Editing Economy of Fiji (section)

=== Human Development Index ===

On 11 September 2005, the publication of the [[United Nations]] [[Human Development Index]] downgraded Fiji from 81st in 2004 to 92nd in 2005, behind [[Pacific Islands|Pacific]] neighbours [[Tonga]] and [[Samoa]]. Incomes had improved, the report said, with [[gross domestic product]] rising from [[Fijian dollar|F$5440]