Fiji Geography Profile 2013

Location

Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates

18 00 S, 175 00 E

Map references

Oceania

Area

total: 18,274 sq km
land: 18,274 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

1,129 km

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added

Climate

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Natural resources

timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Land use

arable land: 10.95%
permanent crops: 4.65%
other: 84.4% (2005)

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

28.6 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.07 cu km/yr (14%/14%/71%)
per capita: 82 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited