Republic of Fiji

Background

The Republic of Fiji is a country made up beautiful tropical islands in the South Pacific Ocean. There are about 300 islands, 100 islands are inhabited and 540 islets, spread over an area of three million square kilometres and boasts some 1,130 km of coastline.

Famous its for rugged landscapes, palm-lined beaches and coral reefs with clear lagoons. Its major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, contain most of the population. Viti Levu is home to Suva the capital city.

Key facts

Joined Commonwealth: 1970 (rejoined in 1997 after ten-year lapse)

Population: 881,000 (2013)

GDP: 1.2% p.a. 1990–2013

UN HDI: world ranking 88

Official language: English

Timezone: GMT plus 12

Currency: Fiji dollar (F$)

Geography

Area: 18,333 sq km

Coastline: 1,130km

Capital city: Suva

Population density (per sq. km): 48

Main towns

Suva (capital, pop. 194,900 in 2010, comprising Nasinu 88,600 and Lami 20,600), Nausori (55,500), Lautoka (55,200), Nadi (47,000) and Ba (16,200) on Viti Levu; and Labasa (28,400) on Vanua Levu.

Transportation

3,440 km of roads, 49 per cent paved. The network is vulnerable to flooding and hurricane damage. A coastal road encircles Viti Levu, linked by smaller roads to the villages of the interior.

The main port is Lautoka, located in the north-west of Viti Levu; while the others are in the capital of Suva; Levuka (Fiji’s old capital) and Savusavu. Ferry services operate between the larger islands.

Airports

Nadi, situated in western Viti Levu houses the main international airport while Nausori, near Suva, is the hub for inter-island flights, and also receives some international services. Most of the smaller islands have airports or landing strips like Levuka and Labasa, in Vanua Levu.

International relations:

Fiji is a member of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, Non-Aligned Movement, Pacific Community, Pacific Islands Forum, United Nations and the World Trade Organisation.

Topography:

The larger islands feature heavily populated coastal plains and uninhabited mountainous interiors, much of Fiji is volcanic in origin and many of the smaller islands have coral reefs. The highest point is Mt Tomanivi on Viti Levu (1,323 metres). Fiji’s main rivers are the Sigatoka, Rewa and Ba on the main island of Viti Levu and the Dreketi on Vanua Levu; their deltas contain most of the country’s arable land.

Climate:

Fiji’s climate is tropical and oceanic and while south-east trade winds prevail; day temperatures range from 20 to 29°C and humidity is high. Her rainy seasons are from November to March throughout the country, though there is rain during June–September. Fiji is affected by a hurricane every other year, on average, for example Cyclone Ami in January 2003.

Environment:

Deforestation and soil erosion are the most significant environmental issues..

Vegetation:

The determining factor in the country’s vegetation is the distribution of the rainfall. In the east, dense forests and coastal mangrove swamps can be found while in the west, there are heaps of grasslands, with coconut palms on the coasts. Forest covers 56 per cent of the land area and indigenous sandalwood resources were exhausted in the 19th century.

Wildlife:

There are six species of bats that exist in Fiji, including four fruit bats (flying-foxes), and the Polynesian rat. During the 19th and 20th centuries, all other mammals were introduced. There are more than 100 species of birds, 14 of which are endangered (2012), and several snakes and lizards, including the recently discovered crested iguana. Turtles, sharks, eels and prawns live in Fiji’s waters.

Economy:

GNI: US$3.9bn
GNI PC: US$4,430
GDP Growth: 1.9% p.a. 2009–13
Inflation: 4.8% p.a. 2009–13

Fiji’s economy is largely agricultural, while sugar cane is the main cash crop and export. The largest foreign-exchange earner is Tourism and clothing exports grew rapidly from the late 1980s. Gold-mining, fishing and timber production are the other significant activities.

