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Fiji Islands |
Fiji IslandsVisiting a Fiji island is a dream holiday for many travelers all around the world and this is certainly not hard to understand. The remoteness of these isolated islands creates a very special feeling that is hard to put down in words. Fiji can offer the visitor pristine wildlife, spectacular volcanoes, paradise beaches, a fascinating indigenous culture, and great waters for snorkeling and scuba diving. Fiji Island – locationThe Fiji Islands, officially known as the Republic of the Fiji Islands, is a country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The Fiji Islands are situated very far away from any mainland. If you travel from Hawaii to New Zealand, you will get to the Fiji Island after roughly two-thirds of the way. The Fiji Islands are located west of Tonga, east of Vanuatu and south of Tuvalu. The name Fiji is the old Tongan word for the archipelago, which in turn comes from the Fijians own name for their home – Viti. Fiji Island – populationThe Fiji Islands is an archipelago consisting of no less than 332 islands and 522 smaller islets, but only slightly over 100 islands are inhabited. In 2006, there were nearly 1,000,000 people living on the Fiji Islands. Over 85 percent of the population lives on Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, the two biggest islands. Fiji Island – wildlifeEach Fiji island is the result of volcanic activity and the highest peaks reach up an impressive 1,300 meters (4,250 feet) above sea level. The volcanoes are today covered in lush, tropical forest with plenty of endemic species that can be encountered nowhere else in the world. Bird watchers can for instance keep their eyes out for Fiji Woodswallow, Fiji Shrikebill, Fiji Bush-warbler, Fiji Parrotfinch, Fiji Goshhawk, Purple-capped Fruit doves and the Kadavu Honeyeater. If you visit a big Fiji island, you can expect the southern and eastern sides to be overgrown with lowland or mountain rain forest, and there will also be cloud forest to be found at higher altitudes. The northern and western sides are located in rain shadow and you can therefore find dry forest and open woodland there. Since the arrival of the Europeans, quite a lot of dry forest and open woodland have been replaced by fire-climax grasslands. The amazing Fiji wildlife is not only found above the waters edge, it is also evident for anyone who ventures down into the warm tropical water surrounds each Fiji island. The underwater ecosystem around each Fiji island holds it own unique beatify and is still far from thoroughly researched by science. Fiji Island – the International Date LineIf you want to visit the 180 degree longitude line, you can travel to the Fiji island named Taveuni or go to the remote tip of the big Fiji island named Vanua Levu. Since the International Date Line follows the 180 degree longitude line, Fiji is the first country on earth were a new date begin. This has made Fiji, and especially the Fiji island named Vanua Levu, a popular place to visit during important dates, such as New Year Eve, since Fiji residents and visitors experiences the New Year before the rest of the world.
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