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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.

Estimated per capita GDP:
2007 $4,100 (Ranks 145th)

GDP annual growth rate estimated for 2007: -3.1 percent. (Ranks 216th.)

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

Military expenditures as a percentage of GDP: 2.2 (estimated for 2005).

Deaths and Births per 1,000 persons, estimated for the year 2008

Deaths: 5.66. Births: 22.15, down from 22.73 in 2005.

Population

Estimated for 2008: 931,741, up from 893,354 in 2005. Growth rate: 1.388 percent per year.

Migration

More leaving than arriving, for 2008 an estimated net loss of 2.62 persons per 1,000 population, down from 3.04 in 2005. Some have been working in Kuwait and Iraq.

Health:

Infant mortality estimated for 2008: 11.88, down from 12.62 in 2005 (deaths before the age of one year, per 1,000 live births)

Average life expectancy estimated for 2007: 70.44 years, up from 69.53 in 2005

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

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

Copyright © 2008 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.