Fiji Geography
LocationOceania, 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
Area
total: 18,270 sq km
land: 18,270 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% (2001)
Irrigated land
30 sq km (1998 est.)
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
