Fiji lies 176 - 178 degrees east of Greenwich and 12 - 21 degrees south of the Equator in the South Pacific Ocean. The Country where night divides day, covers an area of 18,000 sq. Kilometers. The name Fiji Originates from the tongan word "Islands". Approx. 100 of 844 Islands in the Archipelago are inhabited and the remainder are nature reserves.
Fiji has two main Islands, Vanua Levu and the nearby Viti Levu, with the capital city Suva on the Island of Viti Levu. The Islands are mountainous with altitudes of up to 1,200 metres and are covered with lush tropical Rain forests.
The majority of the Islanders live on the two main Islands. The Europeans first came to settle in Fiji in the 19th century. The Islands were a part of the British Empire for almost 100 years until they became independent in 1970.
Other groups of Islands which are popular with tourism include Lomaiviti and the distant Lau group of Islands, Taveuni and Kadavu, the Mamanuca Group outside of Nadi and the Yasawa chain of Islands.
All the Islands have excellent diving amongst the coral reefs and wonderful snorkeling. The Republic has an excellent year round climate and can be enjoyed at any time. A popular time to travel to is from May until October in the dry Season.
