The island nation of Fiji is located centrally
in the Southwest Pacific approximately
halfway between Australia and Hawaii. Of
300 islands only about 100 are permanently
inhabited with 90% of the population on
the two main islands, Viti Levu (80%) and
Vanua Levu (10%). The islands are
scattered over 424800 square kilometers of
ocean between latitudes 15 to 20 degrees
South and longitudes 177 degrees West to
178 degrees East. The total land area is
18,272 square kilometres.
Fiji was ceded to Great Britain in 1874 and
became a crown colony. Following the
failure of other ethnic group work force to
work in plantations, Indian labour was
introduced shortly after cession. The first
group of indentured labourers arrived from
India in 1879 to work in the British owned
cotton, sugar and coconut plantations.
When indenture ended in 1916, 64000
Indians had landed in Fiji and the majority
(40,000) chose the option of staying on
after the work contracts expired. Now
virtually all Indians are second or third
generation descendants of indentured
labourers.
In 1970 Fiji became an independent nation
as a British style parliamentary democracy.
Seventeen years later, in 1987 following
two Military coups it was declared a
Republic.
The population of Fiji was 715000 in 1987
with Indians constituting 48.8%
(349,000), ethnic Fijians 46% (329000) and
other ethnic groups 5.2% (37,000). The
capital city of Suva on Viti Levu has a
population of 70,000 and if the periurban
areas are included the population is
150,000 or 22% of the total
population.
The economy is mainly dependent on
agriculture and tourism with sugar cane
being the most important item accounting
for 55% of the total domestic export.