World Facts

conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
Capital: Suva (Viti Levu)
Type of Government: republic-
Administrative Divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 31.4% (male 143,066/female 137,346)
Agriculture: sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish
Airports: 28 (2004 est.)
With Paved Runways: total: 3
With Unpaved Runways:
Area: total: 18,270 sq km. slightly smaller than New Jersey
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 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.
Birth rate: 22.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget: revenues: $427.9 million
Coastline: 1,129 km-
Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
Communications:
Constitution: promulgated on 25 July 1990; amended on 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998
Currency: Fijian dollar (FJD)-
Current account balance:
Death rate: 5.65 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external: $188.1 million (2001 est.)-
Dependency status: -
Dependent areas:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Miles DINGER
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Mr. Paula NAVUNISARAVI (Charge D'Affaires ad Interim)
Disputes - international: none-
Distribution of family income: -
Economic aid - donor:
Economic aid - recipient: $40.3 million (1995)
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. 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 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.
Electricity - consumption:
Electricity - exports:
Electricity - imports:
Electricity - production:
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
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
Ethnic groups: Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)
Exchange rates: Fijian dollars per US dollar - NA (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003), 2.1869 (2002), 2.2766 (2001)
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18 July 2000)
Exports: $862 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - partners: US 24%, Australia 19%, UK 12.6%, Samoa 6.5%, Japan 4.1% (2004)
Fiscal year: calendar year
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
GDP (official exchange rate): $1.992 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (purchasing power parity): $5.398 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 175 00 E
Geography - note: includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited-
Government - note:
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 600 (2003 est.)-
Heliports:
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA-
Illicit drugs:
Imports: $1.235 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - partners: Australia 25.9%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 21.1% (2004)
Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate: NA
Industries: tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries
Infant mortality rate: total: 12.62 deaths/1,000 live births
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2002 est.)
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, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet country code: .fj
Internet hosts: 493 (2003)
Internet users: 55,000 (2003)-
Investment (gross fixed):
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts
Labor force: 137,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:
Land boundaries: 0 km
Land use: arable land: 10.95%
Languages: English (official), Fijian, Hindustani
Legal system: based on British system
Legislative branch:
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.53 years
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Location: Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand-
Major infectious diseases:
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 215,104 (2005 est.)-
Manpower fit for military service:
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 9,266 (2005 est.)
Map references: Oceania
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
Median age: total: 24.28 years
Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,372 GRT/7,453 DWT-
Military - note:
Military branches: Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Division (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $36 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY02)-
Military service age and obligation:
National holiday: Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)
Nationality: noun: Fijian(s)-
Natural gas - consumption: -
Natural gas - exports: -
Natural gas - imports:
Natural gas - production: -
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
Net migration rate: -3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption: 10,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)-
Oil - proved reserves: -
People - note: -
Political parties and leaders: Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or CAMV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE]; Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED], Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Felipe BOLE], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party); 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) [Pramond RAE]; Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT [leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
Population: 893,354 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25.5% (1990-91)
Population growth rate: 1.4% (2005 est.)
Ports and terminals: Lambasa, Lautoka, Suva-
Public debt:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways: total: 597 km-
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
Religions: Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2%-
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Roadways: total: 3,440 km
Sex ratio:
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
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
Telephones - main lines in use: 102,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 109,900 (2003)
Television broadcast stations: NA
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin
Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)-
Transportation - note:
Unemployment rate: 7.6% (1999)
Waterways: 203 km