Fiji

Last week it was really sunny and warm here in England, a proper summer. Now it's back to the usual rain and cooler weather, meh :/ I wouldn't want it to be super hot all the time, but I still wouldn't mind a bit more sunshine and warm days when I could go outside in a t-shirt. :P

Those warm days also make me dream of spending time on a beach. English beaches aren't quite like the tropical paradise on the card below, though :P It really does look like the end of a perfect day, I wouldn't mind visiting somewhere like that! I'm really excited to have my first postcard received from Fiji, too - thanks a million Keith!

Fiji is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about 2,000 km northeast of New Zealand's North Island. Its closest neighbours are Vanuatu to the west, France's New Caledonia to the southwest, New Zealand's Kermadec to the southeast, Tonga to the east, the Samoas, France's Wallis and Futuna to the northeast and Tuvalu to the north.

The majority of Fiji's islands were formed through volcanic activity started around 150 million years ago. Today, some geothermal activity still occurs on the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni. Fiji has been inhabited since the second millennium BC. The country comprises an archipelago of more than 332 islands, of which 110 are permanently inhabited, and more than 500 islets, amounting to a total land area of circa 18,300 square kilometres. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for 87% of the population of almost 850,000. The former contains Suva, the capital and largest city. Most of Fijians live on Viti Levu's coasts, either in Suva or in smaller urban centres. Viti Levu's interior is sparsely inhabited due to its terrain.

 Because of the abundance of forest, mineral, and fish resources, Fiji is one of the most developed economies in the Pacific island realm. Today, the main sources of foreign exchange are its tourist industry and sugar exports. The country's currency is the Fijian dollar.