Fiji (Republic of the Fiji Islands)

Fiji Republic of the Fiji Islands
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	97th best
Capital	Suva
Land Area	18 270km21
Location	Australasia, Melanesia
Groupings	Small Islands
Population	0.9m2
Life Expectancy	67.11yrs (2017)3
GNI	$9 980 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	FJ, FJI, 2425
Internet Domain	.fj6
Currency	Dollar (FJD)7
Telephone	+6798

1. Overview
2. Fiji National and Social Development
3. Fiji's Demographics and Migration
4. Fiji's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
   1. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets
   2. Gender Equality Datasets
   3. Prejudice Datasets
5. Fiji's Health
   1. Health Datasets
   2. Children's Health Datasets
6. Fiji's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Fiji's Modernity and Learning
   1. Modernity Datasets
   2. Education Datasets
   3. Technology and Information Datasets
8. Fiji's Culture, Peace and Inequality
   1. National Culture Datasets
   2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets
   3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

“Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has neutralized his opponents, crippled Fiji's democratic institutions, and initially refused to hold elections. In 2012, he promised to hold elections in 2014.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Fiji is surely every beach bum´s vision of nirvana. Palm-fringed beaches, fish-packed reefs and smiling locals: pack your swimsuit and sunscreen, these sunny isles are so warm they sizzle. With alabaster beaches, cloudless skies and kaleidoscopic reefs, Fiji is the embodiment of the South Pacific dream. Most who head here want little more than to fall into a sun-induced coma under a shady palm, and with over 300 islands to choose from, the decision on where to unfurl your beach towel isn´t easy. While some may find that anything more than two snorkelling excursions a day and half an hour on the volleyball court is not in keeping with Fiji´s famously languid sense of time, there is more to these isles than can ever be seen from a deckchair or swim-up bar.

To get to grips with the national psyche, though, you have to spend some time on the mainland. Two-thirds of the population live in urban centres and it is on Viti Levu that you´ll find the country´s two cities: Suva, the capital, and Lautoka, a working port town reliant on the sugar-cane farms that surround it. Suva´s nightlife and large student population give it a youthful if slightly unexpected vibe.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Fiji National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
96	Mongolia	0.739
97=	Egypt	0.731
97=	Tunisia	0.731
99=	Fiji	0.730
99=	Suriname	0.730
101	Uzbekistan	0.727
102=	Dominica	0.720
102=	Jordan	0.720
	Australasia Avg	0.70
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
106	Mongolia	$10 588
107	Ecuador	$10 312
108	Tunisia	$10 258
109	Fiji	$9 980
110	Iraq	$9 977
111	Jordan	$9 924
112	Lebanon	$9 526
113	Bhutan	$9 438
	Australasia Avg	$12 519
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	28.1
2	Norway	29.9
3	Sweden	31.0
	...
94	St Kitts & Nevis	89.4
95	Brunei	89.4
96	Bolivia	89.7
97	Fiji	89.8
98	Grenada	90.0
99	Guatemala	90.1
100	Indonesia	90.4
101	Bahrain	90.7
	Australasia Avg	100.9
	World Avg	89.4
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Fiji's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Fiji's population is predicted to rise to 958 253 by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 2.46. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₃. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
156	Cyprus	1.2m
157	Swaziland	1.1m
158	Djibouti	1.0m
159	Fiji	0.9m
160	Comoros	0.8m
161	Guyana	0.8m
162	Bhutan	0.8m
163	Solomon Islands	0.7m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
135	Indonesia	67.6
136	Kiribati	67.4
137	India	67.2
138	Fiji	67.1
139	Senegal	67.1
140	Eritrea	66.5
141	Tanzania	66.2
142	Pakistan	66.1
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
78=	Denmark	1.55
78=	Slovenia	1.55
80	Chile	1.54
81	Fiji	2.46
82=	Croatia	1.53
82=	Belgium	1.53
84	Costa Rica	1.52
85=	Sweden	1.52
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better16
Pos.		2016 Per 10016
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
94	Algeria	14.0
95	Malaysia	14.5
96	Guyana	15.0
97	Fiji	15.3
98	Mexico	15.4
99	Peru	15.5
100=	Dominican Rep.	15.6
100=	Venezuela	15.6
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants17
Pos.		2017 %17
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
138	Poland	1.7%
139	Senegal	1.7%
140	Comoros	1.5%
141	Fiji	1.5%
142	Ghana	1.4%
143	Niger	1.4%
144	Yemen	1.4%
145	Bolivia	1.3%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants18
Pos.		2010 %18
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
24	Macedonia	21.9%
25	Sao Tome & Principe	21.9%
26	Moldova	21.5%
27	Fiji	21.3%
28	Portugal	20.8%
29	Lesotho	20.5%
30	El Salvador	20.5%
31	Micronesia	19.7%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Fiji's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Compared to Australasia (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	New Zealand	18.9
2	Australia	22.1
3	Micronesia	59.3
4	Vanuatu	78.5
5	Kiribati	81.6
6	Tuvalu	83.8
7	Nauru	89.3
8	Fiji	89.5
9	Palau	91.4
10	Samoa	98.2
11	Tonga	101.0
12	Marshall Islands	102.9
13	Papua New Guinea	108.8
	Australasia Avg	81.74
q=14.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
89	Bosnia & Herzegovina	88.0
90	Ghana	88.7
91	Nauru	89.3
92	Fiji	89.5
93	Botswana	90.0
94	St Lucia	90.3
95	Palau	91.4
96	Guyana	91.5
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, The Netherlands and Denmark₂₀. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia₂₀.

