,476 (1999)
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: 88,110 (1999)
Internet country code: .fj
Internet hosts: 493 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet users: 55,000 (2003)
Transportation Railways: total
Highways: total
Waterways: 203 km note
Ports and harbors: Lambasa, Lautoka, Suva
Merchant marine: total
Airports: 28 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total
Military Military branches: Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $36 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Disputes - international: none
Last updated: 20 October, 2005
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