Fiji, officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands, is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu. The country occupies an archipelago of about 322 islands, of which 106 are permanently inhabited; in addition, there are some 522 islets. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for some 87% of the total population. The name Fiji is the old Tongan word for the islands, which is in turn derived from the Fijian name Viti.
Beqa Island Castaway Island Deuba Fiji Korolevu Labasa Lami Lautoka Momi Nadi Naigani Island Namatakula Savusavu Sigatoka Sonaisali Island Suva Taveuni Island Tokoriki Island Yageta Island
Fiji consists of 322 islands, of which 110 are inhabited, and 522 smaller islets. The two most important islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Viti Levu hosts the capital city of Suva, and is home to nearly three quarters of the population. The islands are mountainous, with peaks up to 1,300 metres (4,250 ft), and covered with tropical forests. Other important towns include Nadi (the location of the international airport), and Lautoka. The main towns on Vanua Levu are Labasa and Savusavu. Other islands and island groups include Taveuni and Kadavu (the third and fourth largest islands respectively), the Mamanuca Group (just outside Nadi) and Yasawa Group, which are popular tourist destinations, the Lomaiviti Group, outside of Suva, and the remote Lau Group. Rotuma, some 500 kilometres (310 mi) north of the archipelago, has a special administrative status in Fiji.
The cuisine of Fiji in pre-colonial times consisted of root crops, Vegetables and fruits also various land animals such as wild pig and various birds, the coastal tribes would have had the same but also a large amount of local seafood these would have been prepared with local herbs and spices on wood fire rock ovens, most cooking areas were located in the center of house the smoke would repel insects and strengthen the roof thatching, another popular method of cooking which is still used today is the lovo which is an earth oven - a fire made on in a pit in the ground lined with heat-resistant stones.
It closely resembles the hangi of the New Zealand Maori. When the stones are hot, food, wrapped in (banana) leaves, is placed in the pit, covered with soil and left to cook before being exhumed and eaten. Dishes cooked this way include palusami, parcels of taro leaves saturated with coconut milk, onions, and sometimes tinned meat.
Also ceremonial cannibalism was performed not so much for sustenance but more as a means to humiliate your enemy by consuming him, this practice is now extinct.
Now Fiji Cuisine is rather diverse with great influence from Indian cuisine and spices applied to local traditional dishes makes for interesting eating, European, Indian and Chinese variants of cuisine along with traditional foods are common place in most if not all households in Fiji.
Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century).
A 1990 constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.
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Tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation. American Samoa 
Australia 
Cook Islands 
Fiji 
French Polynesia 
Guam 
New Caledonia 
New Zealand 
Northern Mariana Islands 
Palau 
Papua New Guinea 
Samoa 
Vanuatu 
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