STATISTICS: FIJI

Fiji Official name: Sovereign Democratic Republic of Fiji. Form of government{1}: republic with two legislative houses (Senate ; House of Representatives ). Chief of state: President. Head of government: Prime Minister. Official language: English. Official religion: none Monetary unit: 1 Fiji dollar (F$) = 100 cents; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = F$2.06; 1 = F$3.51. Demography Population (1998): 793,000. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 112.4, persons per sq km 43.4. Urban-rural (1996): urban 46.4%; rural 53.6%. Sex distribution (1996): male 50.82%; female 49.18%. Age breakdown (1996): under 15, 35.4%; 15-29, 27.4%; 30-44, 20.7%; 45-59, 11.4%; 60-74, 4.2%; 75 and over, 0.9%. Population projection: (2000) 811,000; (2010) 912,000. Doubling time: 38 years. Ethnic composition (1996): Fijian 50.8%; Indian 43.7%{3}; other 5.5%. Religious affiliation (1986): Christian 52.9%; Hindu 38.1%; Muslim 7.8%; Sikh 0.7%; other 0.5%. Major cities (1996; "urban centres"): Suva 167,421; Lautoka 42,917; Nadi 30,791; Labasa 24,187; Nausori 21,645. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1997): 22.7 (world avg. 25.0); (1978) legitimate 82.7%; illegitimate 17.3%. Death rate per 1,000 population (1997): 4.6 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1997): 18.1 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1997): 2.8. Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1988): 9.6. Life expectancy at birth (1997): male 70.0 years; female 75.0 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1987): diseases of the circulatory system 153.4; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 35.5; accidents, poisoning, and violence 32.2; diseases of the respiratory system 31.7; diabetes mellitus 27.3; infectious and parasitic diseases 18.2; birth trauma 16.5. National economy Budget (1995). Revenue: F$702,429,000 (income taxes, estate taxes, and gift duties 56.0%; customs duties and port dues 29.6%; fees, royalties, and sales 6.4%). Expenditures: F$681,048,000 (departmental expenditure 72.0%; public-debt charges 23.7%; pensions and gratuities 4.3%). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$146,500,000. Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): sugarcane 4,110,000, coconuts 210,000, cassava 25,600, taro 21,900, paddy rice 18,500, bananas 6,300, sweet potatoes 4,000, tomatoes 3,000, yams 2,700, pineapples 2,500; livestock (number of live animals) 354,000 cattle, 211,000 goats, 121,000 pigs; roundwood (1995) 598,200 cu m; fish catch (1995) 34,577. Mining and quarrying (1995): gold 3,477 kg; silver 1,572 kg. Manufacturing (U.S.$'000,000; 1994): food products 84; wearing apparel 28; wood and wood products 16; beverages 15; chemical products 13. Construction (1995): residential 97,000 sq m; nonresidential 64,000 sq m. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 520,000,000 (520,000,000); coal (metric tons; 1994) none (20,000); crude petroleum, none (n.a.); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) none (201,000); natural gas, none (n.a.). Population economically active (1986): total 241,160; activity rate of total population 33.7% (participation rates: ages 15-64, 56.0%; female 21.2%; unemployed 6.4%). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$1,983,000,000 (U.S.$2,470 per capita). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1986) 5.7; income per household (1980) F$2,837 (U.S.$3,546); sources of income (1973): wages and salaries 81.5%, self-employment 9.1%, other 9.4%; expenditure (1991{4}): food, beverages, and tobacco 41.5%, housing and energy 21.4%, transportation and communications 12.9%, household durable goods 6.5%. Tourism (1995): receipts from visitors U.S.$312,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad U.S.$55,000,000. Land use (1994): forested 64.9%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 14.2%; meadows and pastures 9.5%; other 11.4%. Foreign trade Imports (1996): F$1,380,071,000 (durable manufactures 25.9%; machinery and transport equipment 23.8%; food, beverages, and tobacco 15.1%; mineral fuels 13.4%; miscellaneous manufactured consumer articles 11.6%; chemicals 7.4%). Major import sources: Australia 44.4%; New Zealand 14.8%; United States 9.3%; Japan 5.2%; Singapore 5.0%; Taiwan 2.6%; China 2.5%; Thailand 1.8%; United Kingdom 1.8%; Hong Kong 1.7%. Exports (1996){5}: F$790,960,000 (sugar 34.5%; clothing 23.7%; gold 10.3%; fish 7.6%; timber 5.8%; molasses 2.8%; coconut oil 0.7%). Major export destinations{6}: Australia 33.4%; United Kingdom 18.1%; United States 10.0%; Japan 8.6%; New Zealand 4.5%; Portugal 4.4%; Malaysia 3.8%. Transport Transport. Railroads (1995){7}: length 370 mi, 595 km. Roads (1995): total length 3,200 mi, 5,100 km (paved 20%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 49,712; trucks and buses 33,928. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 64; total deadweight tonnage 60,444. Air transport (1996){8}: passenger-km 1,194,652,000; metric ton-km cargo 75,367,000; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 13. Education and health Educational attainment (1986). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling 28.3%; primary only 19.1%; some secondary 44.1%; secondary 4.1%; postsecondary 3.3%; other 1.1%. Literacy (1995): total population age 15 and over literate 91.6%; males literate 93.8%; females literate 89.3%. Health: (1994) physicians 295 (1 per 2,576 persons); hospital beds (1993) 1,747 (1 per 438 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1997) 20.0. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 3,078 (vegetable products 81%, animals products 19%); 135% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel (1997): 3,600 (army 91.7%, navy 8.3%, air force, none). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 1.7% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$42. {1} A new constitution became effective on July 27, 1998. {2} All seats are appointed. {3} The emigration of Indian population after the coup in 1987 has resulted in the reemergence of a Fijian majority. {4} Weights of consumer price index components based on 3,000 urban households. {5} Excludes reexports valued at F$226,438,000. {6} Based on exports of local products only. {7} Owned by the Fiji Sugar Corporation. {8} Air Pacific only.