Fiji

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

0-14 years:

32.5% (male 141,757; female 136,198)

15-64 years:

63.8% (male 273,658; female 273,100)

65 years and over:

3.7% (male 14,648; female 16,985) (2002 est.)

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:

0.86 male(s)/female

total population:

1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

noun:

Fijian(s)

adjective:

Fijian

conventional long form:

Republic of the Fiji Islands

conventional short form:

Fiji

• promulgated on 25 July 1990 and amended on 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

chief of state:

President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since NA 2000); Vice President Jope SENILOLI (since NA 2000)

head of government:

Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU (since NA 2000)

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 chief system

elections:

president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president

election results:

Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

• Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
• Court of Appeal;
• High Court;
• Magistrates' Courts

• Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU];
• Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [leader NA];
• Conservative Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE];
• Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [leader NA];
• Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY];
• Fijian Association Party of FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED];
• Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Felipe BOLE];
• General Voters Party or GHP [leader NA];
• Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA];
• Justice and Freedom Party or AIM [leader NA];
• Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA];
• National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Attar SINGH];
• Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party or NVTLP [Samisoni BOLATAGICI];
• New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni BABA];
• Party of National Unity or PANU [leader NA];
• Party of the Truth or POTT [leader NA];
• United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE];
• United General Party or UGP [Mick BEDDOES]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Anare JALE

FAX:

[1] (202) 337-1996

telephone:

[1] (202) 337-8320

chancery:

2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission:

Ambassador David L. LYON

embassy:

31 Loftus Street, Suva

mailing address:

P. O. Box 218, Suva

telephone:

[679] 314466

FAX:

[679] 300081

• 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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas;
• cattle, pigs, horses, goats;
• fish

general assessment:

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)

total:

597 km

narrow gauge:

597 km 0.610-m gauge

note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation (1995)

total:

3,440 km

paved:

1,692 km

unpaved:

1,748 km (1996)

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, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Singapore 4 (2002 est.)