People

Population: 802 611 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34% (male 139 713; female 134 220)

15-64 years: 63% (male 251 646; female 251 425)

65 years and over: 3% (male 12 051; female 13 556) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.28% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 22.92 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 6.25 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.92 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.65 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.29 years

male: 63.92 years

female: 68.78 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.74 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Fijian(s)

adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups: Fijian 49% Indian 46% European other Pacific Islanders overseas Chinese and other 5%

Religions: Christian 52% (Methodist 37% Roman Catholic 9%) Hindu 38% Muslim 8% other 2%

note: Fijians are mainly Christian Indians are Hindu and there is a Muslim minority (1986)

Languages: English (official) Fijian Hindustani

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.6%

male: 93.8%

female: 89.3% (1995 est.)