ans are Hindu, and there is
a Muslim minority (1986)

Languages: English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.6%
male: 93.8%
female: 89.3% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
conventional short form: Fiji

Data code: FJ

Government type: republic
note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Capital: Suva

Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central,
Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western

Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 October (1970)

Constitution: 10 October 1970 (suspended 1 October 1987); a new
constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and promulgated on 25
July 1990; amended 25 July 1997 to allow non-ethnic Fijians greater
say in government and to make multi-party government mandatory;
entered into force 28 July 1998; note-- the May 1999 election will be
the first test of the amended constitution and will introduce open
voting--not racially prescribed--for the first time at the national
level

Legal system: based on British system

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (acting president
since 15 December 1993, president since 12 January 1994); Vice
President Ratu Josefa Iloilo ULUIVUDA (since 18 January 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Sitiveni RABUKA (since 2 June
1992); Deputy Prime Minister Taufa VAKATALE (since 7 August 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament
note: there is also a Presidential Council that advises the
president on matters of national importance and a Great Council of
Chiefs which consists of the highest ranking members of the
traditional chiefly system
elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA elected president; percent
of Great Council of Chiefs vote--NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(34 seats; 24 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 9 for Indians and others,
and 1 for the island of Rotuma; members appointed by the president
to s