Fiji <div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em"> <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #9866FF; background-color: #f3f3ff" width="200"> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Flag</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 2px">Image:fj-flag.png</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; border-top: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Quick Facts</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Capital'''</td><td>Suva</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Government'''</td><td>republic</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Currency'''</td><td>Fijian dollar (FJD)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Area'''</td><td>''total:'' 18,270 sq km ''water:'' 0 sq km ''land:'' 18,270 sq km</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Population'''</td><td>856,346 (July 2002 est.)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Language'''</td><td>English (official), Fijian, Hindustani</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Religion'''</td><td>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)</td></tr> </table> </div>  '''Fiji''', sometimes called the ''Fiji Islands'', is a country in the Oceania|South Pacific Ocean. It lies about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand and consists of an archipelago that includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited. Fiji lies just east of 180 degrees longitude and the international date line, making Fiji time the slowest in the world. ==Regions== <div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em">Image:fj-map.png ''Map of Fiji''</div> *Viti Levu - the main and largest island *Vanua Levu - the second largest and more northern island. ; '''Administrative divisions''' : 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western ==Cities== *Suva - Capital ===Ports and harbors=== *Lambasa *Lautoka *Levuka *Malau *Savusavu *Vuda ==Other destinations== *Nadi - International Airport (pronuced Nan di). ==Understand== Fiji has long been considered an attractive tourism destination. Internal political events in the recent past resulted in a reduction in tourism. The Fiji tourism industry has responded by lowering prices and increasing promotion of the main resort areas that are far removed from the politics in and around the capital, Suva. ===Climate=== Tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation. Tropical cyclonic storms (The South Pacific version of ''Hurricanes'') can occur from November to January. ===Terrain=== Mostly mountains of volcanic origin ; ''Highest point'' : Tomanivi 1,324 m ===History=== Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a British colony. ; '''Independence''' : 10 October 1970 (from UK) ; '''National holiday''' : Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970) 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). ; '''Government type''' : republic ''note:'' military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987 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. ; '''Constitution''' : promulgated on 25 July 1990 and amended on 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 Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May of 2000, fronted by Melanesian Fijian George Speight, ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government with Melanesian Fijians in control. Ongoing political fallout hints that the May 2000 coup was merely a side show of an ongoing power struggle within the Melanesian Fijian leadership. ==Get in== ===By plane=== Nadi International Airport is Fiji's main international airport. Suva airport also has some international flights. From the USA the only direct flights are LAX to NAN or HNL to NAN. ===By boat=== ==Get around== ==Talk== ; '''Languages''' : English (official), Fijian, Hindustani English is spoken by most in Nandi and Suva and any other major tourist area. On a few of the less touristy islands, English may be spoken with some difficulty. English is taught in grade school. Fijian or Hindustani is spoken by most adults and children. ==Buy== ==Eat== ==Drink== ==Sleep== ==Learn== ==Work== ==Stay safe== Fiji is a relatively safe place. There is very little major crime at all. Most takes place in Suva and Nandi. Fijian culture encourages sharing and sometimes small things like shoes will be "borrowed". Often by speaking with the village chief it can be arranged to get things returned. Fiji operates a secret political blacklist of journalists and others in the media who may be considered politically undesirable visitors. Those whose employment involves reporting controversial political activities should take extra care to ensure that their visas are in order before visiting Fiji. ==Stay healthy== ==Respect== ==Contact== ==External links== == External links == * [http://www.bulafiji.com/ Bula Fiji] -- Official visitor's bureau site fr:Fidji {{stub}} ---- ''The