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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). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native
Melanesian control of Fiji, led to heavy Indian emigration; the population
loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians
became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more
equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government
led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a
prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in
August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by
Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted
in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who
initially appointed himself acting president. In January 2007, BAINIMARAMA
was appointed interim prime minister. |
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Location: |
Oceania, island group in the
South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New
Zealand |
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Geographic coordinates: |
18 00 S, 175 00 E |
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Map references: |
Oceania |
|
Area: |
total: 18,270 sq km
land: 18,270 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than New
Jersey |
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Land boundaries: |
0 km |
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Coastline: |
1,129 km |
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Maritime claims: |
measured from claimed
archipelagic straight 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
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|
Climate: |
tropical marine; only slight
seasonal temperature variation |
|
Terrain: |
mostly mountains of volcanic
origin |
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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% (2005) |
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Irrigated land: |
30 sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources: |
28.6 cu km (1987) |
|
Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
total: 0.07 cu km/yr
(14%/14%/71%)
per capita: 82 cu m/yr (2000) |
|
Natural hazards: |
cyclonic storms can occur from
November to January |
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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, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note: |
includes 332 islands;
approximately 110 are inhabited |
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Population: |
931,741 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 30.6% (male
145,430/female 139,498)
15-64 years: 64.8% (male 302,460/female
301,344)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 19,413/female 23,596)
(2008 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 25.2 years
male: 24.7 years
female: 25.7 years (2008 est.)
|
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Population growth rate: |
1.388% (2008 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
22.15 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
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Death rate: |
5.66 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
-2.62 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 est.) |
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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: 0.82
male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 11.88
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 70.44
years
male: 67.9 years
female: 73.1 years (2008
est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
2.68 children born/woman (2008
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.1% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
600 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 200 (2003 est.)
|
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Nationality: |
noun: Fijian(s)
adjective: Fijian |
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Ethnic groups: |
Fijian 54.8% (predominantly
Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 37.4%, other 7.9%
(European, other Pacific Islanders, Chinese) (2005 estimate) |
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Religions: |
Christian 53% (Methodist 34.5%,
Roman Catholic 7.2%, Assembly of God 3.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.6%,
other 4.9%), Hindu 34% (Sanatan 25%, Arya Samaj 1.2%, other 7.8%), Muslim
7% (Sunni 4.2%. other 2.8%), other or unspecified 5.6%, none 0.3% (1996
census) |
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Languages: |
English (official), Fijian
(official), Hindustani |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.9% (2003 est.)
|
|
Country name: |
conventional long form:
Republic of the Fiji Islands
conventional short form: Fiji
local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti
local short form: Fiji/Viti |
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Government type: |
republic |
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Capital: |
name: Suva (on Viti
Levu)
geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E
time
difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time) |
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Administrative divisions: |
4 divisions and 1 dependency*;
Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western |
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Independence: |
10 October 1970 (from UK)
|
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National holiday: |
Independence Day, second Monday
of October (1970) |
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Constitution: |
enacted on 25 July 1997 to
encourage multiculturalism and make multiparty government mandatory;
effective 28 July 1998 |
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Legal system: |
based on British system |
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Suffrage: |
21 years of age; universal
|
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Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18 July 2000); note -
ILOILOVATU was reaffirmed as president by the Great Council of Chiefs in a
statement issued on 22 December, and reappointed by the coup leader
Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA in January 2007
head of
government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000);
note - although QARASE is still the legal prime minister, he has been
confined to his home island; the president appointed Commodore Voreqe
BAINIMARAMA interim prime minister under the military regime
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - coup leader
Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet
elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for
a five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by
the president; election last held 8 March 2006
election
results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president by the
Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA |
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Legislative branch: |
bicameral Parliament consists
of the Senate (32 seats; 14 appointed by the president on the advice of
the Great Council of Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of
the Prime Minister, 8 on the advice of the Opposition Leader, and 1
appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of
Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for
ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 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 6-13 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - SDL 44.6%, FLP 39.2%, UPP 0.8%, independents 4.9%, other 10.5%;
seats by party - SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2 |
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court (judges are
appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates'
Courts |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT
[Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of
the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian
Association Party or FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian)
[Sitiveni RABUKA], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji
Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP
(became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP;
Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR;
National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or POTT;
United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia
QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
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International organization participation: |
ACP, ADB, C (suspended), CP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca,
SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Penijamini R. LOMALOMA
chancery: 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 466-8320
FAX: [1] (202)
466-8325 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Larry Miles DINGER
embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone:
[679] 331-4466
FAX: [679] 330-0081 |
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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 |
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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, remittances from Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist
industry - with 400,000 to 500,000 tourists annually - are the major
sources of foreign exchange. Fiji's sugar has special access to European
Union markets, but will be harmed by the EU's decision to cut sugar
subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity but
is not efficient. Fiji's tourism industry was damaged by the December 2006
coup and is facing an uncertain recovery time. The coup has created a
difficult business climate. Tourist arrivals for 2007 are estimated to be
down almost 6%, with substantial job losses in the service sector. In July
2007 the Reserve Bank of Fiji announced the economy was expected to
contract by 3.1% in 2007. Fiji's current account deficit reached 23% of
GDP in 2006. The EU has suspended all aid until the interim government
takes steps toward new elections. Long-term problems include low
investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's
inability to manage its budget. Overseas remittances from Fijians working
in Kuwait and Iraq have decreased significantly. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$5.079 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate): |
$4.969 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate: |
3.9% (2007 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$5,500 (2007 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 8.9%
industry: 13.5%
services: 77.6% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force: |
117,500 (2006 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 70%
industry and services: 30% (2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
7.6% (1999) |
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Population below poverty line: |
25.5% (FY90/91) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
3% (2005) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $1.363 billion
expenditures: $1.376 billion (2006) |
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Agriculture - products: |
sugarcane, coconuts, cassava
(tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats;
fish |
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Industries: |
tourism, sugar, clothing,
copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
NA% |
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Electricity - production: |
1.046 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 18.5%
hydro: 81.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption: |
735.6 million kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (2005) |
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Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
9,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
2,268 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - imports: |
10,870 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
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Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2005) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Current account balance: |
-$465.8 million (2006 est.)
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Exports: |
$1.202 billion f.o.b. (2006)
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Exports - commodities: |
sugar, garments, gold, timber,
fish, molasses, coconut oil |
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Exports - partners: |
US 16.8%, Australia 13.9%, UK
13.5%, Japan 5.3%, Samoa 4.7%, Tonga 4.1% (2006) |
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Imports: |
$3.12 billion c.i.f. (2006)
|
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Imports - commodities: |
manufactured goods, machinery
and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals |
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Imports - partners: |
Singapore 28.8%, Australia
23.3%, NZ 16.8%, China 4.7% (2006) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
$63.96 million (2005) |
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Debt - external: |
$127 million (2004 est.) |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
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Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$586.7 million (2005) |
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Currency (code): |
Fijian dollar (FJD) |
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Currency code: |
FJD |
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Exchange rates: |
Fijian dollars per US dollar -
NA (2007), 1.7313 (2006), 1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003)
|
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
112,500 (2005) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
205,000 (2005) |
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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:
telephone or radio telephone links to almost all inhabited islands; most
towns and large villages have automatic telephone exchanges and direct
dialing; combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is about 35 per 100
persons
international: country code - 679; access to important
cable links between US and Fiji as well as between NZ and Australia;
satellite earth stations - 2 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0
(1998) |
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Radios: |
541,476 (1999) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
NA |
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Televisions: |
88,110 (1999) |
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Internet country code: |
.fj |
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Internet hosts: |
12,137 (2007) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
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Internet users: |
80,000 (2006) |
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Airports: |
28 (2007) |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 3
over
3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
(2007) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 25
914 to
1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 18 (2007) |
|
Railways: |
total: 597 km
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
note: belongs to
the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during
harvest season (May to December) (2006) |
|
Roadways: |
total: 3,440 km
paved: 1,692 km
unpaved: 1,748 km (1999) |
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Waterways: |
203 km
note: 122 km
navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges (2006) |
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 8 ships (1000 GRT
or over) 17,376 GRT/8,788 DWT
by type: passenger 3,
passenger/cargo 3, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 1
(Australia 1) (2007) |
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Ports and terminals: |
Lautoka, Suva |
|
Military branches: |
Republic of Fiji Military
Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces (2008) |
|
Military service age and obligation: |
18 years of age for voluntary
military service; reserve obligation to age 45 (2006) |
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Manpower available for military service: |
males age 16-49: 242,567
females age 16-49: 238,556 (2008 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 16-49: 189,282
females age 16-49: 202,350 (2008 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 16-49: 9,077
females age 16-49: 8,728 (2008 est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2.2% (2005 est.)
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| Transnational Issues |
Fiji |
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Disputes - international: |
none |
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