Country Profile: Republic of the Fiji Islands

Geography

A group of islands in the South Pacific. East of Australia. Southwest from the Samoan Islands. Equivalent to 135 by 135 kilometers or 84.5 by 84.5 miles. Capital: Suva

Government

Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by a Fijian of Indian descent. A coup in May 2000 was followed by prolonged political turmoil. Parliamentary elections in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government.

Economy

Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.

Factbook: "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."

Estimated per capita GDP (2009 U.S. dollars)

2009: $3,900
2008: $4,100
2007: $4,100

Exports sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil.

Military expenditures as a percentage of GDP

2005: 2.2%

Population

Living in an urban area: 52% (2008)

July 2009: 944,720. Growth rate: 1.379% (ranks 97th)
July 2008: 931,741
July 2005: 893,354

Migration

2009: More leaving than arriving. A net loss of 2.47 persons per 1,000 population.

Health:

Infant mortality (deaths before the age of one year per 1,000 live births)

2009: 11.58
2008: 11.88
2005: 12.62

Average life expectancy at birth

2009: 70.73 years

Living with HIV/AIDS, ages 15 to 49: 0.1 percent (2003)

SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/