79°F - 88°F year round

Warm tropical climate

Cooling trade wind blows from east to south-east for most of the year

Southeast trade winds from March to November bring dry weather

Rainy season= December to April

Few cyclones

Wet season= heavy brief local showers; November to April

Annual rainfall on the main islands is between 2000mm and 3000mm on the coast and low lying areas, and up to 6000mm in the mountains.

Geography

Volcanic islands

332 islands, 106 permanently inhabited

Slightly smaller than new jersey

Coastline is 1,129 km

Tropical marine climate, slight seasonal temperature variation

Mostly mountains of volcanic origins and beaches

Resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Largest islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, make up 87% of land mass

Arable land: 10.95

CULTURE

Methodists and Hindus with Catholic and Muslim minorities

Welcoming people and offer hospitality to visitors

Language is Fijian and english is taught and understood across the country

Often drink Kava and live in villages

POPULATION

Population: 903,207

Population density: 49.4/km^2

Birth Rate: 19.8

Death Rate: 6

Life expectancy: 72.1

Male: 69.5

Female: 74.9

Fertility rate: 2.5

Infant mortality rate: 10.2

Age structure

0-14: 28.2%

15-64: 66%

65+: 5.6

Sex ratio:

Total: 1.03 m/f

At birth: 1.05 m/f

Under 15: 1.05 m/f

15-64: 1.04 m/f

65+: .85 m/f

HISTORY

Great chief Lutunasobasoba led his people across the seas to the new land of Fiji

The European discoveries of the Fiji group were accidental

People came into the Pacific from Southeast Asia via the Malay Peninsula

The first Europeans to land and live among the Fijians were shipwrecked sailors and runaway convicts from the Australian penal settlements

ECONOMY

President of the Republic of Fiji: Major General (Ret'd) Jioji Konousi Konrote

Middle-income country

One of the more developed of the Pacific Island countries

Growth has been largely driven by the tourism industry; leading economic activity in the islands