Together the Fiji Islands are scattered over 1,290,000 square km of the South Pacific Ocean.If every single one was counted, the isles of the Fiji archipelago would number in the thousands. However, a mere 322 are judged large enough for human habitation and of these only 106 are inhabited. This official total was obtained by counting the number of islands that exist when the tide is at 0, but tide variances may add or subtract the total number
That leaves 216 uninhabited islands, most of them prohibitively isolated or lacking fresh water.Most of the islands are volcanic, remnants of a sunken continent that stretched through Australia. This origin accounts for the mineral deposits on the main landmasses.
None of Fiji's volcanoes are presently active, though there are a few small hot springs. The two largest islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, together account for 87%; of Fiji's 18,272 square km of land. Viti Levu has 50%; of the land area and 75%; of the people, while Vanua Levu, with 30%; of the land, has 18%; of the population
The smaller islands are coral, limestone, or sand cays, with small pockets of tropical vegetation. Many islands have surrounding coral reefs and lagoons.