Fiji

Republic of the Fiji IslandsRepublic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti

republicIndependence 10 October 1970 (from UK)

Fiji as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 117 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 (on Viti Levu), UTC+12

Position18 00 S, 175 00 E

Area18,270 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

905,949 people July 2006 est. · 759,567 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.4% 2006 est. · 0.95% in 1993

Median ageyears

24.6 years 2006 est. · 23.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

69.82 years 2006 est. · 64.86 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.73 children per woman 2006 est. · 3.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

12.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 2006 est. · 22 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$5,900 2005 est. · $1,900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.7% 2005 est. · 3% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji, led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority.

A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.

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 10.95%permanent crops 4.65%other 84.4% (2005)irrigated 30 sq km (2003)

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 straight baselinesterritorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added

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, hydropower

Natural hazards

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

People

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Age structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)

17,583

65 and over4.3%

21,074

293,072

15-6464.6%

292,312

143,847

0-1431.1%

138,061

MaleFemale

Population

905,949

(July 2006 est.)growth rate: 1.4% (2006 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)

Birth

22.55Death

5.65Net migration

-2.94

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2006 est.)69.82

67.32 · 72.45Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)12.3

13.63 · 10.91

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)93.7%

95.5% · 91.9%Median age years (2006 est.)24.6

24.1 · 25

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1%

(2003 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:: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Fijian(s)
adjective:: Fijian

Ethnic groups

Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)

Languages

English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

Government

Republic; President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18 July 2000); Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000)

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House of Representatives, 71 seats, elected 25 August through 1 September and 19 September 2001one dot, one seat

SDL 32FLP 27MV 6NLUP 2NFP 1independents 2UGP 1

Country name

conventional long form:: Republic of the Fiji Islands
conventional short form:: Fiji
local long form:: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti
local short form:: Fiji/Viti

Government type

republic

Capital

name:: Suva (on Viti Levu)
geographic coordinates:: 18 08 S, 178 25 E
time difference:: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Constitution

enacted on 25 July 1997 to encourage multiculturalism and make multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998

Legal system

based on British system

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18 July 2000)
head of government:: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000)
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament
elections:: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
prime minister appointed by the president;
election last held 8 March 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results:: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on the advice of the Opposition Leader, and 1 appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)

elections:: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1 September and 19 September 2001 (next to be held 6-13 May 2006)
election results:: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - SDL 27.5%, FLP 26.5%, MV 4.2%, NLUP 1.3%, NFP 1.2%, independents 1.4%, UGP .3%;
seats by party - SDL 32, FLP 27, MV 6, NLUP 2, NFP 1, independents 2, UGP 1

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

Conservative Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or CAMV [Ratu Josefa DIMURI];
Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA];
Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Sitiveni RABUKA], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]);
Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY];
General Voters Party or GVP (became part of United General Party);
Girmit Heritage Party or GHP;
Justice and Freedom Party or AIM;
Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR;
National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA];
Party of National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA];
Party of the Truth or POTT;
United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE];
United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]

Political pressure groups and leaders

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jesoni VITUSAGAVULU
chancery:: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:: [1] (202) 337-8320
FAX:: [1] (202) 337-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Larry Miles DINGER
embassy:: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address:: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone:: [679] 331-4466
FAX:: [679] 330-0081

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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GDP, purchasing power parity

$5.255billion

(2005 est.)official exchange rate: $2.81 billion (2005 est.)

GDP per capita, PPP

$5,900

(2005 est.)

Real growth rate

1.7%

(2005 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

(2005)

GDP - composition by sector(2001 est.)

agriculture 8.9%industry 13.5%services 77.6% (2001 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

Singapore

27.4%

17%

Australia

23.6%

19.7%

18.9%

12.3%

5.4%

Japan

Thailand

4.5%

4.1%

Samoa

Exports $719.6 million f.o.b. (2005)Imports $1.462 billion c.i.f. (2005)(2005)

Budget

Revenues

$720.5 millionExpenditures

$728.3 million (2000 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

Electricity production

775.7 million (2003)Electricity consumption

721.4 million (2003)

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, remittances from Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange.

Fiji's sugar has special access to European Union markets, but will be harmed by the EU's decision to cut sugar subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity but is not efficient. Long-term problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's ability to manage its budget.

Yet, because of a tourist boom, short-run economic prospects are good, provided tensions do not again erupt between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians. Overseas remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have increased significantly.

Labor force

137,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:: 70%
industry and services:: 30% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate

7.6% (1999)

Population below poverty line

25.5% (1990-91)

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

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

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

10,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance

$-465.8 million

Exports

$719.6 million f.o.b. (2005)

Exports - commodities

sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Imports

$1.462 billion c.i.f. (2005)

Imports - commodities

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals

Debt - external

$127 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$63.9 million (2004)

Currency (code)

Fijian dollar (FJD)

Exchange rates

Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003), 2.1869 (2002), 2.2766 (2001)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

142,200

(2004)

Internet users

8,987

(2006)

Fixed lines

102,000

(2003) · country code .fj

Telephone system

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:: country code - 679;
access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia;
2 satellite earth stations - 2 INMARSAT (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

Internet users

61,000 (2004)

Transportation

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Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

over 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

Paved 3Unpaved 25

Networkskm

Roadways

3,440Railways

597Waterways

203

Roadways: paved: 1,692 km · unpaved: 1,748 km (1999) · Railways: narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2005) · Waterways: note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges (2004)