Fast Facts
Plates- The Tonga Plate & The Fiji Plate
Climate Zones- Tropical
Ecosystem- Tropical Rainforests & Dry Littoral Forests
Climate- (Average) Winter months: 77 Degrees Fahrenheit Summer Months: 86 Degrees Fahrenheit
Water Cycle- Most water comes from fresh water springs and other ground water sources.
Climate Zones- Tropical
Ecosystem- Tropical Rainforests & Dry Littoral Forests
Climate- (Average) Winter months: 77 Degrees Fahrenheit Summer Months: 86 Degrees Fahrenheit
Water Cycle- Most water comes from fresh water springs and other ground water sources.
Environment Statistics
Plates- On September 14, 1953 there was a 6.75 magnitude earthquake just outside the capital city (Suva) in Fiji. Since it was so close to the coast, it triggered a tsunami that killed 8 people and destroyed several buildings, bridges, and docks. Notice on the map, there is a plate that appears to go right through Fiji. The Fijian islands were created due to many volcanic eruptions from volcanoes on the sea floor. Since Fiji is so close to a fault line, there are several volcanoes on the island itself. The 3 volcanoes (Above land) are called Taveuni, Koro, and Nabukelevu.Taveuni erupts every 60-65 years and is the smallest. Koro is extinct, and is less than 10,000 years old. Nabukelevu is very close to Suva. The plate that is near Fiji, is actually called the 'Fiji Plate'. The plates have created mountains, waterfalls, and the volcanoes. There are volcanoes underwater as well as above ground. This video is of an underwater volcano erupting in Tonga, Fiji on March 16, 2009
Climate Zones
Climate- Fiji is very tropical and warm. It usually stays between 26 and 31 degrees Celsius, which is 78 and 87 degrees Ferenheit. It rains the least in August, and the most in March. On the main land during the wet season the rainfall typically reaches between 2000 and 3000mm. Cyclones sometimes happen on the island also during the wet season. There are tropical rain forests, cloud forests, summit scrub, volcanic scrub, and tropical savannas' throughout Fiji. Fiji's climate is also key to its economic survival because of the sugar cane grown. Sugar cane is one of their main exports and brings in 250-300 million dollars every year and grows about 22% of the worlds sugar.
Water Security
12 new rain water collection tanks were installed and has given villages of the Northern Yasawas (Islands In Fiji) 255,500 liters of clean drinking water. "As a company our ethos of Building a Better World is an inherit principle that guides our business and our lives as individuals. We aspire to leave a positive, lasting impact on people and the planet," said Mike Rudge, MWH Fiji Network Manager. "What we do in the community is just as valuable as the infrastructure we build. Our commitment to Fiji is to bring about a sustained improvement to the country's national roading network. However, with no more than 150 years of expertise to provide innovative water solons. Water is the lifeblood of our communities and we are delighted to have been able to bring about a positive long-term solution for many people." (www.mwhglobal.com)
Organizations like MWH are doing everything possible to insure the presence of clean drinking water to even the most remote islands in Fiji. The abundance of rainfall will forever promise clean water for all of those who inhabit this country.
Organizations like MWH are doing everything possible to insure the presence of clean drinking water to even the most remote islands in Fiji. The abundance of rainfall will forever promise clean water for all of those who inhabit this country.
Pollution Laws
The Pollution Control Act of March 1981 was created and enforced to reduce existing pollution, protect their environment, reduce the amount of waste, and to promote better waste management. It ensures the well-being of its citizens, and aims to keep the ecosystems as clean, pure, and healthy as possible. (http://www.regjeringen.no)
Ecosystems
1,200 species of fish live in the waters around Fiji, and each one relies on the security of clean water. Thankfully Fiji has an abundant amount of water and very little pollution. There is little to no deforestation in Fiji which helps prevent soil erosion and displacement of animals. Fiji is mostly tropical rainforests and dry littoral forests.
Water Cycle
Most of the water in Fiji comes from fresh water springs. The water evaporated from the surrounding ocean and then rains out on Fiji, leaving them with more clean water because the salt is left behind. This country has a very abundant amount of water available which is beneficial to their health, economy, and even influences the climate. The ground water is very clean and rich with minerals because of the volcanic history of the island and the natural filtration that occurs when it seeps into the ground. Here is an example of the Fijian water cycle. Click on the pictures below to give you a more detailed idea of what it is showing in relevance to the Fijian water cycle.
Trade
- Trade in Fiji is great, because of its convenient location, and abundance of resources.
- Fiji's major commodity exports continue to be Sugar and Garments, with natural resources featuring prominently (Wood, Fish, Gold and Agriculture).
- Our main export markets are to a certain extent influenced by preferential trading agreements and continue to be the UK (Sugar) and Australia (Garments).
- Established trading links, low transactions costs and developed consumer markets has led to high trading levels with Australia, New Zealand and the USA.
- This is natural, given market forces, but has led to problems of over reliance.
- With increased market access to other countries now available, additional markets need to be sought, where feasible, to broaden Fiji's trading base.
- The "Look North Policy" in this respect aims to forge and strengthen trading relations with countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, China and India (http://www.foreignaffairs.gov.fj)
Natural Resourcs
Fijis natural resources include fish, timber, minerals like gold and copper, offshore oil, clothing, water, ginger, pineapples, mangos, coconut, and sugar. Nearly all of the resources created, harvested, or mined, are exported. There is an abundance of sugar, fish, timber and water available. The timber comes from the lush rain forests that are present. The sugar is grown on the drier (but still tropical) side of the island which proves better for faster growing. An abundance of water can induce root-rot. The water in Fiji is so abundant and so clean, that it is bottled and exported to places all over the world under the name 'Fiji Water'.
Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.