Fiji: Government#
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Fiji conventional short form: Fiji local long form: Republic of Fiji/Matanitu ko Viti local short form: Fiji/Viti etymology: the Fijians called their home Viti, but the neighboring Tongans called it Fisi, and in the Anglicized spelling of the Tongan pronunciation - promulgated by explorer Captain James COOK - the designation became Fiji |
|---|---|
| Government type | parliamentary republic |
| Capital | Suva (on Viti Levu)
Suva (on Viti Levu)
geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins fourth Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in January |
| Administrative divisions | 14 provinces and 1 dependency*; Ba, Bua, Cakaudrove, Kadavu, Lau, Lomaiviti, Macuata, Nadroga and Navosa, Naitasiri, Namosi, Ra, Rewa, Rotuma*, Serua, Tailevu |
| Independence | 10 October 1970 (from the UK) |
| National holiday | Constitution Day, 7 September; Fiji (independence) Day, 10 October (1970) |
| Constitution | several previous; latest signed into law September 2013 (2016) |
| Legal system | common law system based on the English model |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Fiji dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Jioji Konousi KONROTE (since 12 November 2015) head of government: Prime Minister Voreqe "Frank" BAINIMARAMA (since 22 September 2014) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament elections/appointments: under the constitution, president elected by the Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Jioji Konousi KONROTE elected 12 Ocotber 2015 defeating Ratu Epeli GANILAU 31 to 14 |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Parliament (50 seats; members directly elected in a nationwide, multi-seat constituency by open-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms; the new constitution of 2013 restructured Parliament from bicameral to unicameral elections: last held on 17 September 2014 (next to be held in 2019) election results: percent of vote by party - Fiji First 59.2%, SDL 28.2%, National Federation Party 5.5%, other 7.1%; seats by party - Fiji First 32, SDL 15, National Federation Party 3 |
| Judicial branch | highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, all justices of the Court of Appeal, and judges appointed specifically as Supreme Court judges); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, all puisne judges of the High Court, and judges specifically appointed to the Court of Appeal); High Court (chaired by the chief justice and includes a minimum of 10 puisne judges; High Court organized into civil, criminal, family, employment, and tax divisions) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president of Fiji on the advice of the prime minister following consultation with the parliamentary leader of the opposition; judges of the Supreme Court, the president of the Court of Appeal, the justices of the Court of Appeal, and puisne judges of the High Court appointed by the president of Fiji upon the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission after consulting with the cabinet minister and the committee of the House of Representatives responsible for the administration of justice; the chief justice, Supreme Court judges and justices of Appeal generally required to retire at age 70 but may be waived for one or more sessions of the court; puisne judges appointed for not less than 4 years nor more than 7 years with mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: Magistrates' Court (organized into civil, criminal, juvenile, and small claims divisions) |
| Political parties and leaders | FijiFirst (Aiyaz SAYED-KHAIYUM) Fiji Labor Party or FLP (Mahendra CHAUDHRY) Fiji United Freedon Party or FUFP (Jagath KARUNARATNE) National Federation Party or NFP (Dalip KUMAR) (primarily Indian) Peoples Democratic Party or PDP (Adi Sivia QORO) Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPA (Pio TABAIWALU) |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD (Dr. Anirudk SINGH) (suports restoration of a democratic government) Viti Landowners Association |
| International organization participation | ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca (suspended), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Solo MARA (since 28 January 2016) chancery: 2000 M Street NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (1) (202) 466-8320 FAX: (1) (202) 466-8325 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Judith CEFKIN (since 3 February 2015); note - also accredited to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu embassy: 158 Princes Rd, Tamavua mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva telephone: (679) 331-4466 FAX: (679) 330-8685 |
| 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 blue symbolizes the Pacific ocean and the Union Jack reflects the links with Great Britain; the shield - taken from Fiji's coat of arms - depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George; the four quarters depict stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove |
| National symbol(s) | Fijian canoe; national color: light blue |
| National anthem | name: "God Bless Fiji" lyrics/music: Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT/C. Austin MILES (adapted by Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT) note: adopted 1970; known in Fijian as "Meda Dau Doka" (Let Us Show Pride); adapted from the hymn, "Dwelling in Beulah Land," the anthem's English lyrics are generally sung, although they differ in meaning from the official Fijian lyrics |