2021 Edition

Background

Austronesians settled Fiji around 1000 B.C., followed by successive waves of Melanesians starting around the first century A.D. Fijians traded with Polynesian groups in Samoa and Tonga, and by about 900, much of Fiji was in the Tu’i Tongan Empire’s sphere of influence. The Tongan influence declined significantly by 1200 while Melanesian seafarers continued to periodically arrive in Fiji, further mixing Melanesian and Polynesian cultural traditions. Dutch explorer Abel TASMAN was the first European to spot Fiji in 1643, followed by British explorer James COOK in 1774. Captain William BLIGH plotted the islands in 1789. In the 1800s, merchants, traders, and whalers frequented the islands and the first missionaries arrived in 1835. Rival kings and chiefs competed for power, at times aided by Europeans and their weapons, and in 1865, Seru Epenisa CAKOBAU united many groups into the Confederacy of Independent Kingdoms of Viti. The arrangement proved weak and a subsequent attempt in 1871 to centralize power as a Kingdom of Fiji also faltered. Fearing a hostile takeover by a foreign power, CAKOBAU ceded Fiji to the UK in 1874.The first British governor set up a plantation-style economy and brought in more than 60,000 Indians as indentured laborers, most of whom chose to stay in Fiji rather than return to India when their contracts expired. In the early 1900s, society was divided along ethnic lines, with iTaukei (indigenous Fijians), Europeans, and Indo-Fijians living in separate areas and maintaining their own languages and traditions. ITaukei fears of an Indo-Fijian takeover of government delayed independence through the 1960s; Fiji achieved independence in 1970 with agreements in place to allocate parliamentary seats by ethnic groups. Long-serving Prime Minister Kamisese MARA largely balanced these ethnic divisions but concerns about growing Indo-Fijian political influence led to two coups in 1987. A new constitution in 1990 cemented iTaukei control of politics, leading thousands of Indo-Fijians to leave. A reformed constitution in 1997 was more equitable and led to the election of an Indo-Fijian prime minister in 1999, who was ousted in a coup the following year. In 2005, the new prime minister put forward a bill that would grant pardons to the coup perpetrators, leading Commodore Josaia BAINIMARAMA to launch a coup in 2006. BAINIMARAMA  appointed himself prime minister in 2007 and continues to hold the position after elections in 2014 and 2018 that international observers deemed credible.With well-developed infrastructure, Fiji has become a hub for the Pacific, hosting the secretariat for the Pacific Islands Forum and the main campus of the University of the South Pacific. In addition, Fiji is a center for Pacific tourism, and Nadi International Airport is by far the busiest airport in a pacific island country.

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

highest point

Tomanivi 1,324 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

18 00 S, 175 00 E

Geography - note

consists of 332 islands, approximately 110 of which are inhabited, and more than 500 islets

Irrigated land

40 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

23.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 4.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 9.6% (2018 est.)

forest

55.7% (2018 est.)

other

21% (2018 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

26.86% (male 128,499/female 122,873)

15-24 years

15.51% (male 73,993/female 71,139)

25-54 years

41.05% (male 196,932/female 187,270)

55-64 years

9.25% (male 43,813/female 42,763)

65 years and over

7.34% (male 31,556/female 37,136) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

16.9 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

3.4% (2018)

Death rate

6.31 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.9

potential support ratio

11.2 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.4

youth dependency ratio

44.5

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 88.7% of population

improved: total

total: 93.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 11.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 6.2% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.2% of population

Education expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

iTaukei 56.8% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indo-Fijian 37.5%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 4.5% (European, part European, other Pacific Islanders, Chinese) (2007 est.)

note

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,300 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Infant mortality rate

female

8.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

11.84 deaths/1,000 live births

total

10.27 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), iTaukei (official), Fiji Hindi (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.82 years (2021 est.)

male

71.32 years

total population

74 years

Literacy

female

99.1% (2018)

male

99.1%

total population

99.1%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Major urban areas - population

178,000 SUVA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

34 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

30.1 years (2020 est.)

male

29.7 years

total

29.9 years

Nationality

adjective

Fijian

noun

Fijian(s)

Net migration rate

-6.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

30.2% (2016)

Physicians density

0.86 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

939,535 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.46% (2021 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: rural

rural: 89% of population

improved: total

total: 98% of population

improved: urban

urban: 94% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 11% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 6% of population

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 (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.28 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

22.4% (2016 est.)

male

11.9%

total

15.4%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.37% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

57.7% of total population (2021)

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

etymology

the name means "little hill" in the native Fijian (iTaukei) language and refers to a mound where a temple once stood

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

amendments

proposed as a bill by Parliament and supported by at least three quarters of its members, followed by referral to the president and then to the Electoral Commission, which conducts a referendum; passage requires approval by at least three-quarters of registered voters and assent by the president

history

several previous; latest signed into law 6 September 2013

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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Tony GREUBEL (since 20 January 2021); note - also accredited to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu

email address and website

SuvaACS@state.govhttps://fj.usembassy.gov/

embassy

158 Princes Road, Tamavua, Suva

FAX

[679] 330-2267

mailing address

4290 Suva Place, Washington DC  20521-4290

telephone

[679] 331-4466

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1707 L Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Akuila VUIRA

email address and website

info@FijiEmbassyDC.comhttps://www.fijiembassydc.com/

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 Ratu Wiliame KATONIVERE (since 12 November 2021)

election results

Ratu Wiliame KATONIVERE elected president with 28 votes against 23 votes for Teimumu KEPA

elections/appointments

president elected by Parliament for a 3-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 October 2021 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister endorsed 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 this requirement 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

