Introduction
Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is situated in the South Pacific Ocean about 1300 miles north of New Zealand, with the coordinates 18º00’S, 175º00E. It is an archipelago that consists of over 322 islands surrounding the Koro Sea. The 100 inhabited islands total up to a population of 823,000, and 87% of these live on the two largest islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Until 1877, the capital was Levuka but this was changed because the high cliffs around the city made expansion difficult. Now, Fiji’s capital city, also the largest, is Suva which is located on the south-east of the country on the island of Viti Levu.
Before the 18th to 19th century, indigenous tribes like the Australian aboriginals inhabited the islands. Then Fiji became colonialized by the British hence the lookalike of the British flag on the Fijian flag.
Its economy is stable, with a gross domestic product equivalent to $3560 US dollars per capita. However, the main source of income in Fiji is tourism. In 2010 alone, $525 million US dollars were earned in the tourism industry, and the number increased to $578 in the next year.
In this issue, we will be discussing the importance of ecotourism, and not only the positive effects but the negative impacts that it brings to the environment, tourists, and local citizens of Fiji.
Attractions
Kula Eco Park
Navua River
Fiji Museum
Thurston Gardens
Bouma National Heritage Park
Garden of the Sleeping Giant
Savusavu
Mount Tomanivi
Rainbow Reef
In this issue...