Fiji
Republic of the Fiji Islands
republicIndependence 10 October 1970 (from UK)
Fiji as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990 constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority.
Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian. Fiji has been a major contributor to UN peacekeeping missions in various parts of the world.
Geography
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
18 fieldsLand useshare of 18,270 sq km
Location
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2000 est.)
Male · female
Religions(1986)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 33% (male 141,779; female 136,212)
- 15-64 years:
- 63% (male 263,127; female 262,686)
- 65 years and over:
- 4% (male 13,405; female 15,285) (2000 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:
- 0.88 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Ethnic groups
Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)
Government
Republic; President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (acting president since 15 December 1993, president since 12 January 1994); Prime Minister Mahendra CHAUDHRY (since 18 May 1999)
18 fieldsHouse of Representatives, 71 seats, elected 11 May 1999one dot, one seat
Government type
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;
- amended 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty government mandatory;
- entered into force 28 July 1998;
- note - the May 1999 election was the first test of the amended constitution and introduced open voting - not racially prescribed - for the first time at the national level
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (acting president since 15 December 1993, president since 12 January 1994);
- Vice President Ratu Josefa Iloilo ULUIVUDA (since 18 January 1999)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Mahendra CHAUDHRY (since 18 May 1999); Deputy Prime Ministers Tupeni BABA (since NA 1999) and Adi Kuini Vuikaba SPEED (since NA 1999)
- 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 (32 seats; 14 appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs, nine appointed by the prime minister, eight appointed by the leader of the opposition, and one appointed by the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for other ethnic groups, one reserved for the Rotuman constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open; members serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- House of Representatives - last held 11 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004)
- election results:
- House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fiji Labor Party 37, others 34
Political parties and leaders
Christian Fellowship Party (Veitokani ni Lewenivanua Vakarisito Party) or VLV (primarily Methodist Fijian) [leader NA]; Conservative Party of Fiji or CPF [leader NA]; Fiji Conservative Party or FCP [leader NA]; Fiji Independent Labor (Muslim) [leader NA]; Fiji Indian Congress Party [leader NA];
Fiji Indian Liberal Party [leader NA]; Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; Fijian Association Party or FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED]; Fijian Nationalist Party or FNP [Sakeasi BUTADROKA]; Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA];
Four Corners Party [leader NA]; General Electors' Association [David PICKERING]; General Voters Party or GVP [Leo SMITH]; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Jai Ram REDDY]; National Unity Party [Apisai TORA]
note: in early 1995, ethnic Fijian members of the All National Congress or ANC merged with the Fijian Association or FA; the remaining members of the ANC have renamed their party the General Electors' Association
International organization participation
ACP, AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, 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
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Osman SIDDIQUE
- 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.
31 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(1998 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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 a growing tourist industry are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity.
Roughly 300,000 tourists visit each year, including thousands of Americans following the start of regularly scheduled non-stop air service from Los Angeles. Fiji's growth slowed in 1997 because the sugar industry suffered from low world prices and rent disputes between farmers and landowners.
Drought in 1998 further damaged the sugar industry, but its recovery in 1999 contributed to robust GDP growth. Long-term problems include low investment and uncertain property rights.
Agriculture - products
- sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas;
- cattle, pigs, horses, goats;
- fish
Exchange rates
Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1 - 1.9654 (January 2000), 1.9696 (1999), 1.9868 (1998), 1.4437 (1997), 1.4033 (1996), 1.4063 (1995)
Communications
8 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 links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
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:
- 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,870 GRT/14,787 DWT
- ships by type:
- chemical tanker 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off 1, specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)
Military
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF; includes ground and naval forces)
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Fiji.” The World Factbook 2000. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fiji/2000.