The i-taukeis or indigenous Fijians and their local clans or mataqali own more than 80 per cent of land, and ownership by outsiders was prohibited from the late 19th century. Fijians of Indian descent were able to farm sugar cane under land lease arrangements but since the late 1990s, as leases came up for renewal, many landlords would only offer short leases at higher rents and many Fijians of Indian descent farmers have had to return the farms they have worked for many years to the owners.

COVID-19

A total of 21 cases were recorded in Fiji and 18 have recovered. There have been no deaths. All cases have been travelled related, or close contacts of a travel related cases, or a close contact of someone who became a case after close contact with a travel related case. The latest 3 announced this week were all border quarantine cases who were repatriated from India on 1 July 2020. Laboratory testing for COVID-19 in Fiji began on 28 January 2020 with samples shipped to the WHO collaborating center reference laboratory – the Victorian Infectious Disease Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, Australia. Local testing for COVID-19 started at the Fiji Centre for Disease Control (Fiji CDC) on 11 March 2020 using the gold standard method for COVID-19 testing – realtime RT-PCR. Samples are sent from health facilities around the country to Fiji CDC for testing.

Fiji has now adopted “Phase 2” of Fiji’s COVID Safe Economic Recovery. The Fijian COVID Safe Economic Recovery Framework outlines a three phased approach to a “COVID-Safe Economic Recovery”. It is based on the core principles of stopping importation of the virus, ensuring health system readiness, and COVID-proofing Fijian businesses and society at-large.

The goal of this Framework is to break potential chains of viral transmission before they take hold, creating a “new normal” that allows economic activity to safely resume in a manner that protects against a large-scale viral outbreak.
Together with the Framework, Guidelines for the Fijian Tourism Industry COVID Safe Operations and the Vacation in Paradise Concept have been prepared to guide us through the new reality.

Source:

http://www.health.gov.fj/covid-19-updates/
https://www.mctt.gov.fj/guidelines/covid-19-guidelines/covid-19-important-guidelines/

Constitution:

Status: Republic

Legislature: Parliament

Independence: 10 October 1970

Fiji’s constitution reflected the multiracial nature of its society until 2013 which provided for a parliamentary democracy with a bicameral parliament comprising an elected House of Representatives and appointed Senate. Some seats in the House of Representatives were reserved for ethnic Fijians, some for Fijians of Indian descent and some for other ethnic groups. Fiji became a republic, with a President appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga, a body comprising the heads of the ethnic Fijian clans), for a five-year term as head of state, following the 1987 coups. The President appointed as Prime Minister the member of the House of Representatives who commanded the support of the majority. Constitutional amendments required a 75 per cent majority in both houses.

The number of seats in the House of Representatives was increased to 71, under the 1997 constitution, 25 of which were opened to all ethnic groups (elected by universal suffrage), while the remainder were to be elected by separate communal electoral rolls in the following proportions: ethnic Fijians 23; Indo-Fijians 19; other ethnic groups three; and Rotuman Islanders one. The Senate had 32 members, 14 appointed by the GCC, nine by the Prime Minister, eight by the Leader of the Opposition and one by the Council of Rotuma. Only the prime ministership, was opened to all indigenous Fijians but not the presidency. In addition, an alternative preference system and voting became mandatory and replaced the first-past-the-post electoral system. Parties which had more than ten per cent of the votes in a general election had the right to a number of cabinet posts in proportion to the numbers of votes received.

A new constitution was promulgated on 6 September 2013 including a bill of rights and provides for a single-chamber legislature, Parliament, with 50 members directly elected by universal adult suffrage for a term of no more than four years from its first session. All Fijian citizens from the age of 18 are entitled to vote in a single national constituency and under a system of proportional representation. Parliament elects a non-executive President from a field of two candidates, one nominated by the Prime Minister and one by the Leader of the Opposition. A President can serve no more than two terms and the presidential term is three years. The leader of the party with the most seats in Parliament becomes Prime Minister, who is head of government, after an election.

Source: https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/fiji

For Fiji,
Ever Fiji!

"Rerevaka na kalou ka doka na Tui"

Fear God and Honour the Queen