Fiji

Republic of Fiji

republic

Fiji as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 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

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

Populationas each edition published it

756,762 people July 1993 est. · 759,567 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.95% 1993 est. · 0.38% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

64.86 years 1993 est. · 74.8 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.98 children per woman 1993 est. · 3.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

18.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 22 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,900 1992 est. · $14,100 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

3% 1992 est. · 3.8% in 2025

Geography

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

13 fields

Area

18,270km2

land area: 18,270 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Coastline

1,129km

land boundaries: 0 kmMaritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim addedexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Irrigated land

10km2

(1989 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

none

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

arable land:: 8%
permanent crops:: 5%
meadows and pastures:: 3%
forest and woodland:: 65%
other:: 19%

Environment

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

People

14 fields

Population

756,762

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 0.95% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

24.74Death

6.59Net migration

-8.65

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years64.86

62.62 · 67.21

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy86%

90% · 81%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1985)

Religions(1986)

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)

Labor force

235,000

by occupation: subsistence agriculture 67%, wage earners 18%, salary earners 15% (1987)

Infant mortality rate

18.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.98 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Fijian(s)
adjective:: Fijian

Ethnic divisions

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

Languages

English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Government

Republic

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Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Fiji
conventional short form:: Fiji

Digraph

Type

republic note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Capital

Suva

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);
a new Constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and promulgated on 25 July 1990;
the 1990 Constitution is currently still under review (February 1993)

Legal system

based on British system

National holiday

Independence Day, 10 October (1970)

Political parties and leaders

Fijian Political Party (SVT - primarily Fijian), leader Maj. Gen. Sitivini RABUKA; National Federation Party (NFP; primarily Indian), Siddiq KOYA; Christian Fijian Nationalist Party (CFNP), Sakeasi BUTADROKA; Fiji Labor Party (FLP), Jokapeci KOROI; All National Congress (ANC), Apisai TORA;

General Voters Party (GVP), Max OLSSON; Fiji Conservative Party (FCP), Isireli VUIBAU; Conservative Party of Fiji (CPF), Jolale ULUDOLE and Viliame SAVU; Fiji Indian Liberal Party, Swami MAHARAJ; Fiji Indian Congress Party, Ishwari BAJPAI; Fiji Independent Labor (Muslim), leader NA; Four Corners Party, David TULVANUAVOU

Suffrage

none

Elections

House of Representatives:: last held 23-29 May 1992 (next to be held NA 1997);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (70 total, with ethnic Fijians allocated 37 seats, ethnic Indians 27 seats, and independents and other 6 seats) number of seats by party NA

Executive branch

president, prime minister, Cabinet, Great Councils of Chiefs (highest ranking members of the traditional chiefly system)

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 Constitution of 23 September 1988 provides for a bicameral Parliament

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu GANILAU (since 5 December 1987);
Vice President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (since 14 April 1992);
Vice President Ratu Sir Josaia TAIVAIQIA (since 14 April 1992)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Sitiveni RABUKA (since 2 June 1992);
Deputy Prime Minister Filipe BOLE (since 11 June 1992);
Deputy Prime Minister Ratu Timoci VESIKULA (since 11 June 1993)

Member of

ACP, AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, PCA, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Pita Kewa NACUVA
chancery:: Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:: (202) 337-8320
consulate:: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Evelyn I. H. TEEGEN
embassy:: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address:: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone:: [679] 314-466
FAX:: [679] 300-081

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 Saint 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. | Sugar exports are a major source of foreign exchange, and sugar processing | accounts for one-third of industrial output.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$1,900

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 8.4% (1991 est.); accounts for 13% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

(1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.9%

(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$455 millionExpenditures

$546 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

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 13% to GDP. Fiji traditionally had 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 uncertainty 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. In 1990 the economy received a setback from cyclone Sina, which cut sugar output by an estimated 21%. Sugar exports recovered in 1991-92.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.4 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$435 million (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: sugar 40%, gold, clothing, copra, processed fish, lumber
partners:: EC 31%, Australia 21%, Japan 8%, US 6%

Imports

$553 million (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities:: machinery and transport equipment 32%, food 15%, petroleum products, consumer goods, chemicals
partners:: Australia 30%, NZ 17%, Japan 13%, EC 6%, US 6%

External debt

$428 million (December 1990 est.)

Electricity

215,000 kW capacity; 420 million kWh produced, 560 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for 23% of GDP;
principal cash crop is sugarcane;
coconuts, cassava, rice, sweet potatoes, bananas;
small livestock sector includes cattle, pigs, horses, and goats;
fish catch nearly 33,000 tons (1989)

Economic aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $815 million

Currency

1 Fijian dollar (F$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1 - 1.5809 (January 1993), 1.5029 (1992), 1.4756 (1991), 1.4809 (1990), 1.4833 (1989), 1.4303 (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

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Merchant marine, 7 ships by typeone square, one ship

roll-on/roll-off 2container 2oil tanker 1chemical tanker 1cargo 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 40,072 GRT/47,187 DWT

Networkskm

Highways

3,300 (1984)Railroads

644Inland waterways

203

Highways: ; 1,590 km paved; 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;
1,590 km paved;
1,290 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized soil surface;
420 unimproved earth (1984)

total:: 25
usable:: 22
with permanent-surface runways:: 2
with runways over 3,659 m:: 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 2

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 (71 telephones per 1,000 persons);
broadcast stations - 7 AM, 1 FM, no TV;
1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station