Location: Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New ZealandPopulation: 893,354
Total Area: 18,270 sq km - slightly smaller than New Jersey
Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
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
National holiday: Independence Day, second Monday of October
Economy - brief 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 and a growing tourist industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity, but is inefficient.
Labor force: 137,000
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70%Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish
Industries: tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - exports: NA
Exports: $609 million f.o.b.
Exports - commodities: sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil
Imports: $835 million c.i.f.
Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals
Imports - partners: Australia 25.9%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 21.1%
Government departments: Fiji Government Online
Media: Fiji Times
Travel Information: Fiji Guide
Other useful links:
Fiji Musuem
Fiji Island Mermaid Press (arts)
Wildlife of Fiji
News headlines
Fiji has better health services: Naivalu Fiji Times
Trouble over foreign invetors in Fiji Radio Australia
Hollywood star, Kidman to marry in Fiji Fijilive.com
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