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Christian dating : Fiji

Geography
Area: 18,376 sq. km (7,056 sq. mi.).
Cities: Capital--Suva (pop. 167,000), Lautoka (pop. 30,000), Nadi.
Terrain: Mountainous or varied.
Climate: Tropical maritime.

People
Nationality: Noun--Fiji Islander; adjective--Fiji or Fijian.*
Population (2004 est.): 843,000.
Age structure: 33% under 15; 4% over 65.
Annual Growth rate (2004 est.): 1.1%.
Ethnic groups: Indigenous Fijian 54%, Indo-Fijian 40%.
Christian singles note-Religion: Christian 52% (Methodist and Roman Catholic), Hindu 33%, Muslim 7%.
Languages: English (official), Fijian, Hindi.
Education: Literacy--93%.
Health: Life expectancy--male 64.5 years; female 68.7. Infant mortality rate--16.3/1,000.
Work force: Agriculture--67%.

*The term "Fijian" has exclusively ethnic connotations and should not be used to describe any thing or person not of indigenous Fijian descent.

Government
Type: Parliamentary Democracy.
Independence (from U.K.): October 10, 1970.
Constitution: July 1997 (suspended May 2000, reaffirmed March 2001).
Branches: Executive--president (head of state), prime minister (head of government), Cabinet. Legislative--bicameral parliament; upper house is appointed, lower house is elected. Judicial--Supreme Court and supporting hierarchy.
Major political parties: Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL), Fiji Labor Party (FLP), Conservative Alliance Matanitu Vanua (CAMV), National Federation Party (NFP).

Economy
GDP (2004): $2.9 billion.
GDP per capita (nominal): $3,436.
GDP per capita (purchasing power parity): $3,707.
GDP composition by sector: Services 59.7%, industry 30.4%, agriculture 9.9%.
Industry: Types--tourism, sugar, garments.
Trade: Exports--$618.8 million; sugar, garments, gold, fish, mineral water. Major markets--Australia, New Zealand, Japan, U.S., U.K. Imports--$721 million; basic manufactures, machinery and transport equipment. Major sources--Australia, New Zealand, U.S. ($50.7 million).
External debt (2004): $112.8 million.

GEOGRAPHY
Fiji comprises a group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific lying about 4,450 km. (2,775 mi.) southwest of Honolulu and 1,770 km. (1,100 mi.) north of New Zealand. Its 322 islands range in size from the large--Viti Levu (about the size of the "Big Island" of Hawaii, and where Suva and 70% of the population are located) and Vanua Levu--to much smaller islands, of which just over 100 are inhabited. The larger islands contain mountains as high as 1,200 meters (4,000 ft.) rising abruptly from the shore.

Heavy rains--up to 304 cm. (120 in.) annually--fall on the windward (southeastern) side, covering these sections of the islands with dense tropical forest. Lowlands on the western portions of each of the main islands are sheltered by the mountains and have a well-marked dry season favorable to crops such as sugarcane.

PEOPLE
Christian singles note-Most of Fiji's population lives on the island coasts, either in Suva or in smaller urban centers. The interior is sparsely populated due to its rough terrain.

Indigenous Fijians are a mixture of Polynesian and Melanesian, resulting from the original migrations to the South Pacific many centuries ago. The Indo-Fijian population has grown rapidly from the 60,000 indentured laborers brought from India between 1879 and 1916 to work in the sugarcane fields. Thousands more Indians migrated voluntarily in the 1920s and 1930s and formed the core of Fiji's business class. The native Fijians live throughout the country, while the Indo-Fijians reside primarily near the urban centers and in the cane-producing areas of the two main islands. Nearly all of the indigenous Fijians are Christian; more than three-quarters are Methodist. Approximately 80% of the Indo-Fijians are Hindu, 15% are Muslim, and most of the rest are Sikh, while a few are Christian.

Some Indo-Fijians have been displaced by the expiration of land leases in cane-producing areas and have moved into urban centers in pursuit of jobs. Similarly, a number of indigenous Fijians have moved into urban areas, especially Suva, in search of a better life. Meanwhile, the Indo-Fijian population has declined due to emigration and a declining birth rate. Indo-Fijians currently constitute 40% of the total population, down from over 50% in the 1940s. However, Indo-Fijians dominate the professions and commerce.

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