The Associated Programme on Flood Management, Integrated Flood Management, Case Study, Fiji Islands: Flood Management - Rewa River Basin, January 2004
World Meteorology Organisation & Global Water Partnership
2004
The Fiji Islands comprise of over 300 islands, 109 of which are permanently inhabited. The majority of these islands lie between longitudes 1760 50E and 1780 W and latitudes 160 S and 200 S (Fig 1). The total land area of 18 272 km2 is dispersed in territorial waters of 141 800 km2. The two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu support majority of the population of 775,0772. All major economic activities are based on these two islands. The islands are of volcanic origin and rise to an elevation of over 1000m asl with perennial rivers and streams. The eastern windward side supports a natural tropical rainforest and the drier leeward side is extensively cultivated with sugarcane and pine forest.