Fiji

total: 12,135 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)

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

.fj

total: 425,680 | percent of population: 46.5% (July 2016 est.)

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 (Information & Communications Technology) sector and investment in telecoms infrastructure; initial progress towards 5G readiness (2018) | 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 (2018) | 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)

total subscriptions: 75,952 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions: 1,033,915 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2017 est.)

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

revenues: 1.454 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 1.648 billion (2017 est.)

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

1.75% (31 December 2010) | 3% (31 December 2009)

5.74% (31 December 2017 est.) | 5.85% (31 December 2016 est.)

-$277 million (2017 est.) | -$131 million (2016 est.)

$1.022 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $696.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

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.

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.)

$908.2 million (2017 est.) | $709 million (2016 est.)

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

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)

calendar year

$4.891 billion (2017 est.)

$8.629 billion (2017 est.) | $8.376 billion (2016 est.) | $8.321 billion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

household consumption: 81.3% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 24.4% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 29% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -51.6% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 13.5% (2017 est.) | industry: 17.4% (2017 est.) | services: 69.1% (2017 est.)

$9,800 (2017 est.) | $9,600 (2016 est.) | $9,600 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

3% (2017 est.) | 0.7% (2016 est.) | 3.8% (2015 est.)

12.7% of GDP (2017 est.) | 13.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | 16.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

lowest 10%: 2.6% | highest 10%: 34.9% (2009 est.)

$1.911 billion (2017 est.) | $1.761 billion (2016 est.)

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

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

2.8% (2017 est.)

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

3.4% (2017 est.) | 3.9% (2016 est.)

353,100 (2017 est.)

agriculture: 44.2% | industry: 14.3% | services: 41.6% (2011)

$452.5 million (31 December 2012 est.) | $392.2 million (31 December 2011 est.) | $418.8 million (31 December 2010 est.)

31% (2009 est.)

48.9% of GDP (2017 est.) | 47.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

$1.116 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $908.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$2.272 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $1.994 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$117.1 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $115.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$4.342 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $4.022 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$3.607 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $3.295 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$2.272 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $1.994 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

29.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

4.5% (2017 est.) | 5.5% (2016 est.)

2.369 million Mt (2017 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

850 million kWh (2016 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

34% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

38% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

338,000 kW (2016 est.)

914 million kWh (2016 est.)

electrification - total population: 98.6% (2016) | electrification - urban areas: 99.2% (2016) | electrification - rural areas: 98% (2016)

0 cu m (2017 est.)

0 cu m (2017 est.)

0 cu m (2017 est.)

0 cu m (2017 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

16,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

17,460 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

total: 18,274 sq km | land: 18,274 sq km | water: 0 sq km

slightly smaller than New Jersey

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

1,129 km

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

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

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

18 00 S, 175 00 E

includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

40 sq km (2012)

0 km

agricultural land: 23.3% (2011 est.) | arable land: 9% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 4.7% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 9.6% (2011 est.) | forest: 55.7% (2011 est.) | other: 21% (2011 est.)

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

Oceania

territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | contiguous zone: 24 nm | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation | measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

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

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

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

14 provinces and 1 dependency*; Ba, Bua, Cakaudrove, Kadavu, Lau, Lomaiviti, Macuata, Nadroga and Navosa, Naitasiri, Namosi, Ra, Rewa, Rotuma*, Serua, Tailevu

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) | daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in November; ends second Sunday in January

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

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

conventional long form: Republic of Fiji | conventional short form: Fiji | local long form: Republic of Fiji/Matanitu ko Viti | local short form: Fiji/Viti | 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

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph James CELLA (since 23 December 2019); note - also accredited to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu | telephone: [679] 331-4466 | embassy: 158 Princes Rd, Tamavua | mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva | FAX: [679] 330-8685

Ambassador Solo MARA (since 28 January 2016) | chancery: 2000 M Street NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036 | telephone: [1] (202) 466-8320 | FAX: [1] (202) 466-8325

chief of state: President Jioji Konousi KONROTE (since 12 November 2015) | head of government: Prime Minister Voreqe "Frank" BAINIMARAMA (since 22 September 2014) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament | 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 endorsed by the president | election results: Jioji Konousi KONROTE reelected president (unopposed)

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

parliamentary republic

10 October 1970 (from the UK)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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)

common law system based on the English model

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) | elections: last held on 14 November 2018 (next to be held in 2022) | 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%

name: God Bless Fiji | lyrics/music: Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT/C. Austin MILES (adapted by Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT) | 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

Fiji (Independence) Day, 10 October (1970)

Fijian canoe; national color: light blue

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 SODELPA Unity Fiji [Adi QORO]

18 years of age; universal

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. He was reelected in November 2018 in elections deemed free and fair.

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Force Command, Maritime Command (2019)

0.92% of GDP (2018) | 0.92% of GDP (2017) | 0.98% of GDP (2016) | 1.07% of GDP (2015) | 1.03% of GDP (2014)

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

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.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Australia - Oceania :: Fiji Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Fiji. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

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

3.5% (2016)

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

total dependency ratio: 52.8 (2015 est.) | youth dependency ratio: 43.9 (2015 est.) | elderly dependency ratio: 8.9 (2015 est.) | potential support ratio: 11.2 (2015 est.)

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.)

3.9% of GDP (2013)

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

0.1% (2016 est.)

<100 (2016 est.)

<1000 (2016 est.)

2.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)

total: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births

English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

total population: 73.2 years (2018 est.) | male: 70.5 years | female: 76 years

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

178,000 SUVA (capital) (2018)

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

total: 29.2 years (2018 est.) | male: 29 years | female: 29.4 years

noun: Fijian(s) | adjective: Fijian

-6.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

30.2% (2016)

0.84 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

926,276 (July 2018 est.)

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

0.56% (2018 est.)

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.)

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.)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 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: 1.03 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female | total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

2.37 children born/woman (2018 est.)

total: 15.4% | male: 11.9% | female: 22.4% (2016 est.)

urban population: 56.8% of total population (2019) | rate of urbanization: 1.62% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

maritime boundary dispute with Tonga

28 (2013)

total: 4 (2017) | over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017) | 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2017)

total: 24 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2013) | under 914 m: 19 (2013)

DQ (2016)

total: 60 | by type: general cargo 21, oil tanker 1, other 38 (2018)

number of registered air carriers: 2 (2015) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12 (2015) | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,336,976 (2015) | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 83,686,504 mt-km (2015)

major seaport(s): Lautoka, Levuka, Suva

total: 597 km (2008) | 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: 3,440 km (2011) | paved: 1,686 km (2011) | unpaved: 1,754 km (2011)

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