0 km north of New Zealand in the South Pacific
Ocean

- People
Population: 759,567 (July 1990), growth rate 1.5% (1990)

Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 7 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 70 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Fijian(s); adjective--Fijian

Ethnic divisions: 49% Indian, 46% Fijian, 5% European, other Pacific
Islanders, overseas Chinese, and others

Religion: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu with a Muslim
minority

Language: English (official); Fijian; Hindustani

Literacy: 80%

Labor force: 176,000; 60% subsistence agriculture, 40% wage earners (1979)

Organized labor: about 45,000 employees belong to some 46 trade
unions, which are organized along lines of work and ethnic origin (1983)

- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Fiji

Type: military coup leader Major General Sitiveni Rabuka formally
declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Capital: Suva

Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern,
Northern, Rotuma*, Western

Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)

Constitution: 10 October 1970 (suspended 1 October 1987); note--a new
constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and awaits final approval

Legal system: based on British system

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 October (1970)

Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch: the bicameral Parliament, consisting of an
upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives,
was dissolved following the coup of 14 May 1987; the proposed
constitution of NA September 1988 provides for a bicameral Parliament

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders:
Chief of State--President Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu GANILAU
(since 5 December 1987);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (since 5
December 1987); note--Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara served as prime minister from
10 October 1970 until the 5-11 April 1987 election; after a second coup led
by Major General Sitiveni Rabuka on 25 September 1987, Ratu Mara was
reappointed as prime minister

Political parties and leaders: Alliance, primarily Fijian,
Ratu Mara; National Federation, primarily Indian, Siddiq Koya;
Western Unite