Suva is the capital and largest city of Fiji. It is located on the southeast
coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Central Division, Rewa Province, of
which it is the administrative centre. In 1877, it was decided to make Suva
the capital of Fiji when the geography of former main European settlement at
Levuka on the island of Ovalau proved too restrictive. The administration of
the colony was moved from Levuka to Suva in 1882. At the 2007 census the
city of Suva had a population of 85,691. Including independent suburbs, the
population of the Greater Suva urban area was 172,399 at the 2007 census
[not in citation given].
Physical Characteristics
Suva is the commercial and political centre of Fiji, though not necessarily
the cultural centre, and the largest urban area in the South Pacific outside
of Australia and New Zealand. It is Fiji's main port city.
Although Suva is on a peninsula, and almost surrounded by sea, the nearest
beach is 40 kilometres (25 mi) away at Pacific Harbour, and the nearby coast
is lined by mangroves. A significant part of the city centre, including the
old Parliament Buildings, is built on reclaimed mangrove swamp.
Suva is noted for its considerable rainfall, it has a markedly higher
rainfall than Nadi and the western side of Viti Levu, which is known to Suva
citizens as "the burning west". The First Governor of Fiji, Sir Aurthur
Gordon, allegedly remarked that it rained in Suva like he had seen no where
else before and that there was hardly a day without rain.
Landmarks
A well-known landmark is the Suva City Library or the Carnegie Library,
built in 1909 as well as many other colonial buildings.
The Government buildings complex sits on what was once the flowing waters of
a creek. This was drained in 1935 and over five kilometres of reinforced
concrete pilings were driven into the creek bed to support the massive
buildings to be erected. After the foundation stone was laid in 1937, the
building was completed in 1939; a new wing was completed in 1967. Parliament
however, was moved to a new complex on Ratu Sukuna Road in 1992.
Government House was formerly the residence of Fiji's colonial Governors and
following independence in 1970, Governors-General. It is now the official
residence of Fiji's President. Originally erected in 1882, it had to be
rebuilt in 1928, following its destruction by lightning in 1921.
The Suva campus of the University of the South Pacific (USP) occupies what
was once a New Zealand military base. It is the largest of the many USP
campuses dotted throughout the South Pacific and the largest University in
the Pacific islands outside Hawai'i.
The Fiji Museum, located in Thurston Gardens, was founded in 1904 and
originally occupied the old town hall, but moved to its present location in
1954. The museum houses the most extensive collection of Fijian artifacts in
the world, and is also a research and educational institution, specializing
in archeology, the preservation of Fiji's oral tradition, and the
publication of material on Fiji's language and culture.
Suva has around 78 parks, these include the new Takashi Suzuki Garden, Apted
Park at Suva Point which is a popular spot for viewing sunrise and sunset,
Thurston Gardens which was opened in 1913 and has flora from throughout the
South Pacific.
Suva also has many shopping and retail areas, notably Cumming street, which
has since colonial times, been a vibrant and colourful shopping area.
Features of these street include the original colonial buildings and narrow
roads. More modern shopping malls, such as the Suva Central Shopping Mall,
Mid-City Mall as well as the MHCC are all part of the developments to give
the city a modern and sophisticated look.
Demographics of Suva
Suva is a multiracial and multicultural city. Indigenous Fijians and
Indo-Fijians, the two principal ethnic groups of Fiji, comprise the bulk of
Suva's population, but the city is also home to the majority of Fiji's
ethnic minority populations, which include Caucasians (Europeans or
Kaivalagi), Part-Europeans (of European and Fijian Descent) and Chinese,
amongst others. The majority of expatriates working in Fiji are also based
in Suva. The most widely spoken language is English, but Fijian, Hindustani,
Cantonese, and other Indian languages are also spoken by their respective
communities.
Institutions
Suva is host to more international and regional intergovernmental agencies
and NGOs than any other Pacific Island capital. Some of the bodies with a
presence in Suva are:
* The TRAFFIC Oceania South Pacific Programme - funded by the UK Foreign and
Commonwealth Office, is located in Suva, in the offices of the WWF South
Pacific Programme. The programme assists in the implementation of CITES, but
also strengthens collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature.
* The Fiji School of Medicine - which is now classed as a regional agency
and a member of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific
* The University of the South Pacific which operates a campus in Suva as
well as at other South Pacific locations.
* The Fiji Institute of Technology which is a major polytechnic in Fiji and
caters students from many small Pacific Island nations. It also has centres
in other Fiji towns of Nadi, Ba and Labasa.
* The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)
* The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
* The South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission.
Municipal government
Suva has municipal status and is governed by a Lord Mayor and a 20-member
city council. However, The current interim-government has reformed and
restructured all municipal councils as of October, 2008 and the position of
Mayor is now void.
History
In return for a promise to pay off debts owed to the United States by the
Bauan chieftain, Seru Epenisa Cakobau, the Australian-based Polynesia
Company was granted 5000 km² of land, 575 km² of it near what was then the
village of Suva, in 1868. The original intention was to develop a cotton
farming industry, but the land and climate proved unsuitable.
Following the annexation of the Fiji Islands by the United Kingdom in 1874,
the colonial authorities decided to move the capital to Suva from Levuka in
1877. The transfer was made official in 1882. Colonel F.E. Pratt of the
Royal Engineers was appointed Surveyor-General in 1875 and designed the new
capital, assisted by W. Stephens and Colonel R.W. Stewart.
Following the promulgation of the Municipal Constitution Ordinance of 1909,
Suva acquired municipal status in 1910. The town initially comprised one
square mile; these boundaries remained intact until 1952 when the Muanikau
and Samabula wards were annexed, expanding its territory to 13 square
kilometers. In October that year, Suva was proclaimed a City - Fiji's first.
Tamavua was subsequently annexed; the most recent extension of the city
boundaries has been to incorporate the Cunningham area to the north of the
city. Urban sprawl has resulted in a number of suburbs that remain outside
of the city limits; together with the city itself, they form a metropolitan
area known as the Greater Suva Area.
The city hosted the 2003 South Pacific Games, being the third time in the
event's 40 year history that they had been held in Suva. As part of the
hosting of the event a new gymnasium and indoor sports center, swimming pool
and stadium, field hockey pitch and stands were built in the area around
Suva, funded by the government and a $16 million People's Republic of China
aid package.
Transportation
Nausori International Airport caters mainly to the domestic market, but can serve smaller international aircraft. It also has service to its immediate Pacific neighbors such as Tuvalu and Tonga.
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