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

Agricultural products

sugar cane, cassava, taro, poultry, vegetables, coconuts, eggs, milk, ginger, sweet potatoes

Budget

expenditures

1.648 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

1.454 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

Ba3 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2019)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$131 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$277 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$696.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$1.022 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic 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

currency

Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

1.8874 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

2.0976 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

2.1104 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

2.17345 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.05955 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$2.67 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$2.64 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.23 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

water, refined petroleum, fish, raw sugar, gold (2019)

Exports - partners

United States 29%, Australia 14%, New Zealand 7%, Japan 6%, Tonga 6% (2019)

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.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2013

36.7 (2013 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

34.9% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Imports

Imports 2018

$3.1 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$3.21 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$1.97 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, aircraft, cars, wheat, broadcasting equipment (2019)

Imports - partners

Singapore 18%, Australia 13%, China 13.8%, New Zealand 11%, France 11%, South Korea 8% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

2.8% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

3.9% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

3.4% (2017 est.)

Labor force

353,100 (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

44.2%

industry

14.3%

services

41.6% (2011)

Population below poverty line

29.9% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

47.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

48.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$12.23 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$12.18 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$9.86 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

3.8% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

0.7% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

3% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$13,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$13,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$11,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$908.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$1.116 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

29.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

5.5% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

4.5% (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

22.4% (2016 est.)

male

11.9%

total

15.4%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

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.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

99.2% (2018)

electrification - total population

99.6% (2018)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2018)

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

1.48 (2018 est.)

total

13,033 (2018)

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

Internet country code

.fj

Internet users

percent of population

49.97% (2019 est.)

total

634,100 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line 9 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 118 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

Fiji has a relatively sophisticated communications infrastructure with the highest mobile and Internet penetration in the Pacific Islands; aggressively developing LTE and 5G, though the pandemic negatively affected the economy, largely reliant on tourism; population is spread across more than 100 islands, yet most live on two main islands, with communications based on link by a submarine cable system; cables provide a secure link during natural disasters, protecting telecom connectivity; provider plans to expand fiber infrastructure to remote islands (2020)

international

country code - 679; landing points for the ICN1, SCCN, Southern Cross NEXT, Tonga Cable and Tui-Samoa submarine cable links to US, NZ, Australia and Pacific islands of Fiji, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Fallis & Futuna, and American Samoa; satellite earth stations - 2 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

8.66 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

76,522 (2018)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

117.8 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

1,033,920 (2018)

Airports

total

28 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

2 (2017)

over 3,047 m

1

total

4

Airports - with unpaved runways

914 to 1,523 m

5

total

24

under 914 m

19 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

DQ

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 20, oil tanker 4, other 49 (2021)

total

73

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

106.83 million mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

1,670,216 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

16

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Lautoka, Levuka, Suva

Railways

narrow gauge

597 km 0.600-m gauge (2008)

note

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 - note

the RFMF consists of only 1 infantry regiment and a small naval element with a few patrol boats; as of 2021, it did not possess any aircraft the RFMF has a history of intervening in the country’s politics since the late 1980s, including coups in 1987 and 2006, and a mutiny in 2000 the RFMF also has a long tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping operations; since its first deployment of troops to South Lebanon in 1978 under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), it has deployed troops on nearly 20 additional UN missions

Military and security forces

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Force Command, Maritime Command; Fiji Police (2021)

note

both the RFMF and the Fiji Police report to the the Ministry of Defense, National Security, and Policing

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) have about 3,500 personnel (3,200 Land Force; 300 Maritime Command) (2020)

Military deployments

170 Egypt (MFO); 160 Iraq (UNAMI); 130 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the RFMF is lightly armed and equipped; Australia has provided patrol boats and a few armored personnel carriers; it also provides logistical support for RFMF regional or UN operations; in recent years, China has provided construction equipment and military vehicles (2020)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

1.2% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

1.5% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.6% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.6% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory retirement at age 55 (2019)

Disputes - international

maritime boundary dispute with Tonga

Trafficking in persons

current situation

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Fiji and Fijians abroad; Fijian women and children and victims from Thailand and China are sex trafficked in illegal brothels, local hotels, private homes, and massage parlors; Fijian children sent to live with families in larger cities are vulnerable to forced labor or sexual activity in exchange for food, clothing, shelter, or school fees; labor traffickers exploit Southeast Asian workers on small informal farms and factories and in construction; Southeast Asian fisherman may be subject to forced labor on Fijian-flagged ships or foreign-flagged ships transiting Fijian ports and water

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Fiji does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; authorities maintained anti-trafficking law enforcement, investigating a similar number of cases as the prior year and convicting a trafficker for the first time since 2014; a government-convened working group finalized an updated anti-trafficking national action plan; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts; law enforcement was often unaware of the definition of trafficking, procedures for interviewing victims, and how to proactively screen vulnerable populations for trafficking victims; inspectors did not adequately investigate labor violations for trafficking indicators or provide adequate support to victims (2020)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

2.05 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.95 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

10.19 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

23.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 4.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 9.6% (2018 est.)

forest

55.7% (2018 est.)

other

21% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.59% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

28.55 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

50 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

9.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

25.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.37% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

57.7% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

189,390 tons (2011 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

10,322 tons (2013 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

5.5% (2013 est.)