Abstract
FIJI IS a small island nation consisting of over 300 islands scattered over 850 kilometers (528 miles) in the South Pacific Ocean. It is where Melanesia and Polynesia meet. The capital of Fiji is Suva, on the largest island of Viti Levu (see Figure 1). According to the latest government census (2007), Fiji has a population of 827,900, with 473,983 (57%) of indigenous Fijian descent and 311,591 (37%) of Indo-Fijian descent (Fiji Islands Statistics Bureau, 2007). The number of deaf people living in Fiji is not yet determined but is assumed to be approximately 2,000 (Nelson, 2007). Fiji lies to the north of New Zealand and northeast of Australia, and these two developed countries have played a large part in the story of the Deaf community and its language.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | International Perspectives on Sign Language Interpreter Education |
| Editors | Jemina Napier |
| Place of Publication | Washington, DC |
| Publisher | Gallaudet University Press |
| Pages | 171-189 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| ISBN (Print) | 156368411X, 9781563684111 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |