Overview
Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an archipelagic country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about 1,100 nautical miles north-northeast of New Zealand.
Geography
Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about 110 are permanently inhabited—and more than 500 islets, amounting to a total land area of about 18,300 square kilometres. The most outlying island group is Ono-i-Lau.
About 87% of the total population live on the two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. About three-quarters of Fijians live on Viti Levu's coasts, either in the capital city of Suva, or in smaller urban centres such as Nadi (where tourism is the major local industry) or Lautoka (where the sugar-cane industry is dominant). The interior of Viti Levu is sparsely inhabited because of its terrain.
The majority of Fiji's islands were formed by volcanic activity starting around 150 million years ago. Some geothermal activity still occurs today on the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni. The geothermal systems on Viti Levu are non-volcanic in origin and have low-temperature surface discharges of between roughly 35 and 60 degrees Celsius.
Etymology
The name "Fiji" originated from Viti Levu, the main island. The common English pronunciation is based on that of Fiji's island neighbours in Tonga. According to historical accounts, Fijians first impressed themselves on European consciousness through the writings of members of Cook's expeditions who met them in Tonga. The Tongans called the islands "Fisi," and it was by this foreign pronunciation that the islands became known as "Fiji," first promulgated by Captain James Cook. The Anglicised spelling "Feejee" appeared in accounts by missionaries and other travellers visiting Fiji until the late 19th century.
Early Settlement and History
Pottery art from Fijian towns shows that Fiji was settled by Austronesian peoples by at least 3500 to 1000 BC, with Melanesians following around a thousand years later. Archaeological evidence shows signs of human settlement on Moturiki Island beginning at least by 600 BC and possibly as far back as 900 BC. Although some aspects of Fijian culture are similar to Melanesian culture, Fijian culture has a stronger connection to older Polynesian cultures.
In the 10th century, the Tu'i Tonga Empire was established in Tonga, and Fiji came within its sphere of influence. The Tongan influence brought Polynesian customs and language into Fiji, though the empire began to decline in the 13th century.
Over the centuries, Fijians developed unique cultural practices. They constructed large, elegant watercraft with rigged sails called drua, developed distinctive village architecture consisting of communal and individual bure and vale housing, and created an advanced system of ramparts and moats around important settlements. Fijians domesticated pigs for food and engaged in agricultural endeavours such as banana plantations. Villages were supplied with water through constructed wooden aqueducts. Fijian societies were led by chiefs, elders, and notable warriors, with spiritual leaders called bete playing important cultural roles. Fijians developed a monetary system using polished sperm whale teeth called tambua, produced refined masi cloth textiles, and developed distinctive weapons, especially war clubs.
European Contact and Colonisation
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. British navigator James Cook visited one of the southern Lau islands in 1774. The islands were charted and plotted in 1789 when William Bligh, captain of HMS Bounty, passed Ovalau and sailed between the main islands.
Humans have lived in Fiji since the second millennium BC, with first Austronesians and later Melanesians, plus some Polynesian influences. Europeans first visited Fiji in the 17th century. In 1874, after a brief period in which Fiji was an independent kingdom, the British established the Colony of Fiji. Fiji operated as a Crown colony until 1970, when it gained independence and became known as the Dominion of Fiji.
Modern History
In 1987, following a series of coups d'état, the military government that had taken power declared Fiji a republic. In a 2006 coup, Commodore Frank Bainimarama seized power. In 2009, the Fijian High Court ruled that the military leadership was unlawful. At that point, President Ratu Josefa Iloilo formally abrogated the 1997 Constitution and re-appointed Bainimarama as interim prime minister. Later in 2009, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau succeeded Iloilo as president. On 17 September 2014, after years of delays, a democratic election took place. Bainimarama's FijiFirst party won 59.2% of the vote, and international observers deemed the election credible.
Economy
Fiji has one of the most developed economies in the Pacific through its abundant forest, mineral, and fish resources. The currency is the Fijian dollar, with the main sources of foreign exchange being the tourist industry, remittances from Fijians working abroad, bottled water exports, and sugar cane. The Ministry of Local Government and Urban Development supervises Fiji's local government, which takes the form of city and town councils.