2018 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

0 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean

note

1324 highest point: Tomanivi

Environment Current Issues

the widespread practice of waste incineration is a major contributor to air pollution in the country, as are vehicle emissions in urban areas; deforestation and soil erosion are significant problems; a contributory factor to erosion is clearing of land by bush burning, a widespread practie that threatens biodiversity

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

Geographic Coordinates

18 00 S, 175 00 E

Geography Note

includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

Irrigated Land

40 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

arable land: 9% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 4.7% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 9.6% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

23.3% (2011 est.)

forest

55.7% (2011 est.)

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

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

note

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural Hazards

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

approximately 70% of the population lives on the island of Viti Levu; roughly half of the population lives in urban areas

Terrain

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Age Structure

0-14 years

27.45% (male 129,962 /female 124,305)

15-24 years

15.91% (male 75,165 /female 72,219)

25-54 years

41.05% (male 194,743 /female 185,469)

55-64 years

8.79% (male 41,286 /female 40,167)

65 years and over

6.8% (male 28,924 /female 34,036) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

18.2 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death Rate

6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.9 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

11.2 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

52.8 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

43.9 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

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.)

Education Expenditures

3.9% of GDP (2013)

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) (2007 est.)

note

a 2010 law replaces 'Fijian' with 'iTaukei' when referring to the original and native settlers of Fiji

Health Expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

0.1% (2016 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

<100 (2016 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

<1000 (2016 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

2.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

10.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

76 years (2018 est.)

male

70.5 years (2018 est.)

total population

73.2 years (2018 est.)

Major Infectious Diseases

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

Major Urban Areas Population

178,000 SUVA (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

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

Median Age

female

29.4 years (2018 est.)

male

29 years

total

29.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Fijian

noun

Fijian(s)

Net Migration Rate

-6.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

30.2% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.84 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

926,276 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.56% (2018 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

improved: urban: 93.4% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 88.4% of population (2015 est.)

total: 91.1% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 6.6% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 11.6% of population (2015 est.)

total: 8.9% of population (2015 est.)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.37 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

22.4% (2016 est.)

male

11.9% (2016 est.)

total

15.4% (2016 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.62% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

56.2% of total population (2018)

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 first Sunday in November; ends second 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

at least 5 years residency out of the 10 years preceding application

Constitution

several previous; latest signed into law September 2013 (2017)

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 Solo MARA (since 28 January 2016)

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 reelected president (unopposed)

elections/appointments

president elected by Parliament for a 3-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 31 August 2018 (next to be held in 2021); 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, holding a coconut pod between its paws, above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George; the four quarters depict stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, a banana bunch, and a white dove of peace

Government Type

parliamentary 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 courts

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)

Legal System

common law system based on the English model

Legislative Branch

description

unicameral Parliament (51 seats; members directly elected in a nationwide, multi-seat constituency by open-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - FijiFirst 50%, SODELPA 39.6%, NFP 7.4%; seats by party - FijiFirst 27, SODELPA 21, NFP 3; composition - men 41, women 10, percent of women 19.6%

elections

last held on 14 November 2018 (next to be held in 2022)

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 [Veroqe "Frank" BAINIMARAMA]Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]Fiji United Freedon Party or FUFP [Jagath KARUNARATNE]National Federation Party or NFP [Biman PRASAD] (primarily Indian)Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Lynda TABUYA]Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPAUnity Fiji [Adi QORO]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

sugarcane, copra, ginger, tropical fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, chicken, fish

Budget

expenditures

1.648 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

1.454 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

1.75% (31 December 2010)

3% (31 December 2009)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

5.74% (31 December 2017 est.)

5.85% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$277 million (2017 est.)

-$131 million (2016 est.)

Debt External

$1.022 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$696.4 million (31 December 2016 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 842,884 tourists visiting in 2017, and remittances from Fijian’s working abroad are the country’s largest foreign exchange earners.Bottled water exports to the US is Fiji’s largest domestic export. Fiji's sugar sector remains a significant industry and a major export, but crops and one of the sugar mills suffered damage during Cyclone Winston in 2016. 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 improved investor confidence, but increasing bureaucratic regulation, new taxes, and lack of consultation with relevant stakeholders brought four consecutive years of decline for Fiji on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business index. Private sector investment in 2017 approached 20% of GDP, compared to 13% in 2013.

