Overview of Fiji
Fiji is the base for the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia (part of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia).These and other denominations have small numbers of Indo-Fijian members; Christians of all kinds comprised 6.1% of the Indo-Fijian population in the 1996 census.[144] Hindus in Fiji mostly belong to the Sanatan sect (74.3% of all Hindus) or else are unspecified (22%).
Fiji: Art & Life in the Pacific is the first substantial project on the art of Fiji to be mounted in the United States, featuring over 280 objects from major international collections, including the Fiji Museum, the British Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Cambridge), as well as several distinguished private collections.
Fiji’s gold medal chasing Olympic Games sevens players and internationals who have represented other nations are set to join the Fijian Drua squad being assembled to take part in a planned new professional competition next year that will transform rugby in the Pacific Islands and help end the drain of talent to Europe, USA and Japan.
Fiji’s larger islands have extensive bus routes that are affordable and consistent in service.[114] There are bus stops, and in rural areas buses are often simply hailed as they approach.[114] Buses are the principal form of public transport[126] and passenger movement between the towns on the main islands.
Fiji Water is a huge economic force on the island, and the company has been criticized for tolerating Bainimarama’s military regime; see my in-depth report, below.”We had a few differences over the Ddedicated Roth issue,” Ganilau told the site FijiLive, without elaborating.
Fiji's beaches, climate, and relative proximity to Australia
and New Zealand have helped tourism become one its most important
revenue earners; in 1997 hotels, restaurants, and cafés made up 3
percent of GDP, accounting for 40,000 jobs.
Fiji was what panelists sipped at the “Life After Capitalism” conference held in New York City during the 2004 RNC protests; Fiji reps were even credentialed at last year’s Democratic convention, where they handed out tens of thousands of bottles.
Fiji Airways [15] has two weekly non-stop flights (3 hrs) from Nadi, Fiji with connections from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, and the United States including Honolulu (with codeshares on American Airlines, and possibly other ONEWORLD members).
Fiji’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic failed to protect or offer targeted financial support to women and those working in informal sectors, increasing the risks of poverty and financial hardship for already marginalized individuals.
Fiji have also produced stars like Akuila Uate, Jarryd Hayne, Kevin Naiqama, Semi Tadulala, Marika Koroibete, Apisai Koroisau, Sisa Waqa and the Sims brothers Ashton Sims, Tariq Sims and Korbin Sims.
Continent
Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first known European visitor to Fiji, sighting the northern island of Vanua Levu and the North Taveuni archipelago in 1643 while looking for the Great Southern Continent.[38][circular reference]
Population
Constitutionally, citizens of Fiji were previously referred to as “Fiji Islanders” though the term Fiji Nationals was used for official purposes.However, the current constitution refers to all Fijian citizens as “Fijians”.[137] In August 2008, shortly before the proposed People’s Charter for Change, Peace and Progress was due to be released to the public, it was announced that it recommended a change in the name of Fiji’s citizens.If the proposal were adopted, all citizens of Fiji, whatever their ethnicity, would be called “Fijians”.The proposal would change the English name of indigenous Fijians from “Fijians” to itaukei, the Fijian language endonym for indigenous Fijians.[138] Deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase reacted by stating that the name “Fijian” belonged exclusively to indigenous Fijians, and that he would oppose any change in legislation enabling non-indigenous Fijians to use it.[139] The Methodist Church, to which a large majority of indigenous Fijians belong, also reacted strongly to the proposal, stating that allowing any Fiji citizen to call themselves “Fijian” would be “daylight robbery” inflicted on the indigenous population.[140]
Size
In addition, a significant number of former military personnel have served in the lucrative security sector in Iraq following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.[107]
Relative to its size, Fiji has fairly large armed forces and has been a major contributor to UN peacekeeping missions in various parts of the world.The land force comprises the Fiji Infantry Regiment (regular and territorial force organised into six light infantry battalions), Fiji Engineer Regiment, Logistic Support Unit and Force Training Group.The military consists of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces with a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, and includes a Navy unit of 300 personnel.
