Country Comments

Fiji’s forests, mountains and coral reefs, spread across 300 islands and contain a wealth of biodiversity. Even with this abundance it is one of the more heavily populated countries in the South Pacific. Its current population is larger than what its renewable resources are able to support. Even with Fiji losing roughly five to ten thousand paople a year to emmigration the overall population is growing at approximately 6000 residents a year. Total fertility rate averages 2.8 children per woman. Fiji has one of the most developed economies in the Pacific Islands region. The economy relies on natural resources such as timber, fish, gold, copper and hydropower; a growing tourism industry; and payments from Fijians working abroad. The tourism and agriculture sectors are among the largest employers and are heavily reliant on a healthy and productive natural environment. However, the country faces major environmental challenges, including deforestation, unsustainable fishing practices, and the introduction of invasive species causing the country to have the third-largest number of threatened endemic species. Rising sea levels have led to the erosion of Fiji’s coastal areas, and the intrusion of saltwater has destroyed farmland and forced residents to move to safer ground.(1) Likely due to the limited size of this tiny island nation, The World Bank did not provide data on contraception percentage use.

Conservation International https://www.conservation.org/places/fiji