31 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, combatting modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₂₀, whereas the worst are The Middle East, Africa and Asia₂₀.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

4.1. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets

#fiji #freedom #human_rights #international_law #mass_media #politics

Press Freedom Higher is better21
Pos.		202521
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
37	Montenegro	72.83
38	Slovakia	71.93
39	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	71.79
40	Fiji	71.20
41	Gabon	70.65
42	Macedonia	70.44
43	Dominican Rep.	69.87
44	Samoa	69.28
	Australasia Avg	70.62
	World Avg	54.65
q=179. Also scored for 2000s-2010s.

Fiji is one of only 19 countries who in 2025 had better press freedom than in the 2010s.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better22
Pos.		2014 Rank22
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
59	Ghana	59
60	Jamaica	60
61=	Haiti	61
61=	Fiji	61
63	Dominican Rep.	63
64	Cambodia	64
65	Madagascar	65
66	Brunei	66
	Australasia Avg	36.0
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
91=	Montenegro	3.0
91=	Macedonia	3.0
91=	India	3.0
91=	Fiji	3.0
91=	Ecuador	3.0
91=	Dominican Rep.	3.0
91=	Albania	3.0
91=	Bolivia	3.0
	Australasia Avg	1.8
	World Avg	3.7
q=205. Also scored for 1970s-2010s.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better23
Pos.		2009 Treaties23
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
158=	Qatar	10
158=	Vatican City	10
158=	India	10
158=	Fiji	10
158=	Vietnam	10
158=	Vanuatu	10
164=	Iraq	9
164=	Samoa	9
	Australasia Avg	8.7
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better24
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty24
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
175	N. Korea	14.52
176	UAE	14.81
177	Comoros	14.82
178	Fiji	14.85
179	Samoa	14.85
180	Myanmar	14.93
181	St Kitts & Nevis	15.00
182	Singapore	15.02
	Australasia Avg	14.35
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Fiji stated:

“Repressive laws and defamation suits were used to silence government critics. A new electoral law discriminated against married women. Members of the security forces were held accountable for past incidents of ill-treatment, but police use of unnecessary or excessive force against suspects continued to be reported.”

"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₂₅

4.2. Gender Equality Datasets

#gender #gender_equality #human_rights #misogyny #politics #women

Fiji has made some steps towards ending gender inequality but much more needs to be done.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

Gender Inequality Lower is better26
Pos.		202226
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
74	Thailand	0.31
75	Bhutan	0.33
76	Azerbaijan	0.33
77	Fiji	0.33
78=	Bahamas	0.33
78=	Maldives	0.33
80	Cape Verde	0.33
81	St Lucia	0.35
	Australasia Avg	0.37
	World Avg	0.34
q=166. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Year Women Can Vote Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
139=	Morocco	1963
139=	Iran	1963
139=	Kenya	1963
139=	Fiji	1963
139=	Afghanistan	1963
139=	Equatorial Guinea	1963
139=	Bahamas	1963
146=	Sudan	1964
	Australasia Avg	1962
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

4.3. Prejudice Datasets

#2020s #freethought #homosexuality #religious_tolerance #samoa #south_africa

LGBT Equality in the 2020s Higher is better27
Pos.		LGBT Equality in the 2020s Score27
1=	Germany	4.88
1=	Spain	4.88
3	Portugal	4.81
	...
92	Cuba	0.08
93	Guatemala	0.08
94	Rwanda	0.06
95=	Fiji	0.05
95=	Cape Verde	0.05
97	Hong Kong	0.00
98	Bolivia	-0.01
99=	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	-0.02
	Australasia Avg	-0.93
	World Avg	-1.21
q=215. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Fiji has a traditional third-gender identity known as vaka sa lewa lewa, similar to Samoa's fa'afafine or Hawaii's māhÅ�. These individuals, assigned male at birth but living as female, have historically been accepted in Fijian society. But during British colonial rule (1874�€“1945), British sodomy laws were imposed on Fiji, making it illegal to be a male homosexual, with punishments including life imprisonment, and this disrupted Fijian tolerance. Since then, progress has been mixed: Fiji's 1997 Constitution was groundbreaking, banning discrimination based on sexual orientation; only South Africa had previously passed a similarly strong law. But then, under pressure from Christian conservatives, with many leaders opposing same-sex marriage on religious grounds and fearing the spread of tolerance worldwide, Fiji passed a homophobic Marriage Amendment Act in 2002 to specifically ban same-sex marriage, defining marriage as between "one man and one woman". Although progress was again made in 2010, when homosexuality was decriminalized. ILGA researchers in 2017 found that Fiji had constitutional and legal protections against anti-LGBT employment discrimination, and other protections. Same-sex marriage and adoption remain banned, and social stigma continues to affect LGBT people.

Actions taken at the United Nations:

•  ⇡  In 2025, signed the UN Human Rights Council Joint statement on ending acts of violence and human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
•  ⇡  In 2019, voted to renew the UN Human Rights Council Independent Expert on discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better28
Pos.		202128
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
43	Seychelles	2.3
44=	San Marino	2.5
44=	Liechtenstein	2.5
44=	Fiji	2.5
44=	Niger	2.5
44=	Senegal	2.5
44=	Kenya	2.5
44=	Romania	2.5
	Australasia Avg	2.6
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Fiji's Health

#health

Compared to Australasia (2025)29
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank29
1	Australia	62.1
2	New Zealand	66.8
3	New Caledonia	68.1
4	French Polynesia	93.1
5	Fiji	94.4
6	Palau	98.6
7	Tonga	102.1
8	Niue	102.3
9	Tuvalu	118.6
10	Guam	122.6
11	Vanuatu	123.4
12	Solomon Islands	123.9
13=	Samoa	124.1
	Australasia Avg	110.70
q=19.

Health (2025)29
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank29
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	40.8
	...
97	Uzbekistan	92.2
98	French Polynesia	93.1
99	Turkey	94.2
100	Fiji	94.4
101	Georgia	94.8
102	Argentina	96.5
103	Bhutan	96.9
104	Cape Verde	97.0
	World Avg	97.39
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₀. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₀.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₀, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Melanesia₃₀.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#2010s #alcohol #birth_control #demographics #fiji #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #smoking #suicide #vaccines

