Fiji

noun:

Fijian(s)

adjective:

Fijian

total:

32 years (2025 est.)

male:

31.4 years

female:

31.8 years

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.86 male(s)/female

total population:

1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

9.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

11.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

8.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

74.8 years (2024 est.)

male:

72.2 years

female:

77.6 years

total:

2.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

1.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.79 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

26.8% (2025 est.)

male:

40.8% (2025 est.)

female:

12.9% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

0.2% (2021)

women married by age 18:

4% (2021)

men married by age 18:

1.7% (2021)

• air pollution from waste incineration and vehicle emissions;
• deforestation and soil erosion;
• soil erosion from clearing land by bush burning

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

urban population:

58.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

1.37% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

189,400 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

16.1% (2022 est.)

municipal:

25.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

9.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

50 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Fiji

conventional short form:

Fiji

local long form:

Republic of Fiji (English)/ Matanitu ko Viti (Fijian)

local short form:

Fiji (English)/ Viti (Fijian)

etymology:

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

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)

etymology:

the name means "little hill" in the native Fijian language and may refer to a mound where a temple once stood

history:

several previous; latest signed into law 6 September 2013

amendment process:

• proposed as a bill by Parliament and supported by at least three quarters of its members, followed by referral to the president and then to the Electoral Commission, which conducts a referendum;
• passage requires approval by at least three-quarters of registered voters and assent by the president

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

legislature name:

Parliament

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

55 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

12/14/2022

parties elected and seats per party:

• FijiFirst (26);
• People's Alliance (21);
• National Federation Party (NFP) (5);
• Social Democratic Liberal Party (Soldelpa) (3)

percentage of women in chamber:

9.1%

expected date of next election:

December 2026

highest court(s):

• 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 on the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission after consulting with the cabinet minister and the House of Representatives committee responsible for the administration of justice;
• the chief justice, Supreme Court judges, and justices of Appeal generally required to retire at age 70, but this requirement may be waived for one or more sessions of the court;
• puisne judges appointed for not less than 4 years or more than 7 years, with mandatory retirement at age 65

subordinate courts:

Magistrates' Court (organized into civil, criminal, juvenile, and small claims divisions)

• Fiji First
• Fiji Labor Party or FLP
• Freedom Alliance (formerly Fiji United Freedom Party or FUFP)
• National Federation Party or NFP
• People's Alliance
• Peoples Democratic Party or PDP
• Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPA
• Unity Fiji

chief of mission:

Ambassador Ilisoni VUIDREKETI (since 17 June 2024)

chancery:

1707 L Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:

[1] (917) 208-4560

FAX:

[1] (202) 466-8325

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.fijiembassydc.com/

chief of mission:

Ambassador Marie DAMOUR (since 24 November 2022); note - also accredited to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu

embassy:

158 Princes Road, Tamavua, Suva

mailing address:

4290 Suva Place, Washington DC 20521-4290

telephone:

[679] 331-4466

FAX:

[679] 330-2267

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://fj.usembassy.gov/

description:

• light blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the right half of the flag;
• the shield shows a yellow lion holding a coconut above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George;
• the four quarters depict sugarcane, a palm tree, a banana bunch, and a white dove

meaning:

blue symbolizes the Pacific Ocean

title:

"God Bless Fiji" (Let Us Show Pride)

lyrics/music:

Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT/C. Austin MILES (adapted by Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT)

history:

• 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 usually used, although they differ in meaning from the official Fijian lyrics

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Levuka Historical Port Town

• upper-middle income, tourism-based Pacific island economy;
• susceptible to ocean rises;
• key energy and infrastructure investments;
• post-pandemic tourism resurgence;
• improved debt standing;
• limited workforce

agriculture:

8.4% (2024 est.)

industry:

14.1% (2024 est.)

services:

56.2% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

15.5% (2024 est.)

male:

11.8% (2024 est.)

female:

22.5% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

3.5% (2019 est.)

highest 10%:

24.2% (2019 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

consumption:

6 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

2 metric tons (2022 est.)

• 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, including 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

total:

597 km (2008)

narrow gauge:

597 km (2008) 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

total ports:

5 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

2

very small:

3

ports with oil terminals:

4

key ports:

Lautoka Harbor, Levuka, Malai, Savusavu Bay, Suva Harbor

• the RFMF is lightly armed and equipped;
• Australia has provided patrol boats and a few armored personnel carriers;
• it also provides logistical support for RFMF regional or UN operations;
• in recent years, China and the US have provided small amounts of equipment (2025)

refugees:

25 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

259 (2024 est.)

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Fiji remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/fiji/