Suva features a
tropical rainforest climateA tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, is a tropical climate usually found along the equator...
under the
Koppen climate classificationThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact, during all 12 months of the year, Suva receives substantial precipitation. Like many other cities with a tropical rainforest climate, temperatures are relatively constant throughout the year, with an average high of about 28°C and an average low of about 22°C.
Suva is noted for its considerable rainfall, it has a markedly higher rainfall than
NadiNadi is the third-largest conurbation in Fiji. It is located on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu, and had a population of 42,284 at the most recent census, in 2007. Nadi is multiracial with many of its inhabitants Indian or Fijian, along with a large transient population of foreign...
and the western side of
Viti LevuViti Levu is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji, the site of the nation's capital, Suva, and home to a large majority of Fiji's population.- Geography and economy :...
, 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 nowhere else before and that there was hardly a day without rain. The most copious rainfall is observed from November to May, while the slightly cooler months from June to October are considerably drier as well.
Demographics of Suva
Suva is a multiracial and multicultural city.
Indigenous FijiansFijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
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 (
EuropeansEuropean exploration and settlement of Oceania began in the 16th century, starting with Spanish landings and shipwrecks in the Marianas Islands, east of the Philippines. Subsequent rivalry between European colonial powers, trade opportunities and Christian missions drove further European...
or
Kaivalagi), Part-Europeans (of European and Fijian Descent), and
ChineseThe term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
, amongst others. The majority of expatriates working in Fiji are also based in Suva. The most widely spoken language is
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, but
FijianFijian is an Austronesian language of the Malayo-Polynesian family spoken in Fiji. It has 450,000 first-language speakers, which is less than half the population of Fiji, but another 200,000 speak it as a second language...
, Hindustani, Cantonese, and other
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n languages are also spoken by their respective communities.
| | 1986 | 1996 | 2007 | 2010 (estimate) |
| Suva City |
141,273 |
167,975 |
85,691 |
88,691 |
| Official figures from population censuses |
Municipal government
Suva has
municipalFiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces; the self-governing island of Rotuma and its dependencies lie outside any of the four divisions. Each division is headed by a Commissioner, appointed by the Fijian government...
status and is governed by a
Lord MayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and a 20-member
city councilA city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
. The Suva City Council is the municipal law-making body of the city of Suva, Fiji's capital. It consists of 20 Councillors, elected for three-year terms from four multi-member constituencies called wards. Councillors, who are elected by residents, landowners, and representatives of corporations owning or occupying ratable property in Suva, elect a Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor from among their own members; they serve one-year terms and are eligible for re-election. However, The current interim-government has reformed and restructured all municipal councils as of October, 2008 and the position of Mayor is now void. The position of Special administrator is currently in place, equivalent to that of mayor, but rather than elected, the administrator is selected by the Ministry of Local Government. Currently, Suva City's special administrator is Chandu Umaria, Former
Lord MayorThe Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
and was responsible, in his term, for many of the city's beautification works.
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
colonialThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
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 PacificThe University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...
(USP) occupies what was once a
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
militaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
base. It is the largest of the many USP campuses dotted throughout the South Pacific and the largest University in the
Pacific islandsThe Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
outside Hawai'i. It offers courses which are internationally recognized and endorsed.
The
Fiji MuseumThe Fiji Museum is a museum in Suva, Fiji located in the capital city's botanical gardens, Thurston Gardens.The museum houses an extensive archaeological collection dating back 3,700 years and relics of Fiji's indigenous cultural history...
, located in
Thurston GardensThurston Gardens are the botanical gardens of Fiji. They used to be known as the Suva Botanical Gardens but its name was changed in honour of the fifth Governor of Fiji, Sir John Bates Thurston, who was Governor from February 1888 to March 1897...
, 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 artefacts in the world, and is also a research and educational institution, specializing in archaeology, 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
sunriseSunrise is the instant at which the upper edge of the Sun appears above the horizon in the east. Sunrise should not be confused with dawn, which is the point at which the sky begins to lighten, some time before the sun itself appears, ending twilight...
and
sunsetSunset or sundown is the daily disappearance of the Sun below the horizon in the west as a result of Earth's rotation.The time of sunset is defined in astronomy as the moment the trailing edge of the Sun's disk disappears below the horizon in the west...
,
Thurston GardensThurston Gardens are the botanical gardens of Fiji. They used to be known as the Suva Botanical Gardens but its name was changed in honour of the fifth Governor of Fiji, Sir John Bates Thurston, who was Governor from February 1888 to March 1897...
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.
At the beginning of December 2009 the skyline of downtown Suva City has changed forever after the opening of TappooCity valued at $25,700,350.00 USD equality $50,000,000 FJD a joint venture 6 storey low rise building project by FNPF & Tappoo Group of Companies as Fiji's and South Pacific's largest department mall at present outside
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
&
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Construction work has begun in January 2011 for a $30 million mini-mall complex at Grantham Road behind the Sports-City Complex and close proximity to
University of the South PacificThe University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...
, which will house restaurants, retail outlets and cinemas and it is expected to complete by end of 2011.
Economy
Unlike most cities and towns in Fiji and indeed many around the world, Suva did not grow around one industry but has gradually developed as a hub and one of the largest cities in Oceania. Suva is the commercial centre of
FijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
with most
bankA bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
s having their Pacific headquarters here, including ANZ and the Westpac Bank. Most national financial institutions, non-governmental organizations and government ministries and departments are also headquartered here. At one point both
Air PacificAir Pacific Limited, Fiji's international airline, operates international and domestic services around the Pacific and to North America and Hong Kong. It is also a partner with the frequent flyer programmes of Qantas, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines...
and
Air FijiAir Fiji was an airline based in Nausori, Fiji. It operated inter-island services to destinations within the Fijian Islands. Its main base was Nausori International Airport, Suva, with a base at Nadi International Airport....
were headquartered in Suva.
A large part of Fiji's
international shippingShipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
is conducted at Suva's Kings Wharf as well as docking of international cruise ships, which has led to a growth in Suva's
tourism industryTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. Many services are provided in Suva and is the basis of Suva's industrial and commercial activity.
There are also large industrial areas, the largest being at Walu Bay, where there is a saturation of factories and warehouses and
importThe term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
and
exportThe term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
companies. This area contains many shipyards for ship building and repairs as well as container yards. There is also a
breweryA brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
and many printeries. Other notable industrial zones are located in Vatuwaqa, Raiwaqa and Laucala Beach.
There is also a large commercial and shopping scene in Suva with streets such as Cumming Street and Victoria Parade being popular. There are also many shopping complexes to visit and many markets.
Institutions
Suva is host to more international and regional intergovernmental agencies and
NGOA non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
s than any other Pacific Island capital. Some of the bodies with a presence in Suva are:
- The TRAFFIC Oceania
TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature...
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 NatureThe World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
.
- The Fiji School of Medicine
The Fiji School of Medicine is a tertiary institution based in Suva, Fiji. Originally established in 1885 as the Suva Medical School. After merger with leading institutions in 2010, FSM is now called called College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences under Fiji National University. It striving...
- which is now classed as a regional agency and a member of the Council of Regional Organisations in the PacificThe Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific is an inter-organisational consultative process which aims to prevent either overlaps, or gaps, appearing between the work-programmes of its various members....
.
- The Fiji School of Nursing.
- The University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...
which operates a campus in Suva as well as at other South Pacific locations.
- The Fiji Institute of Technology
The Fiji Institute of Technology is a university based in Fiji. Its has 4 campuses in Suva, Ba, Nadi and Labasa. It was established in 1963 to provide Technical and vocational education aimed at training students in technical disciplines to meet the engineering human resource needs of Fiji...
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 Fiji College of Advanced Learning.
- TPAF (The Training and Productivity Authority of Fiji).
- The Secretariat of the Pacific Community
The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, or SPC , is a regional intergovernmental organisation whose membership includes both nations and territories...
(SPC).
- The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental organization that aims to enhance cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific Ocean. It was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum...
.
- The South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission
The Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission is an inter-governmental regional organisation dedicated to providing services to promote sustainable development in the countries it serves.-Members:...
.
- St. John's Theological College.
- The Pacific Regional Seminary (PRS).
- The Pacific Theological College
The Pacific Theological College is an ecumenical theological college located in Suva, Fiji. Established in 1965, it opened for training in 1966 and was originally designed as the only regional institution to offer degree-level education in theology, available primarily to students from Pacific...
(PTC).
- Femmus School of Hospitality.
- Alliance Française
The Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
.
- Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
Pacific.
- UNDP Headquarters (Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, VanuatuVanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
, FijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, TongaTonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
, SamoaSamoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, Cook IslandsThe Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
, PalauPalau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
, MicronesiaMicronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
, Marshall IslandsThe Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, TuvaluTuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
, KiribatiKiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...
, NiueNiue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
, NauruNauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
).
- Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...
Headquarters Pacifc
Entertainment and Culture
Suva is Host to many regional, National and Local events and has very developed and advanced venue options.
Venues
Suva has many multipurpose venues, the main ones being:
- The Vodafone Arena - Seats 4000 - 5000 people depending on configuration.
- The TFL National Stadium
National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Suva, Fiji. It is currently used mostly for rugby league, rugby union and football matches. The stadium holds 10,000....
- Seats 30,000 people
- The Tattersalls National Gymnasium Suva - Seats 2000
- The Civic Auditorium - Seats 1000
- Albert Park - Stand-up concert and sporting venue
Parks and gardens
Suva has a number of parks and a few gardens, Albert Park, in the City centre, famous as the stage for many national-historical events such as the
IndependenceIndependence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
of
FijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Landing by
Kingsford SmithSir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith MC, AFC , often called by his nickname Smithy, was an early Australian aviator. In 1928, he earned global fame when he made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia...
on the Southern Cross and many parades and carnivals. Sukuna Park, also in the
CBDA central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
is a popular recreational park and has many performances and events on weekly schedules. The Thurston Gardens, is the city's main botanical garden and in it sits the Fiji Museum. Queen Elizabeth drive is also popular as a scenic walk along Suva's foreshore.
Music
Many concerts are held in Suva, some coming from other countries to enjoy world class performances that happen in the city. Concerts and shows are usually staged at one of the above mentioned venues on a monthly basis. Some of the famous music artists to hold shows in Suva include
UB40UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
,
Lucky DubeLucky Philip Dube was a South African reggae musician. He recorded 22 albums in Zulu, English and Afrikaans in a 25-year period and was South Africa's biggest selling reggae artist...
, O'Yaba,
Sean KingstonSean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:...
and many others. Due to a favoured interests in
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
by all some prominent singers and actors have also held shows in the capital which includes singers like
ShaanShaan , is an Indian playback singer, and television host. He hosted the shows Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs, Star Voice of India and "Star Voice of India 2"...
,
Sonu NigamSonu Nigam is an Indian playback singer whose songs have been featured in numerous Hindi movies, as well as films in Assamese, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi and Kannada language. He has also released numerous Indi-pop albums and acted in a few Hindi feature films...
,
Sunidhi ChauhanSunidhi Chauhan is an Indian playback singer, best known for her Hindi film songs in Bollywood. She has also recorded songs for Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Assamese and Gujarati films and is credited with over 2000 songs....
and movie artists like Shah Rukh Khan,
Priyanka ChopraPriyanka Chopra is an Indian actress and former Miss World. Before starting her acting career, she worked as a model and gained fame after winning the Miss World title in 2000. She is often referred to by the nickname "Piggy Chops", which was given to her by co-stars on the set of the film...
,
Johnny LeverJohn Prakasa Rao Janumala famously known as Johnny Lever is an Indian film actor and comedian. He was born to Prakash Rao Janumala and Karunamma Janumala and brought up in Mumbai. He started his career in 1984 and has acted in over 350 Bollywood films...
,
Dino MoreaDino Morea is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films and a former model.-Early life:Dino Morea was born in Bangalore to an Italian father and an Anglo Indian mother. He is the second of three brothers. Nicolo Morea is his older brother, and Santino Morea is his younger brother. His family...
,
Rajpal YadavRajpal Yadav is an Indian film actor, known for his comedy oriented roles.-Early life and education:Rajpal Yadav was born and brought up in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where he received his education.He did his college from Sardar Patel Hindu Inter College, Shahjahanpur.He played in Shahjahanpur...
and the like.
Food
Suva offers a varied and interesting culinary experience where almost every if not all major cuisines are represented. Particularly popular cuisines are
ChineseChinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
,
IndianIndian cuisine consists of thousands of regional cuisines which date back thousands of years. The dishes of India are characterised by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Indian cuisine is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society...
, Fijian and
ItalianItalian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Italian cuisine in itself takes heavy influences, including Etruscan, ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Byzantine, Jewish and Arab cuisines...
. Also at nights, especially on weekends, food stalls and outlets cater to the city's nightlife.
Festivals
During the course of the year, various arts, music and trade festivals are held in Suva, albeit on a small scale. There are a few large and notable festivals that occur annually and these include the Hibiscus Festival (Largest
carnivalCarnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
in the south pacific islands), the New Years Street Party, and the 'Fiji Show Case' a tradeshow that includes carnival rides, food as well as magic and circus performances.
Night life
Suva has a vibrant nightlife where most nightclubs and bars remain open till 4am. Suva's nightlife caters to all tastes, moods and likes. Food stalls are also open throughout the night and the city is well policed during the night. Apart from nightclubs, there are also lounges and bars that cater to those seeking low-key entertainment
Cinema
Suva has one main cinema complex, Village Six, owned by the Damodar Brothers, in downtown Suva. The Regal and Phoenix theatres, once prominent cinema/ theatre haunts before the new millennium owned by the Sharan Brothers, have since closed down.
Sports
Suva plays host to many Regional and National Sporting events. A special highlight is the Coca-Cola Games, the largest secondary school athletics meet in the world. The Capital City is represented in major sporting events by its respective
rugbyRugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
,
netballNetball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
and soccer teams.
Suva was the host of the first Pacific Games, in 1963. Forty years later in
2003The 2003 Pacific Games were held in Suva, Fiji from 28 June to 12 July 2003. They are also known as the XII South Pacific Games.The Games were the 12th Pacific Games to be held since the event's inception and were the 40th anniversary of their beginnings in 1963. It was also the third time in the...
the Games returned to Fiji's capital, with a full program of 32 sports introduced for the first time. Suva had also held the games for the second time in 1979. Having hosted the event three times, Suva have held the Pacific Games the more often than any other city.
Mass Media
Headquartered in Suva are the Two main National Television Stations, Fiji TV and
MAI TV-History:The company was founded by Richard Broadbridge in 2006 and began broadcasts in June 2008. It is full privately owned and broadcasts to 80% of the Fiji group of islands.Mai TV's head office is at Garden City Suva....
.
Sky PacificSky Pacific is a Fijian pay tv owned by Fiji Television which is a direct-to-home satellite delivered service which carries 16 pay channels to subscribers in Fiji and across the Pacific.-Channels available:...
and
Pacific Broadcasting Services FijiPacific Broadcasting Services is a company jointly owned by City West Centre Broadcasting Services and BPHCL. Its core business is to deliver satellite subscription television and radio broadcasting services to the Fiji Islands and surrounding markets, focussing on both Hindi and English speaking...
are the two pay satellite television company headquartered here. Suva is also home to the national radio stations
Fiji Broadcasting CorporationThe Fiji Broadcasting Corporation is one of the two radio broadcasters in Fiji. It was known as Fiji Broadcasting Commission when it began. It traces its history back to 1935 when it first began operating under licence from the Posts and Telegraphs Department with the call sign ZJV. At the end of...
(FBC) and Communications Fiji Limited (CFL). The two dailies, The Fiji Times and The Fiji Sun are also printed here.
Shopping and Fashion
Suva is one of the most shopper friendly cities in the Pacific. The city offers its shopping Paradise in a cluster that is referred to as Suva Central. Streets like Cumming street and Marks street for clothing, jewellery, food, electronics, pharmaceuticals and more. Terry Walk and the Flea Market offer handicrafts and local ware. Close by, huge, new shopping complexes dominate the canal area, such as MHCC, Tappoo City and Suva Central. The general outer areas of this radius are telecommunication and electronic stores, tourist favourite - Jack's and sporting gear stores.
Every year, Suva plays host to Fiji Fashion Week (FJFW) usually held in Albert Park on a week in late October. The shows offer the creations of local and overseas designers as well as shows focused on wearable art. In 2010, Fiji Fashion Week promises a bigger extravaganza with a Fashion Film Festival as well. FJFW 2010 is to be held at Boron House (A state Mansion) where the shows are to be broadcast internationally by world-renowned
Fashion TVFashion TV is an international fashion and lifestyle broadcasting television channel. It was founded in France in 1997 by its Polish-born president Michel Adam Lisowski, Fashion TV is the only 24/7 international TV network exclusively dedicated to fashion, beauty, glamour and style and has become...
.
Transportation
Nausori International AirportNausori International Airport . Also known as Luvuluvu, Nausori Airport is the second International Airport in Fiji. It is situated in Nausori on the south-Eastern side of Viti Levu...
caters mainly to the domestic market,connecting Suva with Fiji's other international airport,
Nadi International AirportNadi International Airport is the main international gateway for the islands of Fiji. It serves about 1.2 million people per year, and is the main hub of Air Pacific. The airport is 10km from the city of Nadi. In 2009 it handled 1,220,000 passengers on international and domestic...
, and also serves smaller international aircraft, at one time servicing
BrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and
SydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
routes. As of August 2010,
Air PacificAir Pacific Limited, Fiji's international airline, operates international and domestic services around the Pacific and to North America and Hong Kong. It is also a partner with the frequent flyer programmes of Qantas, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines...
will operate a twice weekly flight from Nausori International Airport to
AucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
,
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to complement its 13 weekly flights from Nadi to Auckland. It also provides services to its immediate Pacific neighbours
TongaTonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
and
TuvaluTuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
as well as the dependency of
RotumaRotuma is a Fijian dependency, consisting of Rotuma Island and nearby islets. The island group is home to a small but unique indigenous ethnic group which constitutes a recognizable minority within the population of Fiji, known as "Rotumans"...
.
Suva also has a public transport system,consisting of buses and taxis servicing the metropolitan Suva area as well as the cities of Nasinu, Nausori and Lami town. There are also bus services connecting Suva with other towns and cities on Viti levu by way of either the Kings, Queens or Princess Highways, all originating within Suva, although the latter terminates at
Rewa BridgeThe Rewa Bridge is a four lane concrete girder road bridge over the Rewa River joining Suva and Nausori in Fiji. The bridge has a length of , comprising seven internal spans of 49.5 m and end spans of 39.25 m...
in Nausori. Also for domestic ferry services from the Princess Wharf to the outer islands of Fiji as well as Vanua Levu. International Ships and Cruise Liners Dock at Suva's Kings Wharf.
Notable residents and/or people from Suva
This is a list of famous people who are either currently living in, or are originally from Suva.
- Craig Parker
Craig Parker is a New Zealand actor who was based in the United Kingdom for some time, but now resides in New Zealand. His grandfather moved from Edinburgh, Scotland to Fiji when he was stationed during his years of service in the British Army...
, notable New Zealand actor.
- Waisale Serevi
Waisale Tikoisolomoni Serevi is a former Fijian rugby union footballer, and coach. Although he played fifteen-a-side rugby throughout his playing career, Serevi is most notable for his achievements in rugby sevens....
, Fiji Rugby Team.
- Petero Civoniceva
Petero Civoniceva is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League...
(born in Suva), Australian rugby league player.
- Malakai Tuiloa, plays for the Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
.
- Semi Tadulala
Semi Tadulala is a Fijian professional rugby league football winger for English club Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. He has also played for Gloucester Rugby and Leeds Carnegie at rugby union...
, plays rugby union for Gloucester Rugby in EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Fiji in rugby union previously a rugby league player for Melbourne StormThe Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
, Bradford BullsBradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
and the Fiji national rugby league team-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
.
- Sitiveni Sivivatu
Sitiveni Waica Sivivatu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, playing on the position of a wing. He was largely successful in the 2005 Super 12 season playing for the Chiefs, and acquired a starting position in the All Blacks. He has scored 29 tries in 45 tests...
, All Black ChiefsThe Chiefs are a professional Rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Their home ground is Waikato Stadium. The Chiefs play in black, red and yellow coloured jerseys...
- Josua Koroibulu
Josua Koroibulu is a rugby league player for Milton Ulladulla. He plays for the Fiji national rugby league team.-References:...
, plays rugby league for the Fiji national rugby league team-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
.
- Lote Tuqiri, played rugby union for the Australian national rugby union team.
- Kansarji Bhindi, founder of Bhindi Jewelers
- Vinod Bhindi, CEO of Bhindi Jewelers, son of business mogul and Bhindi Jewelers founder Kansarji Bhindi
Sister cities
BeihaiBeihai is a prefecture-level city of Guangxi, China. Beihai means "north of the sea" in Chinese, signifying its status as a seaport on the north shore of the Gulf of Tonkin. Between the years 2006 and 2020, Beihai is predicted to be the world's fastest growing city...
,
GuangxiGuangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
,
People's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
TaipeiTaipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
,
TaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
BrightonBrighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
,
East SussexEast Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
,
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
External links