Forgotten World (138): Fiji
The 800-plus volcanic and coral islands that make up the Pacific nation of Fiji enjoy a tropical climate and are a prime destination for tourists. However, since 1987 racial and political tensions have been an intermittent source of instability and international isolation and there have in fact been four coups in the last 20 years.
Fiji’s population of almost a million, which resides mostly on the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, is divided almost equally between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians, the descendants of indentured labourers brought from India. Mixing between the two groups is minimal, and informal segregation runs deep at almost every level of society.
Although the former British colony relies heavily on the sugar and tourism industries for its foreign exchange, its economy is diverse. Nonetheless, Fiji has been hampered by persistent trade and budget deficits, making it one of the world’s largest per capita recipients of aid.