# Fiji

| Republic o Fiji * *Matanitu Tugalala o Viti*  (Fijian)
* रिपब्लिक ऑफ फीजी  (Fiji Hindi)
* *Ripablik ăph Phījī*  (transliteration)
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 Coat o airms

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| **Motto:**"Rerevaka na Kalou ka Doka na Tui" (Fijian) "Fear God an honour the Queen" |
| **Anthem:God Bless Fiji* Duration: 1 minute and 27 seconds.1:27 |
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| Caipital and largest city | Suva ﻿ / ﻿ |
| Offeecial leids | * Inglis
* Fijian
* Fiji Hindi
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| Demonym(s) | Fijian |
| Govrenment | Pairliamentary republic run bi militar-appyntit govrenment |
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| • Preses  | Wiliame Katonivere |
| • Prime Meenister | Sitiveni Rabuka |
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| Legislatur | Pairliament |
| • Upper house | Senate |
| • Lower house | Hoose o Representatives |
| Unthirldom |
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| • frae the Unitit Kinrick  | 10 October 1970 |
| • Republic  | 7 October 1987 |
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| Aurie |
| • Total | 18,274 km2 (7,056 sq mi) (155t) |
| • Water (%) | negligible |
| Population |
| • 2012 estimate | 858,038 (161st) |
| • Density | 46.4/km2 (120.2/sq mi) (148t) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2012 estimate |
| • Total | $4.250 billion |
| • Per capita | $4,728 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2012 estimate |
| • Tot | $3.671 billion |
| • Per capita | $4,083 |
| Gini (2009) | 42.8 medium |
| HDI (2013) |  0.702 heich · 96th |
| Currency | Fijian dollar (FJD) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (FJT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (FJST) |
| Drivin side | left |
| Cawin code | +679 |
| ISO 3166 code | FJ |
| Internet TLD | .fj |

**Fiji** /ˈfiːdʒiː/ ( listen) (Fijian: *Viti*; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी), offeecially the **Republic o Fiji** (Fijian: *Matanitu ko Viti*; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी गणरा fiji dvip samooh ganarajya), is an island naition in Melanesie in the Sooth Pacific Ocean aboot 2000 km northeast o New Zealand's North Island. Its mair immediate neighbours are Vanuatu tae the wast, Fraunce's New Caledon tae the soothwast, New Zealand's Kermadec tae the sootheast, Tonga tae the east, the Samoas an Fraunce's Wallis an Futuna tae the northeast an Tuvalu tae the north. Fiji haes haed indwallers syne the seicont millennium B.C. In the 17t an 18t centuries, the Dutch an the Breetish explored Fiji. Fiji wis a Breetish colony up till 1970; Breetish occupation lastit amaist a century. Acause o the abundance o forest, mineral, an fish resoorces, Fiji is ane o the maist developed economies in the Pacific island realm. The day, the main soorces o foreign exchynge are its tourist industry an succar exports. The kintra's currency is the Fijian dollar.

The majority o Fiji's islands wur formed throu volcanic activity stairtit aroond 150 million years ago. The day, some geothermal activity still occurs on the islands o Vanua Levu an Taveun. Fiji comprises an archipelago o mair nor 332 islands, o which 110 are permanently inhabitit, an mair nor 500 islets, amountin tae a tot land aurie o ca. 18,300 km2. The twa major islands, Viti Levu an Vanua Levu, accoont for 87% o the population o amaist 850,000. The umwhile contains Suva, the caipital an lairgest ceety. Maist o Fijians live on Viti Levu's coasts, aither in Suva or in smawer urban centers. Viti Levu's interior is spairsely inhabitit due tae its terrain.

Fiji haes a local govrenment seestem whaur ceety an toun councils faw unner the general supervision o the Meenistry o Local Govrenment an Urban Development. Preses Ratu Epeli Nailatikau became Fiji's preses, efter a hie court ruled that the military leadership wis unlawfully appointit efter a 2006 coup. Durin Warld War II, the Unitit Kinrick alloued for mony thoosans o Fijians tae volunteer tae aid in Allies' efforts via thair attachment tae the New Zealand an Australian airmy units. The Republic o Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), comprising o land an naval units defend an pertect Fiji.

## Etymology

Fiji's main island is kent as Viti Levu an it is frae this that the name "Fiji" is derived, tho the common Inglis pronunciation is based on that o thair island neighbours in Tonga. Its emergence wis best describit as follaes:

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> Fijians first impressed themsels on European consciousness through the writins o the members o the expeditions o Cook who met them in Tonga. They wur described as formidable warriors an ferocious cannibals, builders o the finest vessels in the Pacific, but no great sailors. They inspired awe amangst the Tongans, an aw their Manufactures, especially bark cloth an clubs, wur heichlie esteemed an muckle in demand. They cawed their home Viti, but the Tongans called it Fisi, an it wis bi this foreign pronunciation, Fiji, first promulgatit bi Captain James Cook, that these islands are nou kent.
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