based on British system
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18
July 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
September 2000)
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 chief system
elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president
by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24 appointed
by the President on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, nine
appointed by the president, and one appointed by the council of
Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for
ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for
other ethnic groups, one reserved for the council of Rotuma
constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats;
members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1
September and 19 September 2001 (next to be held not later than
September 2006)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - FLP 26.5%, SDL 27.5%, NFP 1.2%, MV 4.2%, NLUP 1.3%, UGP .3%,
independents 1.4%; seats by party - FLP 27, SDL 32, MV 6, NFP 1,
NLUP 2, UGP 1, independents 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative
Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE];
Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic
Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat
Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or
FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED], Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily
Fijian) [Felipe BOLE], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni
BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY]; General Voters
Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party);
Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and Freedom Party
or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA];
National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT
[leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or
SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick
BEDDOES]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Mr. Paula NAVUNISARAVI (Charge D'Affaires ad
Interim)
chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 337–8320
FAX: [1] (202) 337–1996
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David L. LYON
embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone: [679] 331–4466
FAX: [679] 330–0081
Flag description:
light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the
shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the
cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree,
bananas, and a white dove
Economy Fiji
Economy - overview:
Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of
the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still
with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist
