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Communications

Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

2 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.fj

Internet users [time series]

7,500 (2000)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

500,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center domestic: NA international: access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

72,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

5,200 (1997)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

21,000 (1997)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $610 million expenditures: $501 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Fijian dollar (FJD)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

FJD

Debt - external [time series]

$193 million (1998)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$40.3 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist industry are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity. Roughly 300,000 tourists visit each year, including thousands of Americans following the start of regularly scheduled non-stop air service from Los Angeles. Fiji's growth slowed in 1997 because the sugar industry suffered from low world prices and rent disputes between farmers and landowners. Drought in 1998 further damaged the sugar industry, but its recovery in 1999 contributed to robust GDP growth. Long-term problems include low investment and uncertain property rights. The political turmoil in Fiji has had a severe impact with the economy shrinking by 8% in 1999 and over 7,000 people losing their jobs. The interim government's 2001 budget is an attempt to attract foreign investment and restart economic activity. The government's ability to manage the budget and fulfill predictions of 4% growth for 2001 will depend on a return to stability, a regaining of investor confidence, and the absence of international sanctions (which could cripple Fiji's sugar and textile industry).

Electricity - consumption [time series]

474.3 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production [time series]

510 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 17.65% hydro: 82.35% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Exchange rates [time series]

Fijian dollars per US dollar - 2.1814 (January 2001), 2.1286 (2000), 1.9696 (1999), 1.9868 (1998), 1.4437 (1997), 1.4033 (1996)

Exports [time series]

$537 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities [time series]

sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish

Exports - partners [time series]

Australia 33.1%, US 14.8%, UK 13.8%, other Pacific island countries 8.8%, NZ 4.5%, Japan 4.5% (1999)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $5.9 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 16% industry: 30% services: 54% (1999 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

-8% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$653 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

Australia 41.9%, US 14%, NZ 13.3%, Japan 4.8%, Taiwan 1.9% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

2.9% (1995)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

0% (1999 est.)

Labor force [time series]

235,000

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

subsistence agriculture 67%, wage earners 18%, salary earners 15% (1987)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

6% (1997 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 18,270 sq km land: 18,270 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate [time series]

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Coastline [time series]

1,129 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

deforestation; soil erosion

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

18 00 S, 175 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

Irrigated land [time series]

10 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 10% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 10% forests and woodland: 65% other: 11% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards [time series]

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western

Capital [time series]

Suva

Constitution [time series]

10 October 1970 (suspended 1 October 1987); a new constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and promulgated on 25 July 1990; amended 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty government mandatory; entered into force 28 July 1998; note - the May 1999 election was the first test of the amended constitution and introduced open voting - not racially prescribed - for the first time at the national level

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands conventional short form: Fiji

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Osman M. SIDDIQUE embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva telephone: [679] 314466

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Salaseini Lelelvawalu VOSAILAGI chancery: Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320

Executive branch [time series]

note: armed ethnic Fijian terrorists, led by George SPEIGHT stormed the Parliament building on 19 May 2000; ethnic Indo-Fijian Prime Minister Mahendra CHAUDHRY and his government were held hostage for 56 days; following the attempted coup, the Commander of the Fiji Military Forces, naval Commodore Frank BAINIMARAMA declared martial law and dissolved the government on 29 May 2000; an interim government, headed by interim Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE, was appointed to serve until a new constitution was initiated and subsequent elections held; in November 2000, Fiji's High Court upheld the 1997 constitution and ruled that Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA remained the president; Justice Anthony GATES concluded that MARA should recall the pre-May 19th Parliament and appoint a prime minister to form a new government; the Fiji Court of Appeals upheld GATES' decision on 1 March 2001; it ruled that the 1997 constitution had not been abrogated, Parliament had not been dissolved, only prorogued for six months, and that the presidency remained vacant since MARA's resignation took effect 15 December 2000; President Ratu Josefa ILOILO reinstated QARASE's interim government as the caretaker government and elections were scheduled for August 2001; approximately 23 fluid political parties are currently jockeying for power chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILO (since NA 2000); Vice President Jope SENILOLI (since NA 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since NA 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Epeli NAILATIKAU (since NA 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note -there is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs which consists of the highest ranking members of the traditional chiefly system elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILO elected president by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 337-1996

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[679] 300081

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove

Government type [time series]

republic note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Independence [time series]

10 October 1970 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Legal system [time series]

based on British system

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs, nine appointed by the prime minister, eight appointed by the leader of the opposition, and one appointed by the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for other ethnic groups, one reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 11 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Fiji Labor Party 37, others 34

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; Fijian Nationalist Federation Party or NFP [Singh RAKKA]; Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA]; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Jai Ram REDDY]; United General Party or UGP [David PICKERING]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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). A 1990 constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May of 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. New elections are scheduled for August 2001.

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF; includes ground and naval forces)

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$24 million (FY98)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.1% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 227,599 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 125,238 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 9,471 (2001 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 32.92% (male 141,724; female 136,216) 15-64 years: 63.52% (male 268,411; female 267,871) 65 years and over: 3.56% (male 14,007; female 16,101) (2001 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

23.33 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.75 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.07% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Infant mortality rate [time series]

14.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.25 years male: 65.83 years female: 70.78 years (2001 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.6% male: 93.8% female: 89.3% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Fijian(s) adjective: Fijian

Net migration rate [time series]

-3.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population [time series]

844,330 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.41% (2001 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2% note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is a Muslim minority (1986)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.86 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Transportation

Airports [time series]

27 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 19 (2000 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 3,440 km paved: 1,692 km unpaved: 1,748 km (1996)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,870 GRT/14,787 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Lambasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Savusavu, Suva

Railways [time series]

total: 597 km; note - belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation narrow gauge: 597 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)

Waterways [time series]

203 km note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges