According to abbreviationfinder, Suva is the capital and the commercial and political center of the Fiji Islands. The Suva peninsula is located southeast of the famous Viti Levu Island and is completely surrounded by the sea. This mangrove place is full of gardens and abundant flora.
Geography
Capital and main port of Fiji, located on the southeastern coast of Viti Levu Island. Cargo and cruise ships use its natural bay. It is the headquarters of the University of the South Pacific, founded in 1968. A museum displays old Fijian war canoes and weapons. Tourism, copra and processed foods are its main industries Suva, one of the largest cities, especially for the commercial issue. It is a city that stands out for having a certain level of traffic and as you take a walk you can discover some shops to buy, hotels and others.
It is one of the most important cities in this country and also in a good part of Oceania and it is also a city where many tourists go in search of a different city to enjoy with all its charms. You can see beautiful landscapes and very close we find areas where nature is much more important.
Victoria Parade is Suva’s main street, lined with shops, banks, nightclubs and significant colonial buildings, such as the Grand Pacific Hotel and the Old Governor’s House, where the country’s President currently resides. Next to it are the Clock Tower Botanical Gardens and Thurston Gardens, the British botanist who introduced numerous species to the region.
In the grounds of these gardens you can visit the Museum of Fiji, which contains a fabulous collection of ritual instruments of the native Fijians and a complete display of the various influences of the cultures that at one time or another in history came to the island.. At the end of Victoria Parade is the harbor boardwalk, from which you can see the mountains, including Joske’s Thumb. Along the promenade of the port you reach the Municipal Market of Suva, where all kinds of fruits, vegetables and spices are sold in the midst of an authentic mixture of races. This is a good place to buy traditional Kava.
Architecture and urbanism
Architecture
Suva Central is today the tallest building in the Pacific Island region. Another well-known structure is the Suva Library, built in 1909 and financed by businessman and magnate Andrew Carnegie. The government building complex occupies what was once a mangrove swamp, which was drained in 1935 and approximately 5 km of reinforced concrete was used to cement the area so that it could support the large buildings that were to be constructed. The central building was completed in 1939 ; a new wing was completed in 1967. However, the Fijian parliament was moved to another location on Ratu Sukuna Street in 1992.
The Government House was the former residence of the colonial governors of Fiji and after its independence in 1970, that of the Governors General of Fiji. It is now the official residence of the President. Originally built in 1882, it had to be rebuilt in 1928, after serious damage after an electrical storm in 1921. The Suva campus of the University of the South Pacific (UPS) occupies what was once a New Zealand seaplane base. It is the longest of the UPS campuses found throughout the South Pacific.
Residents and Government
Today it is home to 170,000 residents. Suva has municipal status and is governed by a mayor and a twenty-member city council which is controlled by the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua party that won the majority of seats after the 2005 municipal elections in Suva. The current mayor is Ratu Peni Volavola. See population of Fiji.
Suva is a multiracial and multicultural city. Indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians, the two main ethnic groups in Fiji, make up the majority of Suva’s population, but the city’s population includes Caucasians and Chinese, among others. Most expats in Fiji are in Suva. The most widely spoken language in the city is English, but Fijian, Cantonese, and Hindustani are also spoken in certain areas of the city.
Places and Sites
Museum
The Museum of Fiji, located in Thurston Gardens, was founded in 1904 and originally housed the former city hall, but was moved to its present premises in 1954. The museum houses the most extensive collection of Fijian artifacts in the world, and is also an institution educational and research, specializing in archeology, the preservation of Fijian oral traditions, and the publication of material about the culture and language of Fiji.
Parks
If you like outdoor walks, you are in luck, Suva has 78 varied parks that reflect the natural beauty of the Fiji Islands and that will make you forget the stress that you carry. The most important are the Takashi Suzuki Garden or the Apted Park, ideal for watching the sunrise and sunset. You can also observe animals such as iguanas and parrots. Do not miss the opportunity to go trekking through the Colo-i-Suva Natural Park. Ever imagine walking trails around a mahogany forest? Well here it is possible. In addition, the park has numerous waterfalls and natural pools where you can swim for a while.
Buildings
When you head downtown you will see the old Parliamentary Building, which was built on top of the mangroves. This pyramidal construction was the scene of the coup in 2000. It is clear that you will not be able to enter since you are not a member of parliament, but you can see it from outside and take some pictures. Nearby is the University of the South Pacific, which houses an impressive library, an art gallery and the best bookstores in Fiji. The University occupies the land of what was once a New Zealand seaplane base.
