Environmental Education in Fiji: Issues of Curriculum and Consumption

Abstract

Fiji is a Pacific Island nation comprising 332 islands (of which approximately 110 are inhabited) and a population of approximately 932,000. Of this number, 54.8% are Indigenous, 37.4% are ethnic Indians (descendants of people brought to the country by the British in the 1800s as indentured laborers to service the sugar industry), and 7.9% comprise other Pacific Islanders, Chinese, and individuals of mixed race (Central Intelligence Agency, 2008). Historically, the economy of Fiji relied on sugar, but in recent times this industry has declined and tourism is now the biggest sector of the country's economy. Fiji is thus heavily reliant on the tourism industry for employment and foreign exchange earnings, and the country markets itself through its culture and environment, particularly its marine environment.