SUVA

capital (since 1882), chief port, and commercial centre of Fiji in the South Pacific Ocean. The city lies on the southeast coast of Viti Levu, Fiji's principal island. Founded in 1849, Suva was made a city in 1952 and is now one of the largest urban centres in the South Pacific islands. It lies on Suva Point between the mouth of the Rewa River (east) and Suva Harbour (west), a regular stop for transpacific shipping. The city has road and air connections with Nadi, 132 mi (212 km) west, site of an international airport. Suva's economic activities include tourism (encouraged by its status as a free port) and light manufacturing such as cigarette making and soapmaking, copra crushing, baking, and brewing. The city's newspapers and periodicals and broadcasting facilities are in Fijian, Hindi, and English, reflecting its mixed population. Suva is the site of the Fiji School of Medicine and Nursing (1928), the University of the South Pacific (1968), and Fuji College of Agriculture, all of which serve a large area of the South Pacific. The city also has a teachers' training college, an institute of technology, and hospitals. The Fiji Museum houses notable historical and ethnological collections. Pop. (1981 est.) city, 68,178; metropolitan area, 133,119.