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General Information Area: 18,333 sq km (7078 sq miles). Population: 832,494 (official estimate 2000). Population Density: 45.4 per sq km. Capital: Suva. Population: 77,366 (1996). GEOGRAPHY: Fiji is located in the South Pacific, 3000km (1875 miles) east of Australia and approximately 1930km (1200 miles) south of the Equator. It comprises 322 islands, 105 of which are uninhabited (some are little more than rugged limestone islets or tiny coral atolls). The three largest are Viti Levu (Great Fiji), Vanua Levu (Great Land of the People), both of which are extinct volcanoes rising abruptly from the sea, and Taveuni. There are thousands of streams and small rivers in Fiji, the largest being the Rewa River on Viti Levu, which is navigable for 128km (80 miles). Mount Victoria, also on Viti Levu, is the country’s highest peak, at 1322m (4430ft). Government: Republic since 1987. Head of State: President Ratu Josefa Ilolio since 2000. The President is appointed for a five-year term by the Great Council of Chiefs (Bosu Levu Vakaturaga), a traditional body with roughly 70 members consisting of every hereditary Fijian chief (or ratu). Head of Government: Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase since 2000. Language: The official language is English, which is also taught in schools. The other main languages are Fijian and Hindustani. Chinese and Urdu are also heard in the markets. Religion: Methodist and Hindu with Roman Catholic and Muslim minorities. A strictly fundamentalist Methodist version of Christianity is enshrined in, and informs, the Fijian Constitution. Time: GMT + 12. Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz. Larger hotels also have 110-volt razor sockets. Communications:   Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 679. Outgoing code: 05. International calls can be made from hotels via an operator, or from the Fiji International Telecommunications (FINTEL) office on Victoria Parade in Suva. Mobile telephone GSM 900. Roaming agreements in operation. Network provider is Vodafone Fiji (website: www.vodafone.com.fj). Fax The FINTEL office in Suva also offers fax services. Major hotels have facilities. Internet ISPs include Fiji Online, a subsidiary of Telecom Fiji (website: www.fijionline.com) and fiji.net (website: www.fiji.net). There are Internet cafes in Suva, Nadi and Lautoka. Telegram Facilities are available at major hotels in Suva and at the FINTEL office on Victoria Parade. Post Airmail to Europe takes up to ten days. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1630, Sat 0800-1300. Press The main English-language daily is the Fiji Times, which claims to be ‘the first newspaper published in the world today’ – a reference to Suva’s position just to the west of the International Date Line; the other main English language paper is the Fiji Daily Post. Fiji Calling is the bi-annual tourist newspaper, which may be of interest to visitors. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 15.36 9.740 6.195 3.915 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 17.74 11.71 9.645 6.110 From www.columbusguides.com, Copyright © 2004 Highbury Columbus Travel Publishing Terms and Conditions apply.