Fiji does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Fiji does better than average in delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₃₁ (amongst the highest in Australasia), its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₂ (amongst the lowest in Australasia), delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₃, its alcohol consumption rate₃₄ (but high for Australasia), its adolescent birth rate₃₅ and in its fertility rate₁₅. But, things could still be better. Fiji does worse than average in childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₆, its suicide rate₃₇, its smoking rate₃₈, the prevalence of overweight adults₃₉ (still good for Australasia) and in its average life expectancy₁₁. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Fiji improved by just +2.4yrs in the 30 years from 1990, significantly less than almost everywhere else in the world. Fiji's peak fertility rate was 6.46 in 1960.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
135	Indonesia	67.6
136	Kiribati	67.4
137	India	67.2
138	Fiji	67.1
139	Senegal	67.1
140	Eritrea	66.5
141	Tanzania	66.2
142	Pakistan	66.1
	Australasia Avg	70.11
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better34
Pos.		2016 Per Capita34
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
53=	Ghana	2.7
53=	Maldives	2.7
55	Ethiopia	2.9
56=	Fiji	3.0
56=	Benin	3.0
58	Togo	3.1
59=	Central African Rep.	3.3
59=	Tajikistan	3.3
	Australasia Avg	4.3
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
78=	Denmark	1.55
78=	Slovenia	1.55
80	Chile	1.54
81	Fiji	2.46
82=	Croatia	1.53
82=	Belgium	1.53
84	Costa Rica	1.52
85=	Sweden	1.52
	Australasia Avg	2.82
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better38
Pos.		Smoking in the 2020s %38
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
124	Cook Islands	27.0%
125	Laos	27.2%
126	Kyrgyzstan	27.3%
127	Fiji	27.6%
128	Estonia	28.3%
129	Nepal	28.4%
130	Spain	28.5%
131	Chile	28.8%
	Australasia Avg	29.2%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Suicide Rate in the 2010s Lower is better37
Pos.		Suicide Rate in the 2010s Per 100k37
1=	Jordan	1.00
1=	Sao Tome & Principe	1.00
1=	Antigua & Barbuda	1.00
	...
114=	China	9.15
114=	Mauritius	9.15
116	Gabon	9.25
117	Fiji	9.67
118	Togo	9.77
119	Kyrgyzstan	10.02
120	N. Korea	10.18
121	Ireland	10.41
	Australasia Avg	13.23
	World Avg	9.24
q=185. Also scored for 2000s-2010s.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better32
Pos.		2017 Rank32
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
33	Hungary	33
34	Macedonia	34
35	India	35
36	Fiji	36
37	Thailand	37
38	Pakistan	38
39	Portugal	39
40	Brazil	40
	Australasia Avg	94.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better39
Pos.		1976 %39
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
126	Armenia	34.6
127	Austria	35.1
128	Turkey	35.2
129	Fiji	35.6
130	Finland	35.7
131	Slovenia	36.1
132=	Serbia	36.5
132=	Norway	36.5
	Australasia Avg	48.8
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better40
Pos.		2022 %40
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
153	Palestine	32.8%
154	St Vincent & Grenadines	33.6%
155	Greece	33.7%
156	Fiji	33.8%
157	St Lucia	33.9%
158	Bermuda	34.0%
159	Antigua & Barbuda	34.1%
160	Jamaica	34.2%
	Australasia Avg	49.3%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better35
Pos.		2022 Per 100035
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
78	Mongolia	25.0
79	Bahamas	25.1
80	Morocco	25.5
81	Fiji	26.1
82	Slovakia	26.6
83	Moldova	27.2
84	Iran	29.7
85	Georgia	29.7
	Australasia Avg	40.2
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better33
Pos.		Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Avg %33
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
43=	Latvia	97.3
43=	Tajikistan	97.3
45	Denmark	97.2
46=	Fiji	97.1
46=	Ghana	97.1
46=	St Kitts & Nevis	97.1
49=	Russia	97.0
49=	Tunisia	97.0
	Australasia Avg	90.0
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better31
Pos.		2015 Avg %31
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
19	Belgium	97.8
20	Thailand	97.8
21=	Mauritius	97.6
21=	Fiji	97.6
23	Kuwait	97.5
24	Morocco	97.5
25=	Monaco	97.3
25=	Cook Islands	97.3
	Australasia Avg	86.4
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better36
Pos.		Infant Mortality (2020s) Per 100036
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
109	Palau	21.33
110	Uzbekistan	21.50
111	Vietnam	22.10
112	Fiji	22.11
113	N. Korea	22.55
114	Paraguay	22.61
115	Trinidad & Tobago	22.83
116	Kyrgyzstan	23.23
	Australasia Avg	25.09
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

6. Fiji's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #fiji #food #haiti #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #south_sudan #the_environment #timor-leste_(east_timor) #USA #vatican_city #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Australasia (2025)41
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank41
1	New Zealand	75.8
2	Australia	76.6
3	Fiji	89.1
4	Vanuatu	93.0
5	Tonga	96.1
6	Papua New Guinea	104.5
7	Samoa	107.0
8	Kiribati	111.4
9	Micronesia	114.6
10	Cook Islands	119.6
11	Solomon Islands	121.6
12	Marshall Islands	123.1
13	Palau	124.5
	Australasia Avg	109.27
q=16.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)41
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank41
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
115	Gabon	87.9
116	Croatia	88.5
117	Jamaica	88.6
118	Fiji	89.1
119	Czechia	89.3
120	Malaysia	89.5
121	Lithuania	89.5
122	Paraguay	91.0
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₄₂. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Fiji comes 118th in the world regarding its responsibility towards the environment (yet still one of the best in Australasia). This rank is formulated from 21 data sets. Fiji does better than average in its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₃ and in reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₄ (amongst the best in Australasia). And finally, it does worse than average in terms of its environmental performance₄₅ and in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment.

