Hon. Frank Bainamarama
Prime Minister of Fiji

The welcome message from the Prime Minister will be available shortly.

Fiji Islands in the Commonwealth

The Republic of the Fiji Islands was suspended from full membership of the Commonwealth on 1 September 2009, in accordance with the statement and decision of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group. Fiji Islands’ military regime had been suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth on 8 December 2006, following a military coup, pending restoration of democracy and the rule of law in the country.

did you know?

• Fiji Islands joined the Commonwealth in 1970, but left temporarily in 1987, and then later rejoining in 1997
• Fiji Islands became an independent country on the 10th of October 1970
• Fiji Islands has been competing in the Commonwealth Games since 1938, and has won 14 medals
• The Commonwealth Local Government Forum has its Pacific regional projects office in Suva, where it works to promote and strengthen democratic local government and encourage the exchange of good practice in the Pacific region
• Fiji Islands citizen Satya Nand Nandan was Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority 1996-2008
• The country is an archipelago of about 300 islands (100 inhabited) and 540 islets, spread over three million square km, and has some 1,130km of coastline
• Fiji’s debt burden – total debt as a percentage of GNI – is one of the lowest in the Commonwealth at 7.4% in 2006

Commonwealth meetings hosted

• 2004 Seventh Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting in Nadi; adopted the Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-15

Commonwealth Projects

Good Office for Peace (2007/08)
The Commonwealth Secretariat helped foster a peaceful political environment in line with Commonwealth Harare Principles.

Law Revision Commissioner and Parliamentary Counsel (2005/06)
The Attorney General’s Chambers were supported through the provision of a Law Review Commissioner and a Second Parliamentary Counsel. The Law Review Commissioner was undertaking a comprehensive review of the country’s Laws. The Second Parliamentary Counsel was responsible for drafting legislation in accordance with drafting instructions and assisting the First Parliamentary Counsel to manage to Legislative Drafting Section and providing training to staff.

Assistance to the National Planning Office (2005/06)
An advisor was placed in the National Planning Office by the Commonwealth Secretariat, to build capacity and train staff in the formulation of national policies, the appraisal of capital and development projects and to assist with the formulation of the capital budget. The objective was to better position the National Planning Office to design, manage and evaluate sector development projects.

Electoral Export in Fiji (2003/04)
An electoral expert, provided for by the Commonwealth Secretariat, assisted the supervisor of elections of Fiji in the preparation of a multi-year corporate plan. The report of the Commonwealth Election Assessment Team in June 2003 recommended three year priorities be established and budget submissions made in the line with Fiji government practice. The report of the expert’s report was provided to the Secretariat and the Electoral Commission of Fiji.

National Youth Policy Workshop (1999)
This was a major national meeting, organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat, of all key stakeholders to formulate a national youth policy.

Population

Total area: 18,333 sq. km

Population in thousands (2010): 861

Population density (2010): 47 per sq. km

Proportion of population under 18 (2010): 34.7%

Proportion of population over 60 (2010): 8.1%

Proportion of population living in urban areas (2010): 52%

Economy

GNI in thousands (2010): US$3,122,845

GNI per capita (2010): US$3,630

GDP average annual growth (2006-10): 0.2%

Inflation, average annual (2006-10): 4.8%

Education

Proportion of pupils completing primary school (2008): 90.9%

Net enrolment rate (2009): 96.7%

Adult literacy rate: 94.4%

Primary pupil-teacher ratio (2007-10): 26

Secondary pupil-teach ratio (2007-10): 19

Public spending on education (2007-10): 4.5%

Health

Proportion of people living with HIV/AIDS aged 15-49 (2009): 0.1%

Under 5 mortality per 1,000 live births (2010): 17

Life expectancy (2010): 69

Public spending on health per capita (2009): US$130

Public spending on health as a proportion of total public expenditure (2009): 3%

Medical doctors per 100,000 people (latest data): 45

Nurses and midwives per 100,000 people (latest data): 198

Environment

CO2 emissions per capita (2008): 1.5 tonnes

Overall change in annual CO2 emissions (1990-2008): 53.3%

Forest area as a proportion total land area: 55.5%

Overall deforestation since 1990 (2008): 6.4%

ICTs

Landline telephones per 1,000 people (2010): 151

Cumulative growth/decline in landline telephones (2005-10): 15.4%

PCs per 1,000 people (2009): 60

Mobile subscribers per 1,000 people (2010): 812

Overall growth in mobile subscribers (2005-10): 240.4%

Internet users per 1,000 (2010): 148.2