About Fiji

Fiji is situated in the centre of the South Pacific Ocean, on the International Dateline. It has a total land mass of about 18,000 square kilometres and a population of approximately 800,000. Fiji's estimated annual Gross Domestic Product in the year 2004 was US$2000 million.

Travel to Fiji is via direct flights from the mainland United States, Hawaii, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and other South Pacific island states.

Fiji is a multiracial country made up of indigenous Fijian (51%), Asian Indian (43%) and the remainder are Caucasian, Chinese, other Pacific Islanders and persons of mixed race.

English, Fijian and Hindi are Fiji's official languages. English is widely spoken and is the language of business, government and the Court system.

The official currency of Fiji is the Fiji dollar, which ranges in exchange value at between US$0.52 and 0.58.

For more information on Fiji, visit the following websites:

History

Fiji became a British colony under the Deed of Cession of 1874 and gained its independence in 1970. Its law and institutions are largely derived from British antecedents.

Constitutional arrangements

For most of its life as an independent state, Fiji has been subject to a written constitution as its supreme law. The Independence Constitution of 1970 guaranteed fundamental freedoms in accordance with international norms and set the parameters for Fiji's unique electoral system based on proportionate electoral representation for all races.

A military coup took place in 1987. This led to a controversial new Constitution in 1990, aimed to ensure disproportionately high electoral representation for the indigenous Fijian community. An interim government ruled by decree before elections in 1992. Many of its decrees remain in force, having been ratified by the 1997 Constitution.

In 1997 Parliament voted in a modern new Constitution restoring ethnic balance to electoral representation and with mechanisms designed to ensure multi-party co-operation at a political level.

The 2000 uprising and resulting military takeover led in that year to the installation of an "Interim Civilian Government" whose avowed task was to re-formulate the Constitution to restore indigenous Fijian electoral paramountcy. In the meantime, this government ruled by Decree.

The legal status of the Interim Civilian Government was challenged in the High Court in November 2000. That court declared that the 1997 Constitution was still in force and that the Interim Civilian Government was unlawful. Several legal challenges resulted [for more on these developments, see Legal Alerts (Archives)]. Eventually however the interim government declared itself a caretaker government and proceeded to call elections. The elections held in August-September of 2001 resulted in the party of caretaker Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase successfully forming  government.

General elections are scheduled from 6 to 13 May 2006 with 337 candidates contesting 71 seats in the House of Representatives.