Short facts about the geography of Fiji

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:  18,270 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 baselines continental shelf:  200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

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% permanent crops:  4% permanent pastures:  10% forests and woodland:  65% other:  11% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (1993 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, Nuclear Test Ban, 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

Source: World Factbook