rest of this article is an Wikitravel:CIA World Factbook 2002 import|import from the CIA World Factbook 2002. It's a starting point for creating a '''real''' Wikitravel country article according to our Wikitravel:country article template|country article template. Please Wikitravel:plunge forward|plunge forward and integrate it into the article above.'' ---- ==Geography== ; '''Geographic coordinates''' : 18 00 S, 175 00 E ; '''Area''' : ''total:'' 18,270 sq km ''water:'' 0 sq km ''land:'' 18,270 sq km ; '''Area - comparative''' : slightly smaller than New Jersey ; '''Coastline''' : 1,129 km ; '''Maritime claims''' : measured from claimed archipelagic baselines ''territorial sea:'' 12 NM ''exclusive economic zone:'' 200 NM ''continental shelf:'' 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added ; '''Natural resources''' : timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower ; '''Land use''' : ''arable land:'' 10.95% ''permanent crops:'' 4.65% ''other:'' 84.4% (1998 est.) ; '''Irrigated land''' : 30 sq km (1998 est.) ; '''Environment - current issues''' : deforestation; soil erosion ; '''Environment - international agreements''' : ''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 ==People== ; '''Population''' : 856,346 (July 2002 est.) ; '''Nationality''' : ''noun:'' Fijian(s) ''adjective:'' Fijian ; '''Ethnic groups''' : Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.) ; '''Religions''' : 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) ==Government== ; '''Country name''' : ''conventional long form:'' Republic of the Fiji Islands ''conventional short form:'' Fiji ; '''Legal system''' : based on British system ; '''Judicial branch''' : Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts ; '''Diplomatic representation in the US''' : ''chief of mission:'' Ambassador Anare JALE ''FAX:'' [1] (202) 337-1996 ''telephone:'' [1] (202) 337-8320 ''chancery:'' 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007 ; '''Diplomatic representation from the US''' : ''chief of mission:'' Ambassador David L. LYON ''embassy:'' 31 Loftus Street, Suva ''mailing address:'' P. O. Box 218, Suva ''telephone:'' [679] 314466 ''FAX:'' [679] 300081 ; '''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 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 ==Economy== ; '''Economy - overview''' : 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 - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity. 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 2.8% in 2000 and growing by only 1% in 2001. The Fiji Visitor's Bureau expects visitor arrivals to reach pre-coup levels during 2002. The government's ability to manage its budget - which is expected to run a net deficit of 6% in 2002 - will depend upon a return of political stability and investor confidence. ; '''Labor force - by occupation''' : agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.) ; '''Industries''' : tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries ; '''Agriculture - products''' : sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish ; '''Exports - commodities''' : sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil ; '''Imports - commodities''' : manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals ; '''Currency''' : Fijian dollar (FJD) ; '''Currency code''' : FJD ; '''Exchange rates''' : Fijian dollars per US dollar - 2.2934 (January 2002), 2.2766 (2001), 2.1286 (2000), 1.9696 (1999), 1.9868 (1998), 1.4437 (1997) ==Communications== ; '''Telephones - main lines in use''' : 102,000 (2003) ; '''Telephones - mobile cellular''' : 109,900 (2003) ; '''Telephone system''' : ''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) ; '''Radio broadcast stations''' : AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998) ; '''Radios''' : 541,476 (1999) ; '''Television broadcast stations''' : 1 ; '''Televisions''' : 88,110 (1999) ; '''Internet country code''' : .fj ; '''Internet Service Providers (ISPs)''' : 2 (2000) ; '''Internet Hosts''' : 493 (2004) ; '''Internet users''' : 55,000 (2003) up from in 15,000 (2002) ==Transportation== ; '''Railways''' : ''total:'' 597 km ''narrow gauge:'' 597 km 0.610-m gauge ''note:'' belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation (1995) ; '''Highways''' : ''total:'' 3,440 km ''paved:'' 1,692 km ''unpaved:'' 1,748 km (1996) ; '''Waterways''' : 203 km ''note:'' 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges ; '''Airports''' : 27 (2001) ; '''Airports - with paved runways''' : ''total:'' 3 ''over 3,047 m:'' 1 ''1,524 to 2,437 m:'' 1 ''914 to 1,523 m:'' 1 (2002) ; '''Airports - with unpaved runways''' : ''total:'' 24 ''1,524 to 2,437 m:'' 1 ''914 to 1,523 m:'' 6 ''under 914 m:'' 18 (2002) ==Military== ; '''Military branches''' : Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), includes ground forces, naval division de:Fidschi First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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