Where is Fiji?
Fiji is an island nation in Melanesia and an archipelago in the Southern Pacific Ocean, as a part of the continent of Oceania.It is geographically positioned both in the Southern and Eastern hemispheres of the Earth.Fiji is situated in the northeast of Australia; in the north of New Zealand and is completely surrounded by the Pacific Ocean.Its closest neighbors are: Vanuatu to the west; New Caledonia to the southwest; New Zealand’s Kermadec Islands to the southeast; Tonga to the east; the Samoa and France’s Wallis and Futuna to the northeast and Tuvalu to the north.
Need a Visa?
Do you need a Visa to enter? Let us assist with your travel documents.
How much does it cost to travel to Fiji?
How much money will you need for your trip to Fiji?
You should plan to spend around FJ$310 ($149) per day on your vacation in Fiji, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.Past travelers have spent, on average, FJ$70 ($34) on meals for one day and FJ$16 ($7.66) on local transportation.Also, the average hotel price in Fiji for a couple is FJ$378 ($182).So, a trip to Fiji for two people for one week costs on average FJ$4,343 ($2,093).All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
What can I do to avoid bed bugs?
Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance.See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them.For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs.
Why choose OARS for Fiji rafting & adventure?
Again, we can lay claim to a pioneering effort of sorts in Fiji, one that includes an environmental stewardship effort and the well-being of local Fijian communities.We were the first company to set up low-impact commercial whitewater rafting trips in Fiji and we helped create a conservation area that will save a segment of this incredible environment forever.
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How expensive is Fiji? How much money do I need for Fiji?
How much does a trip to Fiji cost? Is Fiji expensive? The average Fiji trip cost is broken down by category here.All of these Fiji prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
Need travel insurance?
Fiji is generally a safe place to travel.However, visitors to Fiji may fall victim to petty crimes such as theft or ATM skimming.Avoid walking alone at night in urban areas, particularly downtown Suva, lock your car if you have one and keep expensive valuables out of sight.
Can coronavirus threaten isolated Pacific nations?
Tourism-reliant Pacific island nations worried about economic impact of pandemic.
What are the issues?
Unsustainable management of local fisheries, overfishing and inshore poaching have depleted fish stocks and degraded marine habitats.Without the tools and skills for enforcement and monitoring, communities are ill-equipped to cope, jeopardizing a vital
resource for Fiji's economy and livelihoods of coastal communities.
WHAT’S LIFE LIKE WHILE VOLUNTEERING IN FIJI?
GVI volunteers in Fiji live in shared bures, traditional Fijian huts.In the same way as all our volunteers, they live and work with other volunteers, interns and GVI staff from all around the world.Living in an international community such as this with like-minded individuals is why many of our volunteers leave our programs with life-long friends.
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Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.
Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?
It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries.Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.
History of Fiji
In 1813, Savage became a victim of this lifestyle and was killed in a botched raid.[40]
In 1834, men from Viwa and Bau were able to take control of the French ship L’amiable Josephine and use its cannon against their enemies on the Rewa River, although they later ran it aground.[42]
In 1849, Williams had his trading store looted following an accidental fire, caused by stray cannon fire during a Fourth of July celebration, and in 1853 the European settlement of Levuka was burnt to the ground.
In 1863 Peruvian slave traders kidnap 400 islanders – nearly two-thirds of the population of the islands of Funafuti and Nukulaelae.
In 1865, the settlers proposed a confederacy of the seven main native kingdoms in Fiji to establish some sort of government.
In 1867, a travelling missionary named Thomas Baker was killed by Kai Colo in the mountains at the headwaters of the Sigatoka River.
In 1871, the killing of two settlers near the Ba River (Fiji) in the northwest of the island prompted a large punitive expedition of white farmers, imported slave labourers, and coastal Fijians to be organised.
In 1874, an offer of cession by the Fijian chiefs was accepted, and Fiji was proclaimed a possession and dependency of the British Crown.
In 1875, the chief medical officer in Fiji, Sir William MacGregor, listed a mortality rate of 540 out of every 1,000 labourers.
In 1875–76 the resulting epidemic of measles killed over 40,000 Fijians,[70] about one-third of the Fijian population.
In 1885 the Germans declared a protectorate over the northern islands, to form the German Solomon Islands Protectorate.
In 1886, an Anglo-German agreement partitioned the “unclaimed” central Pacific, leaving Nauru in the German sphere of influence, while Ocean Island and the future GEIC wound up in the British sphere of influence.
In 1891, entire populations of villages who were sympathetic to the Tuka ideology were deported as punishment.[78] Three years later in the highlands of Vanua Levu, where locals had re-engaged in traditional religion, Governor Thurston ordered in the Armed Native Constabulary to destroy the towns and the religious relics.
In 1892, local Gilbertese authorities (an uea, a chief from the Northern Gilbert Group, and atun te boti or head of clan[39]) on each of the Gilbert Islands agreed to Captain E.H.M.
In 1892, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands agreed to become British protectorates.
In 1900, Banaba was annexed after natural resources were found and in 1916 they all became a British colony.
In 1902, the Pacific Cable Board laid the first trans-Pacific telegraph cable from Bamfield, British Columbia to Fanning Island (Tabuaeran) in the Line Islands, and from Fiji to Fanning Island, thus completing the All Red Line, a series of telegraph lines circumnavigating the globe completely within the British Empire.
In 1913 a Union was founded for the European settlers.
In 1939 Fiji toured New Zealand for the first time.
In 1943, of the 1,201 Nauruans deported to
Truk by the Japanese, 464 died, leaving 737 to return on 31 January 1946.
In 1955 and 1956, three ships brought Indian labourers from Fiji to Sydney, from where the labourers flew to Bombay.
In 1964 Fiji toured Europe for the first time, they played five memorable games in Wales, culminating in a classic encounter in Cardiff that was talked about for years.
In 1970 a rampant Fijian side destroyed the Barbarians 29–9 at Gosforth.
In 1970, Fiji became a fully independent nation with constitutional arrangements to ensure that traditional Fijian interests were preserved.
In 1972 Funafuti was in the path of Cyclone Bebe.
In 1972, Funafuti lay in the path of Cyclone Bebe during the 1972–73 South Pacific cyclone season.
In 1982 Fiji beat Vancouver XV to begin a 15-match winning streak through to 1984.
In 1985 the DACA was formed, the Dogo Argentino Club of America and in 1996 it was admitted to the AKC’s Foundation Stock Service but is not yet a full member.
In 1986, the Reserve Bank of Fiji began issuing notes.
In 1987 Fiji made the quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup and seemed close to beating France according to the match referee, at one point even leading 4-3, but were eventually ground down by the French 31-16.
In 1987, following a series of coups d’état, the military government that had taken power declared it to be a Republic.
In 1990, the new constitution institutionalised ethnic Fijian domination of the political system.
In 1991 Rugby World Cup Fiji lost all three of its matches and finished bottom of its pool.
In 1992 Sitiveni Rabuka, the Lieutenant Colonel who had carried out the 1987 coup, became Prime Minister following elections held under the new constitution.
In 1998 mining in 2 gold mines was suspended and
further exploration discontinued.
In 1998, with the dedicated support of OARS president & founder, George Wendt, Rivers Fiji set up low-impact commercial whitewater rafting trips on the Upper Navua and ‘Luva Rivers in Fiji, and they worked with native landholders to establish a conservation area to preserve a segment of the Fijian highlands.
In 1999, Fiji’s first ethnic Indian prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, took office.
In 1999,
according to the Fiji Islands Statistics Bureau, 409,995 tourists
visited Fiji, bringing with them US$274 million in foreign exchange.
In 2000, a coup was instigated by George Speight, which effectively toppled the government of Mahendra Chaudhry, who in 1997 had become the country’s first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister following the adoption of the new constitution.
In 2001 Fiji were crowned Pacific Rim champions, defeating Samoa 28–17 in the final in Tokyo.
