Legend:
Definition of Term
 Arranged
by Countries Field Listing
| 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). 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,
but a coup in May of 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political
turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided
Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a mandate
to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. |
| 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 |
| Area: |
total: 18,270 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 18,270 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller than New Jersey |
| Land
boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
1,129 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
rectilinear shelf claim added |
| Climate: |
tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation |
| Terrain: |
mostly mountains of volcanic origin |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m |
| Natural
resources: |
timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
|
| Land
use: |
arable land: 10.95%
permanent crops: 4.65%
other: 84.4% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
30 sq km (1998 est.) |
| 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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
|
| Geography
- note: |
includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
|
| Population: |
856,346 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
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.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.41% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
23.2 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.72 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
13.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: 68.56 years
female: 71.11 years (2002 est.)
male: 66.13 years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.83 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.07% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
85 (2000 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
NA |
| 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.) |
| 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 (1986) |
| Languages: |
English (official), Fijian, Hindustani |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 90%
female: 95% (1999 est.)
|
| Country
name: |
conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
conventional short form: Fiji |
| Government
type: |
republic
note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987 |
| Capital: |
Suva |
| 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: |
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 |
| Legal
system: |
based on British system |
| Suffrage: |
21 years of age; universal |
| Executive
branch: |
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%
|
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24 appointed
by the Great Council of Chiefs, nine appointed by the president,
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 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,
2 September, 19 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2006)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - FLP 34.8%, SDL 26%, NFP 10.1%, MV 9.9%, independents
2.7%, other 16.5%; seats by party - SDL 32, FLP 27, MV 6, NFP
1, independents 2, other 3 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
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] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
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 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
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 |
| 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
- 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 - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually -
are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes
up one-third of industrial activity. Long-term problems include
low investment and uncertain property rights. The political turmoil
in Fiji has had a severe impact with the economy shrinking by
2.8% in 2000 and growing by only 1% in 2001. The Fiji Visitor's
Bureau expects visitor arrivals to reach pre-coup levels during
2002. The government's ability to manage its budget - which is
expected to run a net deficit of 6% in 2002 - will depend upon
a return of political stability and investor confidence. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
1% (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $5,200 (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 17%
industry: 25%
services: 58% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
26% (1990-91 ) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
137,000 (1999) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)
|
| Unemployment
rate: |
7.6% (1999) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $427.9 million
expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital expenditures
of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage
industries |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
515 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 18%
hydro: 82%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
478.95 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,
bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish |
| Exports: |
$572 million f.o.b. (2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil |
| Exports
- partners: |
Australia 24.9%, US 20.8%, UK 14.4%, Japan 5.1%, other Pacific
island countries 5.0%, NZ 3.6% (2000) |
| Imports: |
$833 million c.i.f. (2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum
products, food, chemicals |
| Imports
- partners: |
Australia 46.2%, NZ 13.1%, Singapore 6.6%, Japan 4.5%, Hong Kong
3.8%, US 3.2%, Taiwan 3.0% (2000) |
| Debt
- external: |
$162.7 million (1999) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$40.3 million (1995) (1995) |
| Currency: |
Fijian dollar (FJD) |
| Currency
code: |
FJD |
| Exchange
rates: |
Fijian dollars per US dollar - 2.2934 (January 2002), 2.2766 (2001),
2.1286 (2000), 1.9696 (1999), 1.9868 (1998), 1.4437 (1997) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
|
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
80,901 (1999) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
5,200 (1997) |
| 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: access to important cable links between
US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: |
541,476 (1999) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
NA |
| Televisions: |
88,110 (1999) |
| Internet
country code: |
.fj |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
15,000 (2002)
|
| Railways: |
total: 597 km
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.610-m gauge
note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation
(1995) |
| Highways: |
total: 3,440 km
paved: 1,692 km
unpaved: 1,748 km (1996) |
| Waterways: |
203 km
note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton
barges |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Lambasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Malau, Savusavu, Suva, Vuda |
| 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, includes some
foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:
Australia 1, Singapore 4 (2002 est.) |
| Airports: |
27 (2001) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 24
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 18 (2002)
|
| Disputes
- international: |
none | |
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