The Republic of Fiji is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean, approximately halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. Fiji has a total land area of 18,274 square kilometers and a population of around 875,983 people. The capital and largest city is Suva. Fiji was a British colony until gaining independence in 1970. The economy relies heavily on tourism and the sugar industry, and the population faces issues of deforestation, soil erosion, and poverty.

1. Republic of the Fiji islands
Paul Järvet
Andres Tamm

2. Geography
• Location: In the South Pacific Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New
Zealand
• Toral area: 18,274 sq km
• country comparison to the world: 156 land:
18,274 sq km
• water: 0 sq km

4. • Highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m
• Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper,
hydropower
• Natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from
November to January
• Current issues:deforestation; soil erosion
• International agreements:
• 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

5. Tomanivi

6. Population
• 875,983 (July 2010 est.)
• Population growth rate is 0.827% (2010 est.)
• Migration rate -7.37 migrant(s)/1,000
• Life expectancy at birth is 71.03 years
• Languages: English (official), Fijian (official),
Hindustani

7. Goverment
• Capital is Suva
• Time difference is UTC+12
• Independence: 10 October 1970 (from the UK)
• Head of state: President Ratu NAILATIKAU
• Head of government Prime Minister:
Laisenia Qarase

8. Economy
• GDP: $3.06 billion (2009 est.)
• GDP - real growth rate: -2,5% (2009 est.)
• GDP per capita: $3,900
• GDP - Composition by sector:
• agriculture: 8.9%
• industry: 13.5%
• services: 77.6% (2004 est.)

9. • Population below poverty line: 25.5%
• Budget: $1.363 billion
• Inflation rate: 4,8% (2007 est.)
• Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.85% (31 December 2009 )
• Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coconuts,
cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,
bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish
• Industries: tourism, sugar, clothing, copra,
gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries

10. • Oil – consumtion 11,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
• Oil – exports 2,455 bbl/day (2007 est.)
• Oil – imports 20,340 bbl/day (2007 est.)
• Exports – commodities:
sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses,
coconut oil
• Imports – commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and
transport equipment, petroleum products,
food, chemicals

11. Communications
• Telephones – main lines in use 136,800 (2009)
• Telephones – mobile cellular 640,000 (2009)
• Internet country code: .fj
• Internet users: 103,000 (2008)

12. Transportation
• Airports: 28
• Airports with paved runways: 4
• Railways: total 597km
• Roadways: total 3,440km
• Waterways: total 203km
• Ports and terminals: Lautoka, Suva

13. Military
• Military brances: Republic of Fiji Military
Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces
• Military service age and obligation: 18 years of
age for voluntary military service (2010)
• Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 248,020
females age 16-49: 243,468 (2010 est.)

14. • Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 195,414
females age 16-49: 206,386 (2010 est.)
• Manpower reaching militarily significant age
annually:
male: 9,131
female: 8,776 (2010 est.)
• Military expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2009)

15. Transnational issues
• Trafficking in persons - current situation: Fiji is
a source country for children trafficked for the
purpose of commercial sexual exploitation
and a destination country for a small number
of women from China and India trafficked for
the purposes of forced labor and commercial
sexual exploitation