2015 Edition

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 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.

Area

land

18,274 sq km

total

18,274 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

1,129 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Tomanivi 1,324 m

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, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

100.1 cu m/yr (2005)

total

0.08 cu km/yr (30%/11%/59%)

Geographic coordinates

18 00 S, 175 00 E

Geography - note

includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land 9%; permanent crops 4.7%; permanent pasture 9.6%

agricultural land

23.3%

forest

55.7%

other

21% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Natural resources

timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Terrain

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Total renewable water resources

28.55 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

28.03% (male 130,251/female 124,633)

15-24 years

16.73% (male 77,716/female 74,449)

25-54 years

41.12% (male 191,393/female 182,571)

55-64 years

8.04% (male 37,019/female 36,141)

65 years and over

6.07% (male 25,386/female 29,830) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

19.43 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Death rate

6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.9%

potential support ratio

11.2% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

52.8%

youth dependency ratio

43.9%

Drinking water source

urban: 99.5% of population

rural: 91.2% of population

total: 95.7% of population

urban: 0.5% of population

rural: 8.8% of population

total: 4.3% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.2% of GDP (2011)

Ethnic groups

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.)

Health expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.13% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

700 (2014 est.)

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

female

8.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

10.97 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.2 years (2015 est.)

male

69.79 years

total population

72.43 years

Major urban areas - population

SUVA (capital) 176,000 (2014)

Maternal mortality rate

30 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

female

28.4 years (2015 est.)

male

28 years

total

28.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Fijian

noun

Fijian(s)

Net migration rate

-6.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

35.9% (2014)

Physicians density

0.43 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

909,389 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

0.67% (2015 est.)

Religions

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.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 93.4% of population

rural: 88.4% of population

total: 91.1% of population

urban: 6.6% of population

rural: 11.6% of population

total: 8.9% of population (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

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

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.47 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

18.7% (2007 est.)

male

14.8%

total

25.4%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.45% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

53.7% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

14 provinces and 1 dependency*; Ba, Bua, Cakaudrove, Kadavu, Lau, Lomaiviti, Macuata, Nadroga and Navosa, Naitasiri, Namosi, Ra, Rewa, Rotuma*, Serua, Tailevu

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins fourth Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in January

geographic coordinates

18 08 S, 178 25 E

name

Suva (on Viti Levu)

time difference

UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

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

Constitution

previous 1970, 1990, 1997; latest signed into law September 2013 (2015)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Fiji

conventional short form

Fiji

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

local long form

Republic of Fiji/Matanitu ko Viti

local short form

Fiji/Viti

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Judith CEFKIN (since 3 February 2015); note - also accredited to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu

embassy

158 Princes Rd, Tamavua

FAX

[679] 330-8685

mailing address

P. O. Box 218, Suva

telephone

[679] 331-4466

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2000 M Street NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Winston THOMPSON (since 20 April 2009)

consulate(s)

Los Angeles, Portland (OR), San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 466-8325

telephone

[1] (202) 466-8320

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament

chief of state

President Jioji Konousi KONROTE (since 12 November 2015)

election results

Jioji Konousi KONROTE elected 12 Ocotber 2015 defeating Ratu Epeli GANILAU 31 to 14

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

head of government

Prime Minister Voreqe "Frank" BAINIMARAMA (since 22 September 2014)

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 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

Government type

republic

Independence

10 October 1970 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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); note - in 1987, the Supreme Court assumed functions formerly performed by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

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)

Legal system

common law system based on the English model

Legislative branch

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

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

elections

last held on 17 September 2014 (next to be held in 2019)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT/C. Austin MILES (adapted by Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT)

name

"God Bless Fiji"

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

National holiday

Fiji Independence Day, 10 October (1970)

National symbol(s)

Fijian canoe; national color: light blue

Political parties and leaders

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD [Dr. Anirudk SINGH] (suports restoration of a democratic government)

Viti Landowners Association

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$1.219 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$1.166 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

1.75% (31 December 2010)

3% (31 December 2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.76% (31 December 2014 est.)

6.1% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$386 million (2014 est.)

-$834 million (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$769.1 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$797.5 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Economy - overview

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 692,630 tourists visiting in 2014, and remittances from Fijian’s working abroad are the country’s largest foreign exchange earners. 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 imbalance continues to widen with increased imports and sluggish performance of domestic exports. The return to parliamentary democracy and successful elections in September 2014 have boosted investor confidence. Private sector investment in 2014 reached 15% of GDP, compared to 13% in 2013.

Exchange rates

Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar -

1.8874 (2014 est.)

1.8874 (2013 est.)

1.79 (2012 est.)

1.7932 (2011 est.)

1.9183 (2010 est.)

Exports

$1.152 billion (2014 est.)

$1.048 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 11.8%, Australia 10%, UK 6.4%, Samoa 6.2%, Tonga 5.5% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

61%

government consumption

14.6%

household consumption

77.1%

imports of goods and services

-68.4%

investment in fixed capital

21.5%

investment in inventories

-5.8%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

12.1%

industry

19.9%

services

68% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$8,400 (2014 est.)

$7,900 (2013 est.)

$7,600 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

5.3% (2014 est.)

4.6% (2013 est.)

1.8% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.289 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$7.404 billion (2014 est.)

$7.031 billion (2013 est.)

$6.72 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

10.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

7.6% of GDP (2013 est.)

20.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

34.9% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Imports

$2.403 billion (2014 est.)

$2.38 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Singapore 18.4%, South Korea 14%, NZ 13.7%, China 13.1%, Australia 12.9% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

2.6% (2014 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.5% (2014 est.)

2.9% (2013 est.)

Labor force

346,500 (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

70%

industry and services

30% (2001 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$452.5 million (31 December 2012 est.)

$392.2 million (31 December 2011)

$418.8 million (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

31% (2009 est.)

Public debt

49.7% of GDP (2014 est.)

51.4% of GDP (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$903 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$916.2 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of broad money

$3.118 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$2.953 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$50.08 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$50.2 million (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$3.893 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.612 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$2.896 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$2.585 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.823 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.816 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

27.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

8.8% (2014 est.)

8.7% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

1.543 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)

Electricity - consumption

777.6 million kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

46.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

48.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

5.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

259,000 kW (2012 est.)

Electricity - production

857.5 million kWh (2013 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

9,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

690.3 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

10,130 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Broadcast media

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 and 4 commercial broadcasters with multiple repeaters; 5 radio stations with repeaters operated by Communications Fiji, Ltd; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2009)

Internet country code

.fj

Internet users

percent of population

36.7% (2014 est.)

total

331,700

Radio broadcast stations

AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

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 100 per 100 persons

general assessment

modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center

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) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

8 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

74,700

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

97 (2014 est.)

total

876,200

Television broadcast stations

NA

Airports

28 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

2 (2013)

over 3,047 m

1

total

4

Airports - with unpaved runways

19 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

5

total

24

Merchant marine

by type

passenger 4, passenger/cargo 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned

2 (Australia 2) (2010)

total

11

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Lautoka, Levuka, Suva

Railways

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

597 km

Roadways

paved

1,686 km

total

3,440 km

unpaved

1,754 km (2011)

Waterways

203 km (122 km are navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges) (2012)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

222,587 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

233,240

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

188,325 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

183,730

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

8,039 (2010 est.)

male

8,403

Military branches

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces (2011)

Military expenditures

1.47% of GDP (2012)

1.44% of GDP (2011)

1.47% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory retirement at age 55 (2013)

Disputes - international

none