South Pacific, Melanesia.

GMT + 12.

18,376 sq km (7056 sq miles).

854,000 (UN, 2005).

46 per sq km.

Suva. Population: 167,000 (2005).

Fiji is located in the South Pacific, 3000km (1875 miles) east of Australia and approximately 1930km (1200 miles) south of the Equator. It comprises 322 islands, 105 of which are uninhabited (some are little more than rugged limestone islets or tiny coral atolls). The three largest are Viti Levu (Great Fiji), Vanua Levu (Great Land of the People), both of which are extinct volcanoes rising abruptly from the sea, and Taveuni. There are thousands of streams and small rivers in Fiji, the largest being the Rewa River on Viti Levu, which is navigable for 128km (80 miles). Mount Victoria, also on Viti Levu, is the country’s highest peak, at 1322m (4430ft).

The 1998 constitution allows for a bicameral legislature. In the 71-member Vale (House of Representatives), whose members are popularly elected for five-year terms, over half the seats are allocated to specific ethnic communities (23 to Fijians, 19 to Indians); the remainder are open, to be contested by anyone. The Seniti (Senate), which also serves a five-year term, has 34 members – 24 are elected by the traditional Council of Chiefs, while the remainder are appointed. The Council of Chiefs elects the President to serve a five-year term.

Republic since 1987. Head of State: President Ratu Josefa Ilolio since 2000. The President is appointed for a five-year term by the Great Council of Chiefs (Bosu Levu Vakaturaga), a traditional body with roughly 70 members, consisting of every hereditary Fijian chief (or ratu). Head of Government: Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase since 2000. Recent history: The 1987 general election brought to power a coalition between the main ethnic Indian party, the National Federation Party, led by Marendra Chaudhry, and the newly-formed Labour Party. The new Government had a majority of Indian ministers, which proved too much for many nationalist native Fijians (referred to as Taukei). This was the trigger for an army coup d’état, headed by Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka. Colonel Rabuka declared himself head of an interim military Government and introduced a new constitution, under which blocs of seats in a new assembly were allocated to specific ethnic groups, thereby guaranteeing a Taukei majority. Under this format, the 1992 elections brought to power a coalition dominated by the principal ethnic Fijian party. Rabuka assumed the premiership. By the time the revised constitution came into effect in 1998, Fiji’s poor economic performance had undermined the Rabuka Government’s popularity. The Fijian Labour Party was now able to secure an absolute majority in the Vela and an Indian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, took office. In May 2000, George Speight organised a coup, holding Chaudhry and other ministers as hostages while he issued a series of demands. The stand-off lasted two months. After initially conceding to most of the rebel demands (including the dismissal of Chaudhry), the military, led by Commodore Frank Bainanarama, took control at the beginning of July. A few weeks later, the military moved against Speight and his followers, who were arrested. An interim Government under the veteran Taukei politician, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, was installed with Laisenia Qarase as Premier. Following the elections in August 2001, a coalition Government was formed between the the Fiji United Party and the smaller Conservative Alliance Party (Matanitu Vanua) and, despite the fact that most votes were won by the Labour Party, Laisenia Qarase remained as Prime Minister. The islands have since enjoyed reasonable stability, although nothing has been done to address the underlying causes of Fiji’s political problems. Qarase narrowly defeated Chaudhry's Labout Party in the 2006 elections.

The principal languages are Fijian and Hindustani, but English is widely spoken and is also taught in schools. Chinese and Urdu are heard in the markets.

Methodist and Hindu with Roman Catholic and Muslim minorities. A strictly fundamentalist Methodist version of Christianity is enshrined in, and informs, the Fijian Constitution.

Fijians are a very welcoming, hospitable people and visitors should not be afraid to accept hospitality. The ethnic variety of Fiji society can be seen mainly in the towns. There are powerfully built Fijians dressed in wrap-around sulus, numerous Indians, men in Western clothes, women wearing colourful saris and a scattering of European, Chinese and other Pacific Islanders. One celebrated tradition is the practice of fire-walking; the Indian variant is performed for religious reasons. Tourists can pay to see these ceremonies but the ritual remains a religious penance and not merely a tourist attraction. Informal casual wear is generally acceptable. Smoking is only restricted where specified. Tips about visiting villages: Before visiting, it is customary to purchase a bundle of unpounded yaqona (kava) – the traditional sevusevu (gift); half a kilo, which is an appropriate amount for a gift, costs approximately $20. When approaching the village, visitors should not enter immediately but wait until someone comes to greet them and ask the purpose of their visit. They will then be taken to the Chief or Turaga Ni Koro (Headman), to whom the kava should be offered. Visitors who are accepted by the Chief will be assigned a guide and host. Once inside the village, please also note the following: visitors should dress modestly and not wear shorts or hats and women should not have their shoulders bare; shoes should always be taken off when entering someone’s house or any other village building; visitors should speak softly and not raise their voices too much as this may be interpreted as expressing anger; visitors should show respect but be cautious about praise as Fijians will feel obliged to make a gift of an object if visitors show too much liking for it; Fijians will always, out of custom, ask visitors to stay or eat with them, but if one has already been invited, new invitations should be politely declined and possibly arranged for a later date; visitors who spend a night in the village should reward their host with a useful gift of similar value for each member of the party; it is not recommended to give money.

240 volts AC, 50Hz. Larger hotels also have 110-volt razor sockets.