2023 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 in 1871 CAKOBAU formed the Kingdom of Fiji in an attempt to centralize power. Fearing a hostile takeover by a foreign power as the kingdom’s economy began to falter, 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 retained the position after elections in 2014 and 2018 that international observers deemed credible. BAINIMARAMA's party lost control of the prime minister position following elections in December 2022 and former opposition leader Sitiveni Ligamamada RABUKA assumed the office with a slim, one-seat parliamentary margin.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

25.17% (male 121,809/female 116,737)

15-64 years

66.31% (male 321,448/female 307,026)

65 years and over

8.52% (2023 est.) (male 37,219/female 43,521)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

1.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.79 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

2.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

16.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

1.7% (2021 est.)

women married by age 15

0.2%

women married by age 18

4%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4.6% (2021) NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

35.5% (2021)

Current health expenditure

3.8% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

58.8% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.7

potential support ratio

11.4 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

53

youth dependency ratio

44.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 89.1% of population

improved: total

total: 94.3% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 10.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 5.7% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.8% of population

Education expenditures

5.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.09 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Infant mortality rate

female

8.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

11.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.3 years

male

71.9 years

total population

74.5 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

female

99.1% (2018)

male

99.1%

total population

99.1%

Major urban areas - population

178,000 SUVA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

38 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

31.5 years

male

31 years

total

31.2 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Fijian

noun

Fijian(s)

Net migration rate

-5.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

30.2% (2016)

Physicians density

0.86 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

947,760 (2023 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

0.42% (2023 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: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

10.5% (2020 est.)

male

35.6% (2020 est.)

total

23.1% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.23 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

58.7% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

25.9%

male

14.1%

total

18.1% (2021 est.)

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 (English)/ Matanitu ko Viti (Fijian)

local short form

Fiji (English)/ Viti (Fijian)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Marie DAMOUR (since 24 November 2022); 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); Chargé d'Affaires Aporosa BABAKOBUA

email address and website

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

FAX

[1] (202) 466-8325

telephone

[1] (917) 208-4560

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; Wiliame KATONIVERE 28 votes, Teimumu KEPA 23 votes

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, UNISFA, 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)

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 (55 seats; members directly elected in a nationwide, multi-seat constituency by open-list proportional representation vote with a 5% electoral threshold; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - FijiFirst 42.5%, People's Alliance 35.8%, NFP 8.9%, SODELPA 5.1%, other 7.7%; seats by party - FijiFirst 26, People's Alliance 21, NFP 5, SODELPA 3; composition - men 49, women 6, percent of women 10.9%

elections

last held on 14 December 2022 (next to be held in 2026)

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 heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Levuka Historical Port Town

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

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]Freedom Alliance [Jagath KARUNARATNE] (formerly Fiji United Freedom Party or FUFP)National Federation Party or NFP [Biman PRASAD] (primarily Indian)People's Alliance [Sitiveni RABUKA]Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Lynda TABUYA]Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPA [Lenaitasi DURU, general secretary]Unity Fiji [Savenaca NARUBE]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

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

Budget

expenditures

$1.515 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$885 million (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

Ba3 (2017)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2019)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$689.438 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$575.635 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$597.29 million (2021 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

upper-middle income, tourism-based Pacific island economy; susceptible to ocean rises; key energy and infrastructure investments; post-pandemic tourism resurgence; improved debt standing; limited workforce

Exchange rates

Currency

Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

2.067 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

2.087 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

2.16 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.169 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.071 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$2.636 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

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

Exports 2021

$1.171 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

water, fuel wood, gold, sugar, refined petroleum, fish (2021)

Exports - partners

United States 34%, Australia 14%, China 7%, New Zealand 7%, Tonga 4% (2021)

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 2019

30.7 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

34.9% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Imports

Imports 2019

$3.206 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$1.977 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$2.344 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, aircraft, cars, dentistry devices, broadcasting equipment (2021)

Imports - partners

New Zealand 18%, China 16%, Singapore 14%, Australia 13%, United States 9% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

-8.34% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1.77% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

-2.6% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

0.16% (2021 est.)

Labor force

372,200 (2021 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) 2019

$12.162 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$10.094 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$9.578 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

-0.58% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-17% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

-5.11% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$13,200 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$11,000 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$10,400 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$1.043 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$1.082 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$1.518 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

19.26% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

4.45% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

4.72% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

5.24% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

25.9%

male

14.1%

total

18.1% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.691 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

1.691 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

1,022,955,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

393,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

90 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

86.7% (2021)

electrification - total population

92.1% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

96% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

41.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

50.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

1.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

32.901 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

11,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

3 (2020 est.)

total

23,062 (2020 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

Internet country code

.fj

Internet users

percent of population

88% (2021 est.)

total

809,600 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line nearly 5 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 110 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Fiji is the leading market to watch in terms of both LTE and 5G development in the region; the market boasts relatively sophisticated, advanced digital infrastructure, with telcos’ heavy investment resulting in the country having the highest mobile and internet subscriptions in the Pacific Islands region; LTE, LTE-A, and fiber technologies have received the most investment by the Fijian mobile operators, LTE now accounts for the largest share of connections in the mobile segment; concentrating on the more highly populated areas, the operators are preparing for the next growth area of high-speed data; they also have 5G in mind, and are preparing their networks to be 5G-ready, anticipating an easier migration to the technology based on the relatively high LTE subscription rate; Fiji presents a challenging geographic environment for infrastructure development due to its population being spread across more than 100 islands; the majority of Fijians live on the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu; in July 2018, the two islands were linked by the Savusavu submarine cable system, which provides a more secure link in times of emergency weather events such as the regular tropical cyclones that often cause massive destruction to the area, including destroying essential infrastructure such as electricity and telecommunications equipment; notably, the December 2021 eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcano in Tonga damaged the Tonga Cable which connects Fiji, and Tonga blocking the latter off from internet services; cable theft and damage of critical communications infrastructure has also become a concern in Fiji, prompting authorities to establish a joint task force to tackle the issue (2022)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

49,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

110 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

990,000 (2021 est.)

Airports

28 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

4

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

24

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

DQ

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 21, oil tanker 4, other 50

total

75 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

106.83 million (2018) mt-km

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 (2008) 0.600-m gauge

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

Military - note

established in 1920, the RFMF is a small and lightly-armed force with a history of intervening in the country’s politics, including coups in 1987 and 2006, and a mutiny in 2000, and it continues to have significant political power; the RFMF is responsible for external security but can be assigned some domestic security responsibilities in specific circumstances; it also has a tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping operations, having sent troops on nearly 20 such missions since first deploying personnel  to South Lebanon in 1978; these deployments have offered experience and a source of financial support; the RFMF has an infantry regiment and a small naval element comprised of patrol boats Fiji has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Fiji's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2023)

Military and security forces

Republic of Fiji Military Force (RFMF): Land Force Command, Maritime Command (2023)

note

note: the RFMF is subordinate to the president as the commander-in-chief, while the Fiji Police Force reports to the Ministry of Defense, National Security, and Policing

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 4,000 active personnel (2023)

Military deployments

170 Egypt (MFO); 160 Iraq (UNAMI); 150 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (2023)

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 (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; mandatory retirement at age 55 (2023)

Disputes - international

Fiji-Tonga: Fiji does not recognize Tonga’s 1972 claim to the Minerva Reefs and their surrounding waters; the Minerva Reefs’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone includes valuable fishing grounds

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

2.05 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.95 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

7.36 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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 practice 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.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.59% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

28.55 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

58.7% of total population (2023)

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.)