Fiji Geography
The Island nation of Fiji is located in the South Western Pacific in the Tropics of the Southern Hemisphere. ( About 3000 km North-East of Australia) Midway between Vanuatu and Tonga, Fiji’s 320 Islands are scattered between the Latitudes of 12 and 21 degrees South of the Equator and Longitude of 177 degrees East to 178 degrees west. This results in the 180 degrees Meridian cutting directly through the middle of the Islands. To eliminate having two time zones, the International Date Line detours to the East so all of Fiji’s Islands are on one time zone and 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Most of Fiji’s Islands were formed by volcanic events starting around 150 million years ago and there is still some geothermal activity on the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni. The main island of Viti Levu is the largest and oldest island in the group with the major proportion of Fiji’s 826,000 people living here. (as of 2002) Much of Viti Levu’s interior consists of highlands and mountain ranges which includes Mt Tomanivi – Fiji’s highest peak at 1300 metres high. These ranges separate Eastern Viti Levu and the Capital City of Suva from the Western side where Nadi, The International Airport and most of the Island Resorts are located.
Avoiding the mountainous Interior, the main highway transport routes of Queens and Kings Road follow the coastline (which is flatter) and together, the two completely encircle the Island.
Vanua Levu and Taveuni (The Garden island) are Fiji’s second and third largest islands respectively. Both also have mountain ranges dividing them and like Viti Levu, both are covered in lush rainforest and rivers, beautiful waterfalls, reef lagoons and beaches of all types. The beaches on these major islands can be very nice but as a rule, the very best beaches and clear lagoons are found on the offshore islands which make up the remainder of Fiji’s islands.
We have only just scratched the surface of Fiji’s spectacular and exciting landscape, there is much more to be explored, and it’s all there waiting for you.
Fiji Map
Somme more readings
SAFE PASSAGE
Barrier reef passages are not man made,
they are usually caused by freshwater runoff which
prevents coral growth.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Mt Nabukelevuira on Kadavu Island is
known as King Kong Mountain and was
the site of the famous 1935 King Kong movie.
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