In 2001, the estimated Pacific Islander population size is 231,800 Fijians comprising about 7,000 of that.[8] Outside Oceania, a substantial Fijian diaspora is found in other anglophone countries, namely Canada, United States and the United Kingdom.
In 2003, David Gilmour said that his ambition for Fiji Water was “to become the biggest taxpayer in the country.” Yet the tax break, originally scheduled to expire in 2008, remains in effect, and neither the company nor the government will say whether or when it might end.
In 2004, political infighting stalled the implementation of a new multiethnic cabinet.
In 2005, Qarase backed a highly controversial bill that included an amnesty clause for the 2000 coup leaders.
In 2006, Teitirake Corrie, the Rabi Island Council’s representative to the Parliament of Kiribati, called for Banaba to secede from Kiribati and join Fiji.
In 2007, agriculture and primary production accounted for just under half of government expenditure on R&D, according to the Fijian National Bureau of Statistics.
In 2007, Fiji Water announced that it planned to go carbon negative by offsetting 120 percent of emissions via conservation and energy projects starting in 2008.
In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga in the union.
In 2009, the demonetization of the 1 and 2 cent coins was made official and a new coin set of 5, 10, 20, and 50 cent coins with reduced size were introduced.
In 2009, the Fijian High Court ruled that the military leadership was unlawful.
In 2013 Fiji released a whole family of new coins, with fauna themes, and without the Queen’s portrait.[citation needed] This new series saw the introduction of a $2 coin, replacing the corresponding note just as the $1 coin had done before.
In 2013, President Tong spoke of climate-change induced sea level rise as “inevitable”.
In 2013, they adopted an SDH approach within the healthy islands framework, which has political leverage, as does the Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (Urban HEART) framework for the area, which was developed by the WHO Centre for Health Development in Kobe, Japan, adapted to an island setting and piloted in Fiji in 2012.
In 2015, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community observed that, ‘while Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa are leading the way with large-scale hydropower projects, there is enormous potential to expand the deployment of other renewable energy options such as solar, wind, geothermal and ocean-based energy sources’.[129] In 2014, the Centre of Renewable Energy became operational at the University of Fiji, with the assistance of the Renewable Energy in Pacific Island Countries Developing Skills and Capacity programme (EPIC) funded by the European Union.
In 2016, the team beat Fiji at the Singapore Sevens finals, making Kenya the second African nation after South Africa to win a World Series championship.[227][228][229] Kenya was once also a regional powerhouse in football.
In 2016, they won Fiji’s first ever Olympic medal in the Rugby sevens at the Summer Olympics, winning gold by defeating Great Britain 43–7 in the final.[157]
In 2018, WWF partnered with ConsenSys and SeaQuest Fiji to implement a blockchain system that verifies where, when, and how tuna fish was caught.
In the 1880s large-scale cultivation of sugarcane began.
In the 1960s, new developments in biology were reflected with the establishment of the Deconvolution is used in time domain data analysis for removal of broadening effects due to instrumental resolution.
In the 1960s, new developments in biology were reflected with the establishment of the SVI Huygens deconvolution software.
On 1 September 2009, Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations.
On 2 March 2011, it was announced that Fiji would drop Queen Elizabeth II from its coins and notes, instead opting for local flora and fauna.[21] The removal was seen as retaliation for Fiji’s suspension from its full membership of the Commonwealth.[21] The new set, which was unveiled on 12 December 2012 and was issued on 2 January 2013.
On 2 May 2009, Fiji became the first nation ever to have been suspended from participation in the Pacific Islands Forum, for its failure to hold democratic elections by the date promised.[89][90] Nevertheless, it remains a member of the Forum.
On 5 July 1865 Ben Pease received the first licence to provide 40 labourers from the New Hebrides to Fiji.[62]
On 6 July 2003, in response to a proposal to send 300 police and 2,000 troops from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea to Guadalcanal, warlord Harold Keke announced a ceasefire by faxing a signed copy of the announcement to the Solomons Prime Minister, Allan Kemakeza.
