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1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
Fiji
    n 1: an independent state within the British Commonwealth
         located on the Fiji Islands [syn: Fiji, Republic of
         Fiji]

2. CIA World Factbook 2002
Fiji

   Introduction Fiji
   -----------------
                            Background: 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. Parliamentary elections
                                        held in August 2001 provided Fiji
                                        with a democratically elected
                                        government and gave a mandate to the
                                        government of Prime Minister
                                        Laisenia QARASE.
  
   Geography Fiji
   --------------
                              Location: Oceania, island group in the South
                                        Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of
                                        the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
                Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 175 00 E
                        Map references: Oceania
                                  Area: total: 18,270 sq km
                                        water: 0 sq km
                                        land: 18,270 sq km
                    Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
                       Land boundaries: 0 km
                             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
                               Climate: tropical marine; only slight
                                        seasonal temperature variation
                               Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin
                    Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
                                        highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m
                     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.)
                       Natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from
                                        November to January
          Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion
            Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
                            agreements: 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
                      Geography - note: includes 332 islands of which
                                        approximately 110 are inhabited
  
   People Fiji
   -----------
                            Population: 856,346 (July 2002 est.)
                         Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.5% (male 141,757;
                                        female 136,198)
                                        15-64 years: 63.8% (male 273,658;
                                        female 273,100)
                                        65 years and over: 3.7% (male
                                        14,648; female 16,985) (2002 est.)
                Population growth rate: 1.41% (2002 est.)
                            Birth rate: 23.2 births/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                            Death rate: 5.72 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                    Net migration rate: -3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population
                                        (2002 est.)
                             Sex ratio: 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: 0.86 male(s)/
                                        female
                                        total population: 1.01 male(s)/
                                        female (2002 est.)
                 Infant mortality rate: 13.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
                                        est.)
              Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.56 years
                                        female: 71.11 years (2002 est.)
                                        male: 66.13 years
                  Total fertility rate: 2.83 children born/woman (2002 est.)
      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)
     HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 85 (2000 est.)
                                  AIDS:
                     HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
                           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)
                             Languages: English (official), Fijian,
                                        Hindustani
                              Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
                                        and write
                                        total population: 92.5%
                                        male: 90%
                                        female: 95% (1999 est.)
  
