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Complete
name: Fiji
- Capital: Suva |
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Area:
18,4 Km2 (11,4
sq miles) |
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Population:
772,000
h |
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Government:
Republic |
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Time
Zone: GMT+12Hs. |
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Language:
The official language is English. The local
indigenous Fijians speak Fijian dialects
(Baun is the most spoken) and the Indian
community speaks Fiji-Hindi |
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Religion:
Catholic (53%),
Hindu (38%), Muslim (8%) and Sinhs (1%) |
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Visas: Free
upon arriving. Valid for four weeks |
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Electricity: 240V
50Hz |
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Origins:
Indigenous Fijians (50%), and Indian (45%) |
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Special Precautions: Dengue,
so try to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes |
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International Phone Code:
679 |
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Industries:
Sugar, tourism,
gold, fishing, lumber and fibers |
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Cost |
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Currency:
Fiji Dollar (F$) |
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Dining:
Budget: US$ 3-5
Moderate: US$ 10-15
Top end: US$ 20 and above |
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Lodging:
Shared room: $5-10
Moderate: US$ 40-60
Top End: US$ 100 and above |
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Fiji
has a tropical climate all year round. Vacationers
from all over the world crowd the island all
around the year, peaking during the summer and
winter seasons. The best time to travel to the
island is during the dry season that begins
in May and extends to October. The temperatures
are cooler (19°C-24°C, 66°F –
75°F), but there is little rain and very
low humidity. During the summer, the temperatures
range from 24°C to 27°C (75°F –
27°F) (November-April) Warm and transparent
waters surround these beautiful islands making
them ideal for outdoors activities. Prime diving
conditions are from March to December. In January
and February the islands suffer from humidity
and lots of rain. |
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Fiji
has one of the busiest airports in the region.
Many airlines arrive there: Air Nauru, Air New
Zealand, Air Pacific, Canadian Airlines International,
Japan Air, Qantas, Polynesian Airlines, and
Royal Tongan Airlines. Flights arrive from:
Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Tokyo, Honolulu,
Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver. Some
airlines offer discount tickets that allow for
stopovers in many of the islands of the Pacific.
For those traveling from South America the most
popular travel route is from Australia or New
Zealand. The departure tax is 20 Fiji Dollars.
It is unusual to find cruise ships that travel
to the island, only private yachts.
Transportation (within
Fiji)
The
transportation within Fiji is quite good, which
allows for easy and affordable travel. By air
is obviously the most expensive alternative.
A good option to travel from island to island
is by ferry and small boats. The first are less
expensive, more frequent and gratifying. The
water routes connect Viti Levu and Vanua with
most of the islands. Small private boats can
also be hired. Those do not have a fixed schedule.
The bigger islands have good roads and outside
of town one can catch a bus almost anywhere.
The express buses travel between the most important
cities, while local buses stop in every little
town, which is a good way to meet local people
and see the different towns. |
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