Fiji

parliamentary republic

name: Suva (on Viti Levu) geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "little hill" in the native Fijian language and may refer to a mound where a temple once stood

chief of state: President Ratu Naiqama LALABALAVU (since 12 November 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Sitiveni Ligamamada RABUKA (since 24 December 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament election/appointment process: president elected by Parliament for a 3-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister endorsed by the president most recent election date: 31 October 2024 election results: 2024: Ratu Naiqama LALABALAVU elected president (People's Alliance) 35 votes, Meli Tora TAVAIQIA (Fiji First) 14 votes 2021: Ratu Wiliame KATONIVERE elected president; Wiliame KATONIVERE (People's Alliance) 28 votes, Teimumu KEPA (SODELPA) 23 votes expected date of next election: 2027

legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 55 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 12/14/2022 parties elected and seats per party: FijiFirst (26); People's Alliance (21); National Federation Party (NFP) (5); Social Democratic Liberal Party (Soldelpa) (3) percentage of women in chamber: 9.1% expected date of next election: December 2026

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 on the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission after consulting with the cabinet minister and the House of Representatives committee 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 or more than 7 years, with mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: Magistrates' Court (organized into civil, criminal, juvenile, and small claims divisions)

history: several previous; latest signed into law 6 September 2013 amendment process: 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

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

1.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Force, Republic of Fiji Navy (2025)

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2026)

the Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) are responsible for external security but can be assigned some domestic security responsibilities in specific circumstances; the RFMF has a history of intervening in the country s politics, and it continues to have significant political power; it also has a tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping operations, which have offered experience and a source of financial support; Fiji has sent troops on nearly 20 such missions since first deploying personnel to South Lebanon in 1978 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 (2025)

170 Egypt (MFO); 160 Iraq (UNAMI); 150 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (2025)

$13.1 billion (2024 est.) $12.617 billion (2023 est.) $11.734 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$14,100 (2024 est.) $13,700 (2023 est.) $12,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3.8% (2024 est.) 7.5% (2023 est.) 19.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

4.5% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 4.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

47.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

$2.376 billion (2022 est.) $1.171 billion (2021 est.) $1.23 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$3.434 billion (2022 est.) $2.344 billion (2021 est.) $1.977 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

4.4% (2024 est.) 4.4% (2023 est.) 4.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $1.345 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $1.562 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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

sugarcane, cassava, taro, vegetables, chicken, coconuts, eggs, ginger, milk, sweet potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 951,611 (2024 est.) male: 482,304 female: 469,307

0.38% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 24.7% (male 119,910/female 114,904) 15-64 years: 66.4% (male 323,339/female 308,921) 65 years and over: 8.9% (2024 est.) (male 39,055/female 45,482)

15.63 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

6.58 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 74.8 years (2024 est.) male: 72.2 years female: 77.6 years

urban population: 58.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.37% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

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

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.)

female: 92.4% (2021 est.)

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

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Fiji remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/fiji/

refugees: 25 (2024 est.) IDPs: 259 (2024 est.)

26 (2025)

total: 597 km (2008) narrow gauge: 597 km (2008) 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

total: 74 (2023) by type: general cargo 21, oil tanker 4, other 49

total subscriptions: 5.33 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 574 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 79% (2023 est.)