Fiji

Land Characteristics

Name of Country: Republic of Fiji Islands (or Fiji)

Form of Government: Republic (was excluded from the Commonwealth)

Capital: Suva

Area: 18376 km²

Time Zone: GMT + 12 hours

Population: 849 000

Population 2015: (estimated) 925 000

Population density: 46.9 per km ²

Life expectancy: 68.6 years

Infant mortality (per 1000): 13.7

Languages: English*, Fijian*, Hindi*, Urdu, Tamil and Telugu

Literacy: 93%

Religion: Methodist 37%, Catholics 9%, Hindus 38%, Muslims 8%, Others 2%

Population: Fijians 49%, Indians 46%, Others 5% (includes Europeans and Chinese)

Currency: Fiji Dollar

Economy: Agriculture 13%, Industry 18%, Services 69%

GDP per capita: 3840 US-Dollars

Climate: Tropical, rainy season from November to April

Highest point: Mount Tomanivi (1324m high)

The Republic of Fiji consists of more than 800 islands (two "main islands"), but only 110 of them are inhabited. Originally the land was settled by Melanesians, who divided it into different tribes. Dutch seafarers discovered the large and small islands in 1643, but there were not a large number of salesmen and missionaries until 1800. After completion of numerous tribal wars the leading chief handed the control to the British in 1874. Shortly after that, the British brought many Indian workers on sugar plantations. The "problem" with all this was that even at the time of independence (1970), the number of Indians was higher than the number of indigenous Fijians. It often leads to conflict and segregation. Many Indo-Fijians have left the country.