Geography of Fiji - Statistics

Statistics

Location

Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean; Geographic coordinates:

18°00′S 179°00′E / 18°S 179°E / -18; 179

Map references

Oceania

Area

• Total: 18 274 km²
• Land: 18 274 km²
• Water: 0 km²

Area - comparative

Slightly smaller than New Jersey; slightly less than one third Nova Scotia's size; slightly smaller than Wales

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: Fiji comprises 12 nm

Climate

Tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain

• Mostly mountains of volcanic origin, beaches

Elevation extremes

• Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
• Highest point: Mount 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 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources

28.6 km3

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 844 islands and islets of which approximately 106 are inhabited