A tropical island nation located in Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean, is an island with great flora and fauna. It comprises an archipelago of more than 322 islands and out of these 322, about 110 are permanently inhabited.
It lies about 1100 nautical miles north of northeast of New Zealand in the region of Melanesia. It is also referred to as the Republic of Fiji.
History
Apart from the unique geography if we delve into the history of Fiji island then it will only make us surprised even more. To start, as per the legend, great chief Lutunasobasoba led his people across the seas to the new land of Fiji. Most authorities agree that people came into the Pacific from Southeast Asia via the Malay Peninsula. Here the Melanesians and the Polynesians mixed to create a highly developed society long before the arrival of the Europeans. The European discoveries of the Fiji group were accidental. The first of these discoveries was made in 1643 by the Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman and English navigators, including Captain James Cook who sailed through in 1774, and made further explorations in the 18th century. Major credit for the discovery and recording of the islands went to Captain William Bligh who sailed through Fiji after the mutiny on the Bounty in 1789. The first Europeans to land and live among the Fijians were shipwrecked sailors and runaway convicts from the Australian penal settlements. Sandalwood traders and missionaries came by the mid 19th century.
From the year 1879 to 1916 Indians came as indentured labourers to work on the sugar plantations. After the indentured system was abolished, many continued to stay on as independent farmers and businessmen. Today they comprise about 43.6 per cent of the population.
Religion
Fiji is a multi-cultural, multi-racial & multi-religious nation. It is represented and holds value of almost all religions of the world. One can find temples, churches, mosques, etc. and people live in harmony while respecting each other’s religious views & ideologies. A pretty safe nation to visit for any religious person.
Language
The most common language for tourists is English but one can also speak Hindi or Fijian as they are taught in school as a part of their curriculum. The indigenous Fijians do have their own dialect which stands out perfectly. The Fiji-Hindi dialect is also distinctive and can be easily understood though its not the same as the Hindi spoken in India.