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Background:
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 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:
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Oceania, island
group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way
from Hawaii to New Zealand |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total:
18,270 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 18,270 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than New Jersey |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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1,129 km |
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Climate:
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tropical marine;
only slight seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains
of volcanic origin |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m |
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Natural resources:
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timber, fish,
gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
10.95%
permanent crops: 4.65%
other: 84.4% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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30 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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cyclonic storms
can occur from November to January |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation;
soil erosion |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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includes 332
islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited |
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Population:
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880,874 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
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total: 24
years
male: 23.6 years
female: 24.4 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.41% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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22.91
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.68 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-3.14 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
12.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 69.2 years
male: 66.74 years
female: 71.79 years (2004 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.78 children
born/woman (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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300 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Fijian(s)
adjective: Fijian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Fijian 51%
(predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian
44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and
other 5% (1998 est.) |
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Religions:
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Christian 52%
(Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%,
other 2%
note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu,
and there is a Muslim minority (1986) |
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Languages:
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English
(official), Fijian, Hindustani |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.9% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
conventional short form: Fiji |
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Government type:
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republic
note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA
formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987 |
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Capital:
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Suva (Viti Levu) |
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Administrative divisions:
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4 divisions and 1
dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western |
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Independence:
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10 October 1970
(from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
second Monday of October (1970) |
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Constitution:
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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 |
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Legal system:
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based on British
system |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since NA
2000); Vice President Jope SENILOLI (since NA 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% |
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Legislative branch:
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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: 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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court
(judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High
Court; Magistrates' Courts |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Anare JALE
FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996
telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320
chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240,
Washington, DC 20007 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador David L. LYON
embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone: [679] 331-4466
FAX: [679] 330-0081 |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $5.007 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4.8% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $5,800 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
16.6%
industry: 22.4%
services: 61% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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25.5% (1990-91) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.6% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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137,000 (1999) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture,
including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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7.6% (1999) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$427.9 million
expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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tourism, sugar,
clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage
industries |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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520.1 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
18.5%
hydro: 81.5%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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483.7 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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5,700 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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sugarcane,
coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas;
cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish |
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Exports:
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$609 million
f.o.b. (2002) |
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Exports - commodities:
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sugar, garments,
gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil |
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Exports - partners:
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US 25.5%,
Australia 19.7%, UK 10.7%, Japan 6.4%, Samoa 5.6% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$835 million
c.i.f. (2002) |
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Imports - commodities:
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manufactured
goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products,
food, chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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Australia 37.5%,
New Zealand 17.2%, Singapore 16%, Japan 4.2%, China 4.1%
(2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$188.1 million
(2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$40.3 million
(1995) |
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Currency:
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Fijian dollar (FJD) |
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Currency code:
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FJD |
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Exchange rates:
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Fijian dollars
per US dollar - 1.9 (2003), 2.19 (2002), 2.28 (2001), 2.13
(2000), 1.97 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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97,500 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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89,900 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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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: country code - 679; access to important
cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and
Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific
Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 13, FM 40,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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NA |
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Internet country code:
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.fj |
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Internet hosts:
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785 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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50,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 597
km
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar
Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May
to September) (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
3,440 km
paved: 1,692 km
unpaved: 1,748 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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203 km
note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and
200-metric-ton barges |
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Ports and harbors:
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Lambasa, Lautoka,
Levuka, Malau, Savusavu, Suva, Vuda |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 2
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,372 GRT/7,453 DWT
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Singapore 1 (2003 est.)
by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1 |
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Airports:
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28 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 19 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Republic of Fiji
Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Division |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 239,221 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 131,349 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
9,302 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$34 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.2% (FY02) |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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