Fiji

Republic of Fiji

republicIndependence 10 October 1970 (from UK)

Fiji as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 97 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

Position18 00 S, 175 00 E

Area18,270 sq km

LocationOceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about

Populationas each edition published it

792,441 people July 1997 est. · 759,567 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.28% 1997 est. · 0.95% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

66 years 1997 est. · 64.86 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.78 children per woman 1997 est. · 3.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

17 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 22 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$6,500 1996 est. · $1,900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5% 1996 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about | two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

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Land useshare of 18,270 sq km

arable land 10%permanent crops 4%permanent pastures 10%forests and woodland 65%other 11% (1993 est.)irrigated 10 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

18,270sq km

land: 18,270 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmslightly smaller than New Jersey

Coastline

1,129km

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

Highest point

1,324m

Tomanivilowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m

Location

Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates

18 00 S, 175 00 E

Map references

Oceania

Climate

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Natural resources

timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential

Natural hazards

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

People

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Population

792,441

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.28% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

23.12Death

6.3Net migration

-4.07

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)

Literacy

91.6%

definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: 93.8%female: 89.3% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 35% (male 140,685; female 135,044)
15-64 years:: 62% (male 246,128; female 246,001) 65 years and over : 3% (male 11,620; female 12,963) (July 1997 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
total population:: 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

17 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 66 years
male:: 63.66 years
female :: 68.46 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.78 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Fijian(s)
adjective:: Fijian

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Government

Republic; President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (acting president since 15 December 1993, president since 12 January 1994); Prime Minister Sitiveni RABUKA (since 2 June 1992)

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House of Representatives, 70 seats, elected 18-25 February 1994one dot, one seat

SVT 31NFP 20FLP 7FAP 5GVP 4independents 2ANC 1

Country name

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

Data code

Government type

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

National capital

Suva

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 10 October (1970)

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 completed by 1997

Legal system

based on British system

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (acting president since 15 December 1993, president since 12 January 1994);
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)
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 chiefly system

elections:: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
election results :: Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA elected president; percent of Great Council of Chiefs vote - NA

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 9 for Indians and others, and 1 for the island of Rotuma; members appointed by the president to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (70 seats; 37 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 27 for ethnic Indians, and 6 for independents and others; members elected by popular vote on a communal basis to serve five-year terms)

elections:: House of Representatives - last held 18-25 February 1994 (next to be held NA 1999)
election results:: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SVT 31, NFP 20, FLP 7, FAP 5, GVP 4, independents 2, ANC 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNTAES, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Ratu Napolioni MASIREWA
chancery:: Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:: [1] (202) 337-8320

FAX

[1] (202) 337-1996; consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission :: Ambassador Don Lee GEVIRTZ
embassy:: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address:: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone:: [679] 314466

FAX

[679] 300081

Flag description

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, 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.

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Real growth rate

(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 2.9% (1995)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1997 est.)

Unemployment rate

(1997 est.)

Labor force

235,000

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

GDP - composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 21%industry 18%services 61% (1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$540.65 millionExpenditures

$742.65 million (1997 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - overview

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 tourism are the major sources of foreign exchange. 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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,500 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

200,000 kW (1993)

Electricity - production

510 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

660 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas;
cattle, pigs, horses, goats;
fish catch 13,796 tons (1991)

Exports

total value :: $607 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities:: sugar 32%, clothing, gold, processed fish, lumber
partners:: EU 26%, Australia 15%, other Pacific island countries 11%, Japan 6%

Imports

total value:: $864 million (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities:: machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, consumer goods, chemicals
partners:: Australia 30%, NZ 17%, Japan 13%, EU 6%, US 6%

Debt - external

$333.8 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient : ODA, $14.35 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $3.5 million from New Zealand (FY95/96)

Currency

1 Fijian dollar (F$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1 - 1.4000 (January 1997), 1.4033 (1996), 1.4063 (1995), 1.4641 (1994), 1.5418 (1993), 1.5030 (1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

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Fixed lines

60,017

(1987 est.)

Telephone 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)