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elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president; election last held 8 March 2006

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 (32 seats; 14 appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on the advice of the Opposition Leader, and 1 appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 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 6-13 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - SDL 44.6%, FLP 39.2%, UPP 0.8%, independents 4.9%, other 10.5%; seats by party - SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Sitiveni RABUKA], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP (became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP; Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE]; Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD [Dr. Anirudk SINGH] (for restoration of a democratic government); Viti Landowners Association

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, C (suspended), CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: vacant; note - Penijamini R. LOMALOMA (Charge d'Affaires)

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 Larry Miles DINGER

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, remittances from Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist industry - with 400,000 to 500,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange. Fiji's sugar has special access to European Union markets, but will be harmed by the EU's decision to cut sugar subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity but is not efficient. Fiji's tourism industry was damaged by the December 2006 coup and is facing an uncertain recovery time. The coup has created a difficult business climate. Tourist arrivals for 2007 are estimated to be down almost 6%, with substantial job losses in the service sector. In July 2007 the Reserve Bank of Fiji announced the economy was expected to contract by 3.1% in 2007. Fiji's current account deficit reached 23% of GDP in 2006. The EU has suspended all aid until the interim government takes steps toward new elections. Long-term problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's inability to manage its budget. Overseas remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have decreased significantly.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.079 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.969 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.9% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,500 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.9%

industry: 13.5%

services: 77.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

117,500 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 70%

industry and services: 30% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (1999)

Population below poverty line:

25.5% (FY90/91)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.8% (2007)

Budget:

revenues: $1.363 billion

expenditures: $1.376 billion (2006)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Industries:

tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

1.046 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 18.5%

hydro: 81.5%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

735.6 million kWh (2006)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

9,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

2,268 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

10,870 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

-$507 million (2006 est.)

Exports:

$1.202 billion f.o.b. (2006)

Exports - commodities:

sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Exports - partners:

US 16.8%, Australia 13.9%, UK 13.5%, Japan 5.3%, Samoa 4.7%, Tonga 4.1% (2006)

Imports:

$3.12 billion c.i.f. (2006)

Imports - commodities:

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Singapore 28.8%, Australia 23.3%, NZ 16.8%, China 4.7% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$63.96 million (2005)

Debt - external:

$127 million (2004 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$586.7 million (2005)

Currency (code):

Fijian dollar (FJD)

Currency code:

FJD

Exchange rates:

Fijian dollars per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.7313 (2006), 1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Fiji

Telephones - main lines in use:

112,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

205,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center

domestic: telephone or radio telephone links to almost all inhabited islands; most towns and large villages have automatic telephone exchanges and direct dialing; combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is about 35 per 100 persons

international: country code - 679; access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth stations - 2 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

541,476 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Televisions:

88,110 (1999)

Internet country code:

.fj

Internet hosts:

12,137 (2007)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

80,000 (2006)

Transportation Fiji

Airports:

28 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 25

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 18 (2007)

Railways:

total: 597 km

narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge

note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2006)

Roadways:

total: 3,440 km

paved: 1,692 km

unpaved: 1,748 km (2000)

Waterways:

203 km

note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 17,376 GRT/8,788 DWT

by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 3, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Lautoka, Suva

Military Fiji

Military branches:

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; reserve obligation to age 45 (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 242,567

females age 16-49: 238,556 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 189,282

females age 16-49: 202,350 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

males age 16-49: 9,077

females age 16-49: 8,728 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Fiji

Disputes - international:

none

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Fiji is a source country for children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and a destination country for a small number of women from China and India trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 3 - Fiji does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government has demonstrated no action to investigate or prosecute traffickers, assist victims, take steps to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts, or support any anti-trafficking information or education campaigns; Fiji has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

This page was last updated on 15 July, 2008

The World Factbook

Finland

Introduction Finland

Background:

Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.

Geography Finland

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 338,145 sq km

land: 304,473 sq km

water: 33,672 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 2,681 km

border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km

Coastline:

1,250 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

Terrain:

mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

Natural resources:

timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 6.54%

permanent crops: 0.02%

other: 93.44% (2005)

Irrigated land:

640 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

110 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural):

total: 2.33 cu km/yr (14%/84%/3%)

per capita: 444 cu m/yr (1999)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain