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 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Reelected 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. Following years of political turmoil, long-delayed legislative elections were held in September 2014 that were deemed "credible" by international observers and that resulted in BAINIMARAMA being reelected.
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
18 00 S, 175 00 E
Oceania
total: 18,274 sq km
land: 18,274 sq km
water: 0 sq km
slightly smaller than New Jersey
0 km
1,129 km
measured from claimed archipelagic straight 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
tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
mostly mountains of volcanic origin
mean elevation: NA
elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m
timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
agricultural land: 23.3%
arable land 9%; permanent crops 4.7%; permanent pasture 9.6%
forest: 55.7%
other: 21% (2011 est.)
40 sq km (2012)
cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
deforestation; soil erosion
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
includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited
915,303 (July 2016 est.)
noun: Fijian(s)
adjective: Fijian
iTaukei 56.8% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 37.5%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 4.5% (European, part European, other Pacific Islanders, Chinese)
note: a 2010 law replaces 'Fijian' with 'iTuakei' when referring to the original and native settlers of Fiji (2007 est.)
English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani
Protestant 45% (Methodist 34.6%, Assembly of God 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.9%, and Anglican 0.8%), Hindu 27.9%, other Christian 10.4%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other 0.3%, none 0.8% (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 27.88% (male 130,414/female 124,774)
15-24 years: 16.42% (male 76,709/female 73,565)
25-54 years: 41.11% (male 192,605/female 183,681)
55-64 years: 8.29% (male 38,427/female 37,412)
65 years and over: 6.31% (male 26,534/female 31,182) (2016 est.)
total dependency ratio: 52.8%
youth dependency ratio: 43.9%
elderly dependency ratio: 8.9%
potential support ratio: 11.2% (2015 est.)
total: 28.6 years
male: 28.4 years
female: 28.8 years (2016 est.)
0.63% (2016 est.)
19 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
-6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
urban population: 53.7% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
SUVA (capital) 176,000 (2014)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
30 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
total population: 72.7 years
male: 70 years
female: 75.5 years (2016 est.)
2.44 children born/woman (2016 est.)
4.5% of GDP (2014)
0.43 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
2 beds/1,000 population (2009)
improved:
urban: 99.5% of population
rural: 91.2% of population
total: 95.7% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.5% of population
rural: 8.8% of population
total: 4.3% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 93.4% of population
rural: 88.4% of population
total: 91.1% of population
unimproved:
urban: 6.6% of population
rural: 11.6% of population
total: 8.9% of population (2015 est.)
0.13% (2014 est.)
700 (2014 est.)
fewer than 100 (2014 est.)
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
35.9% (2014)
3.9% of GDP (2013)
total: 18.7%
male: 14.8%
female: 25.4% (2007 est.)
conventional long form: Republic of Fiji
conventional short form: Fiji
local long form: Republic of Fiji/Matanitu ko Viti
local short form: Fiji/Viti
etymology: the Fijians called their home Viti, but the neighboring Tongans called it Fisi, and in the Anglicized spelling of the Tongan pronunciation - promulgated by explorer Captain James COOK - the designation became Fiji
parliamentary republic
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)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins fourth Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in January
14 provinces and 1 dependency*; Ba, Bua, Cakaudrove, Kadavu, Lau, Lomaiviti, Macuata, Nadroga and Navosa, Naitasiri, Namosi, Ra, Rewa, Rotuma*, Serua, Tailevu
10 October 1970 (from the UK)
Constitution Day, 7 September; Fiji (independence) Day, 10 October (1970)
several previous; latest signed into law September 2013 (2016)
common law system based on the English model
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Fiji
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
18 years of age; universal
Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD [Dr. Anirudk SINGH] (suports restoration of a democratic government)
Viti Landowners Association
chief of state: President Jioji Konousi KONROTE (since 12 November 2015)
head of government: Prime Minister Voreqe "Frank" BAINIMARAMA (since 22 September 2014)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament
elections/appointments: under the constitution, president elected by the Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Jioji Konousi KONROTE elected 12 Ocotber 2015 defeating Ratu Epeli GANILAU 31 to 14
description: unicameral Parliament (50 seats; members directly elected in a nationwide, multi-seat constituency by open-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms; the new constitution of 2013 restructured Parliament from bicameral to unicameral
elections: last held on 17 September 2014 (next to be held in 2019)
election results: percent of vote by party - Fiji First 59.2%, SDL 28.2%, National Federation Party 5.5%, other 7.1%; seats by party - Fiji First 32, SDL 15, National Federation Party 3
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, all justices of the Court of Appeal, and judges appointed specifically as Supreme Court judges); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, all puisne judges of the High Court, and judges specifically appointed to the Court of Appeal); High Court (chaired by the chief justice and includes a minimum of 10 puisne judges; High Court organized into civil, criminal, family, employment, and tax divisions)
judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president of Fiji on the advice of the prime minister following consultation with the parliamentary leader of the opposition; judges of the Supreme Court, the president of the Court of Appeal, the justices of the Court of Appeal, and puisne judges of the High Court appointed by the president of Fiji upon the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission after consulting with the cabinet minister and the committee of the House of Representatives responsible for the administration of justice; the chief justice, Supreme Court judges and justices of Appeal generally required to retire at age 70 but may be waived for one or more sessions of the court; puisne judges appointed for not less than 4 years nor more than 7 years with mandatory retirement at age 65
subordinate courts: Magistrates' Court (organized into civil, criminal, juvenile, and small claims divisions)
FijiFirst [Aiyaz SAYED-KHAIYUM]
Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]
Fiji United Freedon Party or FUFP [Jagath KARUNARATNE]
National Federation Party or NFP [Dalip KUMAR] (primarily Indian)
Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Adi Sivia QORO]
Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPA [Pio TABAIWALU]
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca (suspended), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Solo MARA (since 28 January 2016)
chancery: 2000 M Street NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 466-8320
FAX: [1] (202) 466-8325
chief of mission: Ambassador Judith CEFKIN (since 3 February 2015); note - also accredited to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu
embassy: 158 Princes Rd, Tamavua
mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone: [679] 331-4466
FAX: [679] 330-8685
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 blue symbolizes the Pacific ocean and the Union Jack reflects the links with Great Britain; the shield - taken from Fiji's coat of arms - depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George; the four quarters depict stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
Fijian canoe; national color: light blue
name: "God Bless Fiji"
lyrics/music: Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT/C. Austin MILES (adapted by Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT)
note: adopted 1970; known in Fijian as "Meda Dau Doka" (Let Us Show Pride); adapted from the hymn, "Dwelling in Beulah Land," the anthem's English lyrics are generally sung, although they differ in meaning from the official Fijian lyrics
Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed and connected of the Pacific island economies. Earnings from the tourism industry, with an estimated 755,000 tourists visiting in 2015, and remittances from Fijian’s work
Fiji's sugar remains a significant industry and a major export. The sugar industry reforms since 2010 have improved productivity and returns, but the industry faces the complete withdrawal of European Union preferential prices by 2017. Fiji’s trade imbala
The return to parliamentary democracy and successful elections in September 2014 have boosted investor confidence. Private sector investment in 2016 exceeded 20% of GDP, compared to 13% in 2013.
$4.556 billion (2015 est.)
$8.374 billion (2016 est.)
$8.17 billion (2015 est.)
$7.833 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
2.5% (2016 est.)
4.3% (2015 est.)
5.3% (2014 est.)
$9,400 (2016 est.)
$9,200 (2015 est.)
$8,800 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
12.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
8.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
7% of GDP (2014 est.)
household consumption: 72.5%
government consumption: 11%
investment in fixed capital: 20.5%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 50.4%
imports of goods and services: -54.4% (2016 est.)
agriculture: 10.6%
industry: 18.4%
services: 71% (2016 est.)
sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (manioc, tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish
tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries
1.5% (2016 est.)
350.1 (2016 est.)
agriculture: 70%
industry and services: 30% (2001 est.)
8.8% (2014 est.)
8.7% (2013 est.)
31% (2009 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 34.9% (2009 est.)
revenues: $1.232 billion
expenditures: $1.469 billion (2016 est.)
27% of GDP (2016 est.)
-5.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
50.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
48.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
calendar year
2.1% (2016 est.)
1.4% (2015 est.)
1.75% (31 December 2010)
3% (31 December 2009)
5.9% (31 December 2016 est.)
5.79% (31 December 2015 est.)
$2.083 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$1.931 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$3.62 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$3.325 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$3.365 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$3.068 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$452.5 million (31 December 2012 est.)
$392.2 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$418.8 million (31 December 2010 est.)
-$329 million (2016 est.)
-$235 million (2015 est.)
$986.3 million (2016 est.)
$1.233 billion (2015 est.)
sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil, mineral water
US 13.4%, Australia 10.2%, Samoa 6.7%, Tonga 5.9% (2015)
$2.397 billion (2016 est.)
$2.283 billion (2015 est.)
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals
China 16.2%, South Korea 15.7%, NZ 14%, Australia 13.4%, Singapore 8.7%, France 7% (2015)
$884 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$918.8 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$833.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$820.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$4.347 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$4.047 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$192.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$189.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar -
2.11 (2016 est.)
2.0976 (2015 est.)
2.0976 (2014 est.)
1.8874 (2013 est.)
1.79 (2012 est.)
population without electricity: 375,274
electrification - total population: 59%
electrification - urban areas: 72%
electrification - rural areas: 45% (2012)
900 million kWh (2014 est.)
800 million kWh (2014 est.)
0 kWh (2013 est.)
0 kWh (2013 est.)
300,000 kW (2014 est.)
46.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
48.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
5.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 bbl (1 January 2016 es)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
16,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
15,970 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)
1.7 million Mt (2013 est.)
total subscriptions: 72,565
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (July 2015 est.)
total: 966,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (July 2015 est.)
general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center; subject to occasional devastating cyclones
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-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 115 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) (2015)
Fiji TV, a publicly traded company, operates a free-to-air channel, as well as Sky Fiji and Sky Pacific multi-channel pay-TV services; state-owned commercial company, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Ltd, operates 6 radio stations - 2 public broadcasters an (2009)
.fj
total: 421,000
percent of population: 46.3% (July 2015 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 2
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,336,976
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 83,686,504 mt-km (2015)
DQ (2016)
28 (2013)
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)
total: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 19 (2013)
total: 597 km
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)
total: 3,440 km
paved: 1,686 km
unpaved: 1,754 km (2011)
203 km (122 km are navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges) (2012)
total: 11
by type: passenger 4, passenger/cargo 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 2 (Australia 2) (2010)
major seaport(s): Lautoka, Levuka, Suva
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces (2011)
18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory retirement at age 55 (2013)
1.47% of GDP (2012)
1.44% of GDP (2011)
1.47% of GDP (2010)
none
