Fiji

military coup leader Major General Sitiveni Rabuka formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987Independence 10 October 1970 (from UK)

Fiji as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSuva
Area18,270 km2
1990

Every edition of Fiji

Populationas each edition published it
759,567 people July 1990 · 951,611 in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 0.95% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 23.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 64.86 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.3 children per woman 1990 · 2.18 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
22 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 9.4 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $1,900 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 3% in 1993

Geography

14 fields
Total area
18,270km2
land area: 18,270 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Coastline
1,129km
land boundaries: noneMaritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

Climate

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Natural resources

timber, fish, gold, copper; offshore oil potential

Land use

  • 8% arable land;
  • 5% permanent crops;
  • 3% meadows and pastures;
  • 65% forest and woodland;
  • 19% other;
  • includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment

subject to hurricanes from November to January; includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

Note

located 2,500 km north of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean

People

14 fields
Population
759,567
(July 1990), growth rate 1.5% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
28Death
6

Ethnic divisions

Indian 49%Fijian 46%European 5%other Pacific Islanders; overseas Chinese; and others

Net migration rate

- 7 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate

22 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

66 years male, 70 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

3.3 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Fijian(s); adjective--Fijian

Religion

Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu with a Muslim minority

Language

  • English (official);
  • Fijian;
  • Hindustani

Labor force

176,000; 60% subsistence agriculture, 40% wage earners (1979)

Organized labor

about 45,000 employees belong to some 46 trade unions, which are organized along lines of work and ethnic origin (1983)

Government

Military coup leader Major General Sitiveni Rabuka formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

18 fields

Long-form name

Republic of Fiji

Type

military coup leader Major General Sitiveni Rabuka formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

10 October 1970 (from UK)

Constitution

10 October 1970 (suspended 1 October 1987); note--a new constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and awaits final approval

National holiday

Independence Day, 10 October (1970)

Executive branch

president, prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch

  • the bicameral Parliament, consisting of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives, was dissolved following the coup of 14 May 1987;
  • the proposed constitution of NA September 1988 provides for a bicameral Parliament

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court Chief of State--President Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu GANILAU (since 5 December 1987);
  • Head of Government--Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (since 5 December 1987);
  • note--Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara served as prime minister from 10 October 1970 until the 5-11 April 1987 election;
  • after a second coup led by Major General Sitiveni Rabuka on 25 September 1987, Ratu Mara was reappointed as prime minister

Political parties and leaders

  • Alliance, primarily Fijian, Ratu Mara;
  • National Federation, primarily Indian, Siddiq Koya;
  • Western United Front, Fijian, Ratu Osea Gavidi;
  • Fiji Labor Party, Adi Kuini Bavadra;
  • coalition of the National Federation Party and the Fiji Labor Party, Adi Kuini Vuikaba Bavadra

Member of

ACP, ADB, Colombo Plan, EC (associate), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

  • Counselor (Commercial), Vice Consul, Charge d'Affaires ad interim Abdul H. YUSUF;
  • Chancery at Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007;
  • telephone (202) 337-8320;
  • there is a Fijian Consulate in New York;
  • US--Ambassador Leonard ROCHWARGER;
  • Embassy at 31 Loftus Street, Suva (mailing address is P. O. Box 218, Suva);
  • telephone [679] 314-466 or 314-069

Flag

  • 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 St. George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove

Economy

Fiji's economy is primarily agricultural, with a large subsistence sector.

16 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$1.32billion
per capita $1,750; real growth rate 12.5% (1989 est.)
External debt
$398million
(December 1989 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$260 millionExpenditures
$233 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $47 million (1988)

Overview

Fiji's economy is primarily agricultural, with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports are a major source of foreign exchange and sugar processing accounts for one-third of industrial output. Industry, including sugar milling, contributes 10% to GDP. Fiji traditionally earned considerable sums of hard currency from the 250,000 tourists who visited each year.

In 1987, however, after two military coups, the economy went into decline. GDP dropped by 7.8% in 1987 and by another 2.5% in 1988; political uncertainly created a drop in tourism, and the worst drought of the century caused sugar production to fall sharply. In contrast, sugar and tourism turned in strong performances in 1989, and the economy rebounded vigorously.

Exports

  • $312 million (f.o.b., 1988);
  • commodities--sugar 49%, copra, processed fish, lumber;
  • partners--UK 45%, Australia 21%, US 4.7%

Imports

  • $454 million (c.i.f., 1988);
  • commodities--food 15%, petroleum products, machinery, consumer goods;
  • partners--US 4.8%, NZ, Australia, Japan

Industrial production

growth rate - 15% (1988 est.)

Electricity

215,000 kW capacity; 330 million kWh produced, 440 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

sugar, copra, tourism, gold, silver, fishing, clothing, lumber, small cottage industries

Agriculture

  • principal cash crop is sugarcane;
  • coconuts, cassava, rice, sweet potatoes, and bananas;
  • small livestock sector includes cattle, pigs, horses, and goats

Aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-87), $677 million

Currency

Fijian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Fijian dollar (F$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1--1.4950 (January 1990), 1.4833 (1989), 1.4303 (1988), 1.2439 (1987), 1.1329 (1986), 1.1536 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 9 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 1roll-on/roll-off cargo 2container 2liquefied gas 2petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 1chemical tanker 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 42,872 GRT/49,795 DWT

Airports, 26 total, 24 usable

permanent-surface runways
2runways over 3,659 m
nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m
1runways 1,220-2,439 m
2

Networkskm

Highways
3,300Railroads
644Inland waterways
203
Highways: (1984)--390 km paved; 1,200 km bituminous-surface treatment; 1,290 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized soil surface; 420 unimproved earth · Railroads: , belonging to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation · Inland waterways: ; 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges

Railroads

644 km 0.610-meter narrow gauge, belonging to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation

Highways

  • 3,300 km total (1984)--390 km paved;
  • 1,200 km bituminous-surface treatment;
  • 1,290 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized soil surface;
  • 420 unimproved earth

Inland waterways

203 km; 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges

Ports

Lambasa, Lautoka, Savusavu, Suva

Civil air

1 DC-3 and 1 light aircraft

Telecommunications

  • modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities;
  • regional radio center;
  • important COMPAC cable link between US-Canada and New Zealand-Australia;
  • 53,228 telephones;
  • stations--7 AM, 1 FM, no TV;
  • 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Integrated ground and naval forces

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49
194,433fit for military service
107,317reach military age (18) annually
7,864
Defense expenditures
2.5%of GDP
(1988)

Branches

integrated ground and naval forces

Central Intelligence Agency. “Fiji.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fiji/1990.

How to cite 1991 edition →