At a Glance

Official Name: Republic of Fiji

Continent: Oceania (S. Pacific)

Area: 7,054 square miles (18,270 sq km)

Population: 844,330

Capital City: Suva

Largest City: Suva (69,665)

Unit of Money: Fijian dollar

Major Languages: English (official), Fijian

Literacy: 92%

Land Use: 10% arable, 4% crops, 10% meadows, 65% forest, 11% other

Natural Resources: timber, fish, gold, copper

Government: Republic

Defense: 30 million

The Place

Fiji is an archipelago (group of islands) in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about 1,300 miles (2,100 km) from the northern tip of New Zealand. Fiji is made up of about 300 islands and 500 islets. The largest islands in the chain are Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Taveuni, and Kadavu. Coral reefs surround almost all of the country's islands.

Viti Levu and Vanuau Levu are mountainous, and rise more than 3,000 feet (914 m) above sea level toward the center of the islands. Viti Levu has the highest elevation in the country at Mount Tomanivi, which is 4,341 feet (1,323 m) high. The major rivers on Viti Levu are the Sigatoka, Rewa, and Ba. The Dreketi River is on Vanua Levu. The deltas for these rivers provide some of the most fertile farmland in the country.

Fiji has a tropical climate with high temperatures and humidity. The average annual temperature for the country is 80° F (27° C). The annual rainfall on the islands varies by location—about 70 inches (178 cm) fall on the western parts of the islands while about 120 inches (305 cm) fall on the eastern sides. Because of this, the eastern regions of the islands have tropical forests, while the western sides are dry grasslands.

The People

The Fijian population can be divided into two main groups—the Indo-Fijians and the native Fijians. Indo-Fijians are descendents of workers who were brought to Fiji from India to harvest sugar crops. Many Indo-Fijians still work on plantations, but others have become businesspeople. The majority of Indo-Fijians are Hindu or Muslim. Native Fijians have Melanesian and Polynesian ancestors and are mainly Christians. Indo-Fijians and native Fijians seldom marry someone of a different background. Life expectancy is 66 years.

About 60% of the Fijian population lives in rural areas. Approximately 21% are employed by agriculture, 18% work in industry, and 61% work in service industries. Fijians are known for several types of visual and performing arts. Dance is very important in the country's culture, and many traditional dances that tell stories or describe events have been passed down through the generations. Fijian artisans make beautiful pottery and wood carvings.