Fiji is an island country situated in the South Pacific Ocean about 3,000 km east of Australia and 2,000 km north of New Zealand. The archipelago consists of some 330 islands and 540 islets. Of the 330 islands, about 110 are inhabited. The majority of Fiji’s islands were formed through volcanic activity starting around 150 million years ago.
Fiji became an independent state in 1970, after gaining its sovereignty from the United Kingdom. Fiji is one of the most developed economies in the Pacific, relying heavily on its tourism and sugar industries. The population of Fiji is around 898,760. The capital, Suva, is on the southeast coast of the largest island, Viti Levu.
The climate in Fiji is tropical marine and warm year round with minimal extremes. The country’s currency is the Fijian dollar. Official languages of this island nation are English and Fiji Hindi.
