Fiji’s first settlements are believed to have been 300 years ago by the local natives of Papua New Guinea.

The local natives established more significant settlements 200 years later. Major parts of the Fijian population were sugar cane slaves from British colonies. On October 10th, 1874 the island of Fiji became a colony of the British Empire.

In 1970 Fiji declared their independence. The constitution followed the British model of two houses with a senate. In the immediate post independence years Fiji experienced a period of prosperous economic development.

In October of 1987, Fiji abandoned their parliamentary type of government and declare itself a Republic, beginning a new political trend that continues today.