Environmental Performance Higher is better45
Pos.		201845
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
104	Sao Tome & Principe	54.0
105	Paraguay	53.9
106	El Salvador	53.9
107	Fiji	53.1
108	Turkey	53.0
109	Ukraine	52.9
110	Guatemala	52.3
111	Maldives	52.1
	Australasia Avg	55.2
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		International Accords on the Environment Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
143	Croatia	51%
144	Djibouti	51%
145	Gabon	51%
146	Fiji	51%
147	Qatar	51%
148	Vanuatu	50%
149	Equatorial Guinea	50%
150	Moldova	50%
	Australasia Avg	48.2%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Fiji also sits alongside the USA, Haiti, the Vatican, Timor-Leste and South Sudan as the few countries who, after 30 years, have still not not signed the Basel Convention on transporting and dumping hazardous waste, yet it would benefit from its protections. It knows it is vulnerable to the antics of rich corporations and countries and the effects of climate change: it was one of the 30 who signed the Convention on Biological Diversity on its first day, one of only 5 countries to accept the Kyoto Protocol in its first few months and one of 19 countries that signed the Paris Agreement within the first few months in Q2 2016.

Meat Consumption Lower is better44
Pos.		2021 kg44
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
79	Turkey	43.0
80	Vanuatu	43.4
81	El Salvador	43.9
82	Fiji	44.4
83	Congo, (Brazzaville)	46.0
84	Bosnia & Herzegovina	46.8
85	Chad	47.1
86	Oman	48.0
	Australasia Avg	74.2
	World Avg	52.5
q=185. Also scored for 2010s.

7. Fiji's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Australasia (2025)46
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank46
1	New Zealand	18.2
2	Australia	26.8
3	Tonga	80.0
4	Fiji	82.1
5	Samoa	109.0
6	Kiribati	113.8
7	Marshall Islands	116.7
8	Nauru	123.9
9	Micronesia	124.5
10	Vanuatu	129.6
11	Tuvalu	138.6
12	Solomon Islands	149.7
13	Papua New Guinea	157.6
	Australasia Avg	105.42
q=13.

Modernity & Learning (2025)46
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank46
1	Finland	6.1
2	Iceland	8.1
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
98	Grenada	80.6
99	Morocco	81.0
100	Turkmenistan	81.7
101	Fiji	82.1
102	Trinidad & Tobago	83.1
103	Tajikistan	83.9
104	El Salvador	85.4
105	India	87.2
	World Avg	84.96
q=197.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Iceland and Denmark₄₇. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₄₇. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₄₈.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₄₉

27 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₄₇, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₄₇.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better32
Pos.		2017 Rank32
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
47	Moldova	47
48	Montenegro	48
49	Norway	49
50	Fiji	50
51	Dominica	51
52	Malaysia	52
53	Russia	53
54	St Lucia	54
	Australasia Avg	58.7
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

7.2. Education Datasets

#education

Secondary Education Higher is better50
Pos.		201850
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
64	China	78.6%
65	Belize	78.6%
66	Malta	78.2%
67	Fiji	76.9%
68	S. Africa	76.5%
69	Spain	75.8%
70	Samoa	74.5%
71	Trinidad & Tobago	73.4%
	Australasia Avg	79.3%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better51
Pos.		2021 Years51
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
63	Ukraine	15.0
64	Bolivia	14.9
65	Mexico	14.9
66	Fiji	14.7
67	St Vincent & Grenadines	14.7
68	Algeria	14.6
69	Ecuador	14.6
70	Iran	14.6
	Australasia Avg	13.4
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#the_internet

Internet Users (2020s) Higher is better
Pos.		Internet Users (2020s)
1=	Iceland	99%
1=	Kuwait	99%
1=	UAE	99%
	...
96	Mexico	77%
97	Antigua & Barbuda	76%
98	Suriname	76%
99	Fiji	75%
100	S. Africa	75%
101	Peru	74%
102	St Kitts & Nevis	74%
103	Guyana	74%
	Australasia Avg	64.0%
	World Avg	67.8%
q=188. Also scored for 1990s-2020s.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better52
Pos.		2017 Ratio52
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
169=	Cuba	0.0
169=	St Vincent & Grenadines	0.0
169=	Montenegro	0.0
169=	Libya	0.0
169=	Jamaica	0.0
169=	Fiji	0.0
169=	Jordan	0.0
169=	Barbados	0.0
	Australasia Avg	1.55
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

8. Fiji's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#charitability #culture #equality #human_development #inequality #peace

Compared to Australasia (2025)53
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank53
1	New Zealand	17.1
2	Australia	28.9
3	Samoa	79.1
4	Fiji	81.6
5	Vanuatu	82.1
6	Kiribati	82.7
7	Tonga	87.4
8	Marshall Islands	89.6
9	Solomon Islands	95.9
10	Papua New Guinea	116.6
	Australasia Avg	76.09
q=10.