Exchange Rates

Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar -

2.075 (2017 est.)

2.0947 (2016 est.)

2.0947 (2015 est.)

2.0976 (2014 est.)

1.8874 (2013 est.)

Exports

$908.2 million (2017 est.)

$709 million (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

fuel, including oil, fish, beverages, gems, sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil, mineral water

Exports Partners

US 20.8%, Australia 14.9%, NZ 7.7%, Tonga 5%, Vanuatu 4.6%, China 4.5%, Spain 4.3%, UK 4.3%, Kiribati 4.1% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

29% (2017 est.)

government consumption

24.4% (2017 est.)

household consumption

81.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-51.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

13.5% (2017 est.)

industry

17.4% (2017 est.)

services

69.1% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$4.891 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$9,800 (2017 est.)

$9,600 (2016 est.)

$9,600 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$8.629 billion (2017 est.)

$8.376 billion (2016 est.)

$8.321 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

3% (2017 est.)

0.7% (2016 est.)

3.8% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

12.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

13.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

16.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

34.9% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

34.9% (2009 est.)

Imports

$1.911 billion (2017 est.)

$1.761 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

Australia 19.2%, NZ 17.2%, Singapore 17%, China 13.8% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

2.8% (2017 est.)

Industries

tourism, sugar processing, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

3.4% (2017 est.)

3.9% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

353,100 (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

44.2%

industry

14.3%

services

41.6% (2011)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$452.5 million (31 December 2012 est.)

$392.2 million (31 December 2011 est.)

$418.8 million (31 December 2010 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

31% (2009 est.)

Public Debt

48.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

47.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$1.116 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$908.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$2.272 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.994 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$117.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$115.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$4.342 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.022 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$3.607 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.295 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$2.272 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.994 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

29.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

4.5% (2017 est.)

5.5% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

2.369 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

45% (2012)

electrification - total population

59% (2012)

electrification - urban areas

72% (2012)

population without electricity

375,274 (2012)

Electricity Consumption

850 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

34% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

38% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

338,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

914 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

16,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

17,460 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2017 est.)

total

12,135 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

Fiji TV, a publicly traded company, operates a free-to-air channel; Digicel Fiji operates the 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 (2017)

Internet Country Code

.fj

Internet Users

percent of population

46.5% (July 2016 est.)

total

425,680 (July 2016 est.)

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; fixed-line 8 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 112 per 100 persons (2017)

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; Fiji is a leader in the Pacific region in terms of development of its ICT sector and investment in telecoms infrastructure; initial progress towards 5G readiness (2017)

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); 2018 Fijian government to implement cable to connect the two major islands via submarine cable system (2017)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

8 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

75,952 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

112 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

1,033,915 (2017 est.)

Airports

28 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

2 (2017)

over 3,047 m

1 (2017)

total

4 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 to 1,523 m

5 (2013)

total

24 (2013)

under 914 m

19 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

DQ (2016)

Merchant Marine

by type

bulk carrier 6, general cargo 25, oil tanker 2, other 35 (2017)

total

68 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

83,686,504 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

1,336,976 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

12 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

2 (2015)

Ports And Terminals

major seaport(s)

Lautoka, Levuka, Suva

Railways

narrow gauge

597 km 0.600-m gauge (2008)

note

belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during the harvest season, which runs from May to December

total

597 km (2008)

Roadways

paved

1,686 km (2011)

total

3,440 km (2011)

unpaved

1,754 km (2011)

Waterways

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

Military Branches

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

Military Expenditures

0.98% of GDP (2016)

1.07% of GDP (2015)

1.03% of GDP (2014)

1.39% of GDP (2013)

1.49% of GDP (2012)

Military Service Age And Obligation

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

Disputes International

none