Description

Fiji 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, and 522 islets. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for 87% of the population. The islands are mountainous, with peaks up to 1,300 meters (4,250 ft), and covered with tropical forests.
 
Politics of Fiji takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Fiji is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Fiji\\\\\\\'s Head of State is the President. He is elected by the Great Council of Chiefs, after consulting with the Prime Minister, for a five-year term. Although his role is largely an honorary one, modeled after that of the British monarchy, the President has certain \\\\\\\"\\\\\\\"reserve powers\\\\\\\"\\\\\\\" that may be used in the event of a national crisis. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of Fiji. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
 
Fiji\\\\\\\'s culture is a rich mosaic of indigenous, Indian, Chinese and European traditions. Fijian indigenous society is very communal, with great importance attached to the family unit, the village, and the vanua (land).The official language is English while the national indigenous language is Bauan which is only one of the many dialects that exist in the Fiji Group. Fiji\\\\\\\'s arts and crafts reflect local adaptations of their Polynesian and Melanesian heritage. By tradition, the men\\\\\\\'s and women\\\\\\\'s crafts are separate. Women are known for mastering different weaving skills including basket weaving, coconut rope weaving, and coconut leaves weaving. Men are known for carving and canoe building. An indigenous art form is the Meke, which may incorporate the seasea (women\\\\\\\'s fan dance) or a make wesi (men\\\\\\\'s spear dance). It is usually a narrative of an important event such as a war, a chiefly installation, or even a scandal. Music of Old Fiji consisted of various chants which often told a story or preserved information to be passed on from generation to generation, these songs used various traditional instruments. The traditional attire was loin cloths for men and grass skirts for women. Skirts were short for single women, and long for married women, with girls wearing virgin locks before marriage. Most had the lower parts of their bodies decorated with tattoos. Chiefs dressed more elaborately. While traditional and semi-traditional forms of dress are still very much in use in indigenous Fijian culture, there is a greater influence from European and Asian Fashion as seen in major urban areas in developed nations.

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