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User:Tucoxn/Portal:Fiji/Intro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Flag of Fiji
Flag of Fiji
Coat of arms of Fiji
Coat of arms of Fiji
Location on the world map
Geography of Fiji
Geography of Fiji

Fiji /ˈf/ (Fijian: Viti; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी), officially the Republic of Fiji is a Melanesian island country in the South Pacific Ocean comprised of more than 332 islands, of which 110 are permanently inhabited. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for 87% of the population of almost 860,000. A former British colony, Fiji has one of the most developed economies among Pacific island countries and territories, due to an abundance of forest, mineral, and fish resources. Today, the main sources of foreign exchange are Fiji's tourist industry and sugar exports. The biggest sources of international visitors by country are Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Although its white sandy beaches and postcard perfect islands are Fiji's primary tourist attractions, it also hosts a significant number of soft coral reefs, making scuba diving another common tourist activity. Popular tourism destinations include Thurston Botanical Gardens, Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park, Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve. Rugby union is the most-popular team sport in Fiji, having over 600 clubs.