Fiji
Republic of the Fiji IslandsRepublic of the Fiji Islands/
republicIndependence 10 October 1970 (from the UK)
Fiji as the 2009 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 132 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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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). 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. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has neutralized his opponents, crippled Fiji's democratic institutions, and refused to hold elections.
Geography
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
20 fieldsLand useshare of 18,274 sq km
Location
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.07 cu km/yr (14%/14%/71%)
- per capita:
- 82 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People
22 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2009 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2007 census)
Religions(2007 census)
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:
- 0.82 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Government
Republic; President Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU (since 30 July 2009); Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
House of Representatives, 71 seats, elected 6-13 May 2006one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
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
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)
Constitution
- enacted 25 July 1997;
- effective 28 July 1998;
- note - it encourages multiculturalism and makes multiparty government mandatory
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU (since 30 July 2009)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000);
- note - although QARASE is still the legal prime minister, he has been confined to his home island;
- former President ILOILOVATU appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime minister under the military regime
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament;
- note - coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet
- elections:
- under the constitution, president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
- in 2007 the Great Council of Chiefs was suspended from its role in electing the president;
- prime minister appointed by the president
- election results:
- Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU was appointed by Chief Justice Anthony GATES
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 6-13 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
- election results:
- House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - SDL 44.6%, FLP 39.2%, UPP 0.8%, independents 4.9%, other 10.5%;
- seats by party - SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2
Judicial branch
- Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
- Court of Appeal;
- High Court;
- Magistrates' Courts
Political parties and leaders
- 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 Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD [Dr. Anirudk SINGH] (for restoration of a democratic government); Viti Landowners Association
International organization participation
ACP, ADB, C (suspended), CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Winston THOMPSON
- chancery:
- 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 466-8320
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 466-8325
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador C. Steven McGANN
- 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.
47 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2004 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, remittances from Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist industry - with 400,000 to 500,000 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. Fiji's tourism industry was damaged by the December 2006 coup and is facing an uncertain recovery time.
In 2007 tourist arrivals were down almost 6%, with substantial job losses in the service sector, and GDP dipped nearly 7%. The coup has created a difficult business climate. The EU has suspended all aid until the interim government takes steps toward new elections. Long-term problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's inability to manage its budget.
Overseas remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have decreased significantly. Fiji's current account deficit reached 23% of GDP in 2006.
Central bank discount rate
6.32% (31 December 2008) · 9.25% (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 47
Commercial bank prime lending rate
7.97% (31 December 2008) · 9.01% (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 93
Agriculture - products
- sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas;
- cattle, pigs, horses, goats;
- fish
Imports - commodities
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$6.702 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Exchange rates
Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.7313 (2006), 1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone 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:
- telephone or radio telephone links to almost all inhabited islands;
- most towns and large villages have automatic telephone exchanges and direct dialing;
- combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is about 80 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 679;
- access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 9 ships by typeone square, one ship
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 597 km
country comparison to the world: 111
- narrow gauge:
- 597 km 0.600-m gauge
note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during the harvest season, which runs from May to December (2008)
Waterways
203 km country comparison to the world: 98 note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges (2008)
Military
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces (2009)
6 fieldsMilitary service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; reserve obligation to age 45 (2006)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsTrafficking in persons
- current situation:
- Fiji is a source country for children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and a destination country for a small number of women from China and India trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation
- tier rating:
- Tier 3 - Fiji does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so;
- the government has demonstrated no action to investigate or prosecute traffickers, assist victims, take steps to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts, or support any anti-trafficking information or education campaigns;
- Fiji has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Fiji.” The World Factbook 2009. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fiji/2009.