Most of Fiji’s financial institutions and government entities have their headquarters in its capital city.
Research website numbeo ranks Suva in the bottom fifth compared to the 250 cities evaluated on its overall quality of life index at June 2020. Suva scored poorly on index factors such as purchasing power and the ratio of property price to income. Fiji’s capital city did relatively well when comparing cost of living and traffic commute time.
Suva’s Kings Wharf is the site for the bulk of Fiji’s shipping industry.
From an international trade perspective, Fiji exported US$1 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2019. Its most valuable exported products are refined petroleum oils (20.6% of Fiji’s total exports), unsweetened mineral or aerated waters (13.2%), frozen fish (9%), gold (4.9%), sugar (4.4%), parts for transmission and reception equipment (3.7%), airplanes and helicopters (3.1%), fuel wood (2.1%), tapioca and sweet biscuits (2%) then iron or steel gas containers (1.6%) according to the International Trade Centre.
Capital Facts for Suva, Fiji: Quick Reference
Geography
Capital landmarks: Fiji Museum, Colo-I-Suva Forest Park, Suva Municipal Market, Sacred Heart Cathedral and the ANZ National Stadium
Famous People
Below, you will find 10 of the most famous people born in Suva, Fiji.
- Craig Parker, actor (born Nov. 12, 1970)
- Waisale Serevi, rugby & coach (born May 20, 1968)
- Jone Usamate, government minister (born Apr. 2, 1962)
- Harry Apted, cricket player (born Apr. 30, 1925)
- Tony Philp, Olympic windsurfer (born Jun. 14, 1969)
- Owen Sheers, poet (born Sep. 20, 1974)
- Hector Hatch, Olympic boxer (born Aug. 10, 1936)
- Nalini Krishan, actress (born Aug. 30, 1977)
- Rob Elder, Olympic archer (born Apr. 25, 1981)
- David Raikuna, rugby player (born Aug. 24, 1987)
Note: Data for our Famous People tab was sourced from Google searches mostly targeting published Wikipedia articles specific to each person’s name.
Population
Demonym for a resident of Fiji: Fijian
Population: 77,366 (Suva) at July 14, 2020
Density: 98 people per square mile (38 per square kilometer)
Population: 896,701 (Fiji) at July 14, 2020
Density: 127 people per square mile (49 per square kilometer)
Median age for all Fiji: 27.9 years old
Financial
GDP: US$10.9 billion in 2019 (Fiji)
GDP per person: $12,147
Note: The above country-level GDP metrics are on a Purchasing Power Parity basis and are in U.S. dollars. Credible city GDP statistics for Suva were unavailable.
Official currency used in Suva: Fijian dollar
Research
Research Sources:
Brookings Institution, Global Metro Monitor Report (includes GDP data).
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Australia-Oceania: Fiji.
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Major Urban Areas – Population, Central Intelligence Agency.
Demographia, World Urban Area, 12th Annual Edition.
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Databases.
International Trade Centre, Trade Map.
Numbeo, Quality of Life Index by City.
Official Government Website, Suva City Council.
Wikimedia Commons, City Flags.
Note: Some city flags were unavailable. If so, attribution belongs to Wikimedia Commons for pertinent country flags.
Wikipedia, Suva.
Wikipedia, Viti Levu.
Wikipedia, Fiji.
WorldOMeter, Fiji Population.
Fiji won its independence from the United Kingdom on October 10, 1970. Fijians celebrate independence each October 10 on the public holiday known as Fiji Day.
Suva’s city limits contain a land area measuring 790.5 square miles (2,048 square kilometers) home to an estimated 77,366 residents at July 14, 2020.
At the country level, Fiji’s population was 896,701 inhabitants living over a total 7,054 square miles (18,270 square kilometers).
Population density is less concentrated for Fiji’s capital city via an average 98 residents per square mile (38 per square kilometer).
Zooming out to Fiji’s overall land boundaries, the nation’s average population density is surprisingly higher at 127 people per square mile (49 per square kilometer).
