Fiji

Pacific Ocean · island nation · Melanesia · tropical

Island archipelago. Fiji consists of more than 330 islands and 500 islets scattered across the South Pacific, but only about 110 of those islands have people living on them permanently.

Located in Melanesia. Fiji sits about 1,100 nautical miles north-northeast of New Zealand in a region called Melanesia, which is part of the larger Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean.

Most people in two places. About 87% of Fiji's population lives on just two major islands called Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, with three-quarters of all Fijians living along the coasts of Viti Levu.

Three main cities. The capital city is Suva, and smaller urban centers like Nadi and Lautoka are also important places where Fijians live and work.

Rough interior. The inside of Viti Levu island is very sparsely inhabited because of its challenging terrain, so most people prefer to live near the coast.