Fiji
Republic of Fiji
republicIndependence 10 October 1970 (from UK)
Fiji as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 89 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about | two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
15 fieldsLocation
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Terrain
mostly mountains of volcanic origin
- lowest point:
- Pacific Ocean 0 m
- highest point:
- Tomanivi 1,324 m
Environment
- current issues:
- deforestation; soil erosion
- natural hazards:
- cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
- international agreements:
- party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Whaling
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1996 est.)
Male · female(1996 est.)
Religions(1986)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 35% (male 141,652; female 135,829)
- 15-64 years:
- 62% (male 240,621; female 240,620)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 11,235; female 12,424) (July 1996 est.)
Sex ratio
- 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:
- 0.9 male(s)/female
- all ages:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Fijian 49%, Indian 46%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5%
Government
Republic; President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (Acting President since 15 December 1993, President since 12 January 1994) was appointed for a five-year term by the Great Council of Chiefs; Prime Minister Sitiveni RABUKA (since 2 June 1992) was appointed by the president
24 fieldsLegislature, 70 seatsone dot, one seat
Type of government
republic note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987
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 under review;
- the review is scheduled to be complete by 1997
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (Acting President since 15 December 1993, President since 12 January 1994) was appointed for a five-year term by the Great Council of Chiefs;
- First Vice President Ratu Sir Josaia TAIVAIQIA (since 12 January 1994);
- Second Vice President Ratu Inoke TAKIVEIKATA (since 12 January 1994)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Sitiveni RABUKA (since 2 June 1992) was appointed by the president; Deputy Prime Minister Timoci VESIKULA (since NA)
Great Council of Chiefs
highest ranking members of the traditional chiefly system; cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament
Senate
- nonelective body, members are appointed by the president and serve five-year terms;
- seats - (34 total, 24 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 9 for Indians and others, and 1 for the island of Rotuma)
House of Representatives
- members serve five-year terms;
- elections last held 18-25 February 1994 (next to be held NA 1999);
- 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) SVT 31, NFP 20, FLP 7, FAP 5, GVP 4, independents 2, ANC 1
Political parties and leaders
Fijian Political Party (SVT - primarily Fijian), leader Maj. Gen. Sitivini RABUKA; National Federation Party (NFP; primarily Indian), Jai Ram REDDY; Fijian Nationalist Party (FNP), Sakeasi BUTADROKA; Fiji Labor Party (FLP), Mahendra CHAUDHRY; General Voters Party (GVP), Leo SMITH;
Fiji Conservative Party (FCP), leader NA; Conservative Party of Fiji (CPF), leader NA; Fiji Indian Liberal Party, leader NA; Fiji Indian Congress Party, leader NA; Fiji Independent Labor (Muslim), leader NA; Four Corners Party, leader NA; Fijian Association Party (FAP), Josevata KAMIKAMICA; General Electors' Association, leader NA
note: in early 1995, ethnic Fijian members of the All National Congress (ANC) merged with the Fijian Association (FA); the remaining members of the ANC have renamed their party the General Electors' Association
International organization participation
ACP, AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Pita Kewa NACUVA
- chancery:
- Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 337-8320
US diplomatic representation
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Don Lee GEVIRTZ
- embassy:
- 31 Loftus Street, Suva
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 218, Suva
- telephone:
- [679] 314466
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, richly 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.
20 fieldsGDP composition by sector(1994)
Installed generating capacity, 200,000 kW
Economic overview
Fiji, richly 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 tourism are the major sources of foreign exchange. Industry contributes 17% to GDP; sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity.
Roughly 250,000 tourists visit each year. Political uncertainty and drought, however, contribute to substantial fluctuations in earnings from tourism and sugar and to the emigration of skilled workers. In 1992, growth was approximately 3%, based on growth in tourism and a lessening of labor-management disputes in the sugar and gold-mining sectors.
In 1993, the government's budgeted growth rate of 3% was not achieved because of a decline in non-sugar agricultural output and damage from Cyclone Kina. Growth in 1994 of 5% was largely attributable to increased tourism and expansion in the manufacturing sector.
Labor force
235,000; by occupation: subsistence agriculture 67%, wage earners 18%, salary earners 15% (1987)
Agriculture
- sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas;
- cattle, pigs, horses, goats;
- fish catch nearly 33,000 tons (1989)
Exports
$571.8 million (f.o.b., 1995)
- commodities:
- sugar 40%, clothing, gold, processed fish, lumber
- partners:
- EC 26%, Australia 15%, Pacific Islands 11%, Japan 6%
Imports
$864.3 million (c.i.f., 1995)
- commodities:
- machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, consumer goods, chemicals
- partners:
- Australia 30%, NZ 17%, Japan 13%, EC 6%, US 6%
Exchange rates
Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1 - 1.4347 (January 1996), 1.4063 (1995), 1.4641 (1994), 1.5418 (1993), 1.5030 (1992), 1.4756 (1991)
Transportation
6 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 21 in all
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 597 km; note - belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation
- narrow gauge:
- 597 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)
Merchant marine
- total:
- 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,267 GRT/17,884 DWT
- ships by type:
- chemical tanker 2, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1995 est.)
Communications
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF; includes army, | navy, and air elements)
9 fieldsTelephone system
modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center
- domestic:
- NA
- international:
- access to important cable link between US and Canada and NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Manpower availability
- males age 15-49:
- 205,616
- males fit for military service:
- 113,339
- males reach military age (18) annually:
- 8,746 (1996 est.)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Fiji.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fiji/1996.