Although adequate climatic h t a a r e not available i n t h e Solomon Islands it is evident from a comparison of vegetation t h a t F i j i i s some- what l e s s rainy

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³³

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F I J I ISLANDS LATJDSCAPE Edwin Doran Jr.

The two l a r g e and many smaller F i j i Islands a r e d i s t r i b u t e d over an a r e a about 300 miles square and with t h e i r l a r g e a r e a and rugged t e r - r a i n a r e r a t h e r similar t o t h e Solomons ( ~ i g .

8).

V i t i Levu, with dimen- sions of

60

by 90 miles,

i s

somewhat l a r g e r than Guadalcanal and has t h e same elevated and dissected surface (Fig. 9 ) . Vanua Levu i s similar i n shape and a r e a

to

Malaita. The c o a s t a l p l a i n s which form the most desirable sites f o r human a c t i v i t y a r e l i m i t e d i n area t o only 11$ of t h e tuo larger islands, b u t these a r e bordered by r a t h e r extensive man- grove swamps which are possibly reclaimable. Coral r e e f s f r i n g e mst c o a s t l i n e s and

are

strevn i n profusion among t h e islands.

Although adequate climatic h t a a r e not available i n t h e Solomon Islands it

is

evident from a comparison of vegetation t h a t F i j i i s some- what l e s s rainy. Considerable areas i n the west and northwest of both V i t i kvu and V a n u a Levu receive l e s s than 70 inches per year. It i s probable t h a t few i f any areas i n t h e l a r g e r Solomon Islands receive so l i t t l e . The eastern and higher p a r t s of F i j i , of course, have r a i n f a l l averages over 100 inches i n most places, and Suva once recorded

37

inches f a l l i n g during a 13-hour

storm.

The lower q u a n t i t i e s i n the western parts of t h e l a r g e iislands and a marked dry season a r e notable a s s e t s since these a l s o are requirements f o r growing sugar cane, by f a r the m a t important contribution t o F i j i a n econoqv.

The d i s t r i b u t i o n of p r e c i p i t a t i o n i s c l o s e l y mirrored i n the d i s t r i b u t i o n of vegetation with marked c o n t r a s t s b t w e e n the dense and l u x u r i a n t r a i n f o r e s t of e a s t e r n V i t i Levu and t h e grassy h i l l s and f i e l d s of sugar cane i n the western part of the island.

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³⁴

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The approximate equivslence i n numbers between native F i j i a n s and the descendants of indentured Indian laborers i s w e l l known. DDminance of

sugar

cane a g r i c u l t u r e by the l a t t e r , while l a n d i s owned f o r the most p a r t by c o m m a 1 groups of the former has long been a d i f f i c u l t s i t u a t i o n . Problems a r i s i n g f m m these r e l a t i o n s h i p s are examined in t h e discourse which follows.

6'

B

Yosawo

p'

^Group

UV

Vonua L e v u Taveuni

0 _{L a u} G r o u p a

D

F I J I I S L A N D S

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,.