years
female: 72.45 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Fijian(s)
adjective: Fijian
Ethnic groups:
Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture),
Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and
other 5% (1998 est.)
Religions:
Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim
8%, other 2%
note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is
a Muslim minority
Languages:
English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.9% (2003 est.)
Government Fiji
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
conventional short form: Fiji
local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti
local short form: Fiji/Viti
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Suva (on Viti Levu)
geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*,
Western
Independence:
10 October 1970 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)
Constitution:
enacted on 25 July 1997 to encourage multiculturalism and make
multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998
Legal system:
based on British system
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18
July 2000); note - ILOILOVATU was reaffirmed as president by the
Great Council of Chiefs in a statement issued on 22 December, and
reappointed by the coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA in
January 2007
head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
September 2000); note - although QARASE is still the legal prime
minister, he has been confined to his home island; the president
appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime minister under
the military regime
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament and i
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