Culture, Peace & Inequality (2025)53
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank53
1	Denmark	11.6
2	Finland	13.4
3	Netherlands	13.6
	...
82	Mexico	80.2
83	Guatemala	81.2
84	St Vincent & Grenadines	81.6
85	Fiji	81.6
86	China	82.0
87	Vanuatu	82.1
88	Grenada	82.3
89	El Salvador	82.4
	World Avg	81.27
q=187.

This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 32 datasets, including multiple decades of data on World Giving Index, resisting corruption, overall happiness, Creativity and Culture, passport utility (so far), Open Trading, Aid and Development, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, poverty (so far), life expectancy inequality, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.

For more, see:

• "Which are the Countries for International Contributions, Creativity, Peace and Inequality?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#corruption #internationalism #politics

Corruption Higher is better54
Pos.		2022 Points54
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
46=	Poland	55.0
46=	St Lucia	55.0
48	Costa Rica	54.0
49=	Fiji	53.0
49=	Slovakia	53.0
51=	Grenada	52.0
51=	Cyprus	52.0
51=	Greece	52.0
	Australasia Avg	55.83
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better32
Pos.		2017 Rank32
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
78	Albania	78
79	Brunei	79
80	Suriname	80
81	Fiji	81
82	Kenya	82
83	Guatemala	83
84	Cape Verde	84
85	Morocco	85
	Australasia Avg	61.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better55
Pos.		Passport Reach (2020s) Q55
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
100	Maldives	89.7
101	Nauru	89.3
102	Guyana	88.7
103	Fiji	88.5
104=	Botswana	86.8
104=	Jamaica	86.8
106	Bahrain	85.8
107	Romania	82.7
	Australasia Avg	123.4
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better32
Pos.		2017 Rank32
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
41	Marshall Islands	41
42	Malta	42
43	Morocco	43
44	Fiji	44
45	Bosnia & Herzegovina	45
46	Poland	46
47	Japan	47
48	Armenia	48
	Australasia Avg	91.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better32
Pos.		2017 Rank32
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
73	Cyprus	73
74	Jamaica	74
75	Guyana	75
76	Fiji	76
77	Iceland	77
78	Turkey	78
79	Georgia	79
80	Albania	80
	Australasia Avg	88.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better32
Pos.		2017 Rank32
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
156	Ivory Coast	156
157	St Lucia	157
158	Vietnam	158
159	Laos	159
160	Equatorial Guinea	160
161	Fiji	161
162	Tonga	162
163	Brunei	163
	Australasia Avg	103.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better56
Pos.		201956
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
111	Algeria	14.10
112	Vanuatu	14.40
113	Guatemala	14.60
114=	Fiji	14.90
114=	Trinidad & Tobago	14.90
116	Philippines	15.30
117	Iraq	15.90
118	Micronesia	16.10
	Australasia Avg	13.47
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better57
Pos.		2023 %57
1	Slovakia	24.1%58
2	Slovenia	24.3%58
3	Belarus	24.4%59
	...
33	Sweden	29.8%58
34	Nepal	30.0%60
35	Ireland	30.1%58
36=	Fiji	30.7%61
36=	Myanmar	30.7%62
36=	Austria	30.7%58
39	Uzbekistan	31.2%60
40	Cyprus	31.3%58
	Australasia Avg	34.8%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167. Also scored for 1980s-2010s.

Income inequality data is rarely available for Fiji - only for 4 years between 1980 and 2019.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

From 2010 to 2020, a mild trend continued which saw a 3% drop in the number of Hindus and a 4% increase in the number of Christians.

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₆₃:

	2010	2020
Christian	65.5%	69.5%
Hindu	27.1%	24.1%
Muslim	6.27%	5.78%
Other	0.754%	0.261%
Unaffiliated	0.255%	0.251%
Buddhist	<0.1%	<0.1%
Jewish	<0.1%	<0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Protestant 55.4% (Methodist 34.6%, Assembly of God 5.7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.9%, Anglican 0.8%, other 10.4%), Hindu 27.9%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other or unspecified 0.3%, none 0.7% (2007 census)₆₄.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems