ABSTRACT
Suva is located on the south-east coast of Viti Levu in the Rewa province within the central division of Fiji. It developed as a port town under British colonial rule from the mid-1800s and became the capital of Fiji in 1882. Suva plays an important role as the main administrative, industrial and commercial centre of Fiji, and as a commercial hub for the Pacific region. Fiji’s population has become increasingly urbanised over the past half century with Suva’s growth a direct consequence of internal migration. In 2007 the city was home to 41 per cent of Fiji’s urban population and 9 per cent of the country’s total population. In recent decades, however, its population growth has declined in comparison to other urban centres, and challenges have become apparent in the administration and governance structures of the city. The patterns of development have also been complicated by broader political change in Fiji and the challenges wrought by urban poverty and environmental problems. While physical characteristics and developments in the city have been important in shaping those patterns, so too have the changing dynamics of the population and the way in which ‘Fijian citizens’ have set about forging their economic and social lives. It is this combination of factors that are of primary interest in recording Suva’s economic and social development.
