islative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32
seats; 14 appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs, nine appointed
by the prime minister, eight appointed by the leader of the
opposition, and one appointed by the council of Rotuma) and the
House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians,
19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for other ethnic
groups, one reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency
encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open; members serve five-year
terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 11 May 1999 (next
to be held NA May 2004)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - Fiji Labor Party 37, others 34

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the
president)

Political parties and leaders: Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra
CHAUDHRY]; Fijian Nationalist Federation Party or NFP [Singh RAKKA];
Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Maj. Gen. Sitiveni
RABUKA]; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Jai
Ram REDDY]; United General Party or UGP [David PICKERING]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, CCC, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Salaseini Lelelvawalu
VOSAILAGI

chancery: Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320

FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Osman M. SIDDIQUE

embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva

mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva

telephone: [679] 314466

FAX: [679] 300081

Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half
of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field
quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of
sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove

Fiji Economy

Economy - overview: Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish
resources, is one of the most developed of the Pa