   Government Fiji
   ---------------
                          Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
                                        the Fiji Islands
                                        conventional short form: Fiji
                       Government type: republic
                                        note: military coup leader Maj. Gen.
                                        Sitiveni RABUKA formally declared
                                        Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987
                               Capital: Suva
              Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*;
                                        Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*,
                                        Western
                          Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)
                      National holiday: Independence Day, second Monday of
                                        October (1970)
                          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
                          Legal system: based on British system
                              Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
                      Executive branch: chief of state: President Ratu
                                        Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since NA
                                        2000); Vice President Jope SENILOLI
                                        (since NA 2000)
                                        head of government: Prime Minister
                                        Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September
                                        2000); Deputy Prime Minister Ratu
                                        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
                                        ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected
                                        president by the Great Council of
                                        Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%
                    Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the
                                        Senate (34 seats; 24 appointed by
                                        the Great Council of Chiefs, nine
                                        appointed by the president, 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 seats; members serve five-
                                        year terms)
                                        elections: House of Representatives
                                        - last held 25 August, 2 September,
                                        19 September 2001 (next to be held
                                        NA September 2006)
                                        election results: House of
                                        Representatives - percent of vote by
                                        party - FLP 34.8%, SDL 26%, NFP
                                        10.1%, MV 9.9%, independents 2.7%,
                                        other 16.5%; seats by party - SDL
                                        32, FLP 27, MV 6, NFP 1,
                                        independents 2, other 3
                       Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed
                                        by the president); Court of Appeal;
                                        High Court; Magistrates' Courts
         Political parties and leaders: Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu
                                        Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Christian
                                        Democrat Alliance or VLV [leader
                                        NA]; Conservative Alliance Party/
                                        Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita
                                        VAKALALABURE]; Dodonu Ni Taukei
                                        Party or DNT [leader NA]; Fiji Labor
                                        Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY];
                                        Fijian Association Party of FAP [Adi
                                        Kuini SPEED]; Fijian Political Party
                                        or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Felipe
                                        BOLE]; General Voters Party or GHP
                                        [leader NA]; Girmit Heritage Party
                                        or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and
                                        Freedom Party or AIM [leader NA];
                                        Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR
                                        [leader NA]; National Federation
                                        Party or NFP (primarily Indian)
                                        [Attar SINGH]; Nationalist Vanua
                                        Tako Lavo Party or NVTLP [Samisoni
                                        BOLATAGICI]; New Labor Unity Party
                                        or NLUP [Tupeni BABA]; Party of
                                        National Unity or PANU [leader NA];
                                        Party of the Truth or POTT [leader
                                        NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo
                                        Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL
                                        [Laisenia QARASE]; United General
                                        Party or UGP [Mick BEDDOES]
          Political pressure groups and NA
                               leaders:
             International organization ACP, AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO,
                         participation: G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
                                        IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
                                        IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
                                        (subscriber), ITU, OPCW, PCA,
                                        Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
                                        UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM,
                                        UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU,
                                        WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
   Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Anare
                                        JALE
                                        FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996
                                        telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320
                                        chancery: Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin
                                        Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
     Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
                                    US: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ronald
                                        K. McMULLEN
                                        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 Fiji
   ------------
                    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.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.4
                                        billion (2001 est.)
                GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,200
                                        (2001 est.)
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17%
                                        industry: 25%
                                        services: 58% (2000 est.)
         Population below poverty line: 25.5% (1990-91)
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2000 est.)
                           Labor force: 137,000 (1999)
           Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, including subsistence
                                        agriculture 70% (2001 est.)
                     Unemployment rate: 7.6% (1999)
                                Budget: revenues: $427.9 million
                                        expenditures: $531.4 million,
                                        including capital expenditures of
                                        $NA (2000 est.)
                            Industries: tourism, sugar, clothing, copra,
                                        gold, silver, lumber, small cottage
                                        industries
     Industrial production growth rate: NA%
              Electricity - production: 515 million kWh (2000)
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.06%
                                        hydro: 81.94%
                                        other: 0% (2000)
                                        nuclear: 0%
             Electricity - consumption: 478.95 million kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
                Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coconuts, cassava
                                        (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,
                                        bananas; cattle, pigs, horses,
                                        goats; fish
                               Exports: $572 million (f.o.b., 2000)
                 Exports - commodities: sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish,
                                        molasses, coconut oil
                    Exports - partners: Australia 24.9%, US 20.8%, UK 14.4%,
                                        Japan 5.1%, other Pacific island
                                        countries 5.0%, NZ 3.6% (2000)
                               Imports: $833 million (c.i.f., 2000)
                 Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and
                                        transport equipment, petroleum
                                        products, food, chemicals
                    Imports - partners: Australia 46.2%, NZ 13.1%, Singapore
                                        6.6%, Japan 4.5%, Hong Kong 3.8%, US
                                        3.2%, Taiwan 3.0% (2000)
                       Debt - external: $162.7 million (1999)
              Economic aid - recipient: $40.3 million (1995)
                              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)
                           Fiscal year: calendar year
  
   Communications Fiji
   -------------------
        Telephones - main lines in use: 80,901 (1999)
          Telephones - mobile cellular: 5,200 (1997)
                      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: NA
                           Televisions: 88,110 (1999)
                 Internet country code: .fj
     Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
                        Internet users: 7,500 (2000)
  
   Transportation Fiji
   -------------------
                              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
                     Ports and harbors: Lambasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Malau,
                                        Savusavu, Suva, Vuda
                       Merchant marine: 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, includes some foreign-
                                        owned ships registered here as a
                                        flag of convenience: Australia 1,
                                        Singapore 4 (2002 est.)
                              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 (2001)
       Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
                                        914 to 1,523 m: 5
                                        under 914 m: 18 (2001)
  
   Military Fiji
   -------------
                     Military branches: Republic of Fiji Military Forces
                                        (RFMF), includes ground forces,
                                        naval division
      Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
      Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 231,649 (2002 est.)
   Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 127,384 (2002 est.)
                               service:
           Military manpower - reaching males: 9,471 (2002 est.)
                 military age annually:
         Military expenditures - dollar $35 million (FY00)
                                figure:
     Military expenditures - percent of 2.2% (FY00)
                                   GDP:
  
   Transnational Issues Fiji
   -------------------------
                                              Disputes - international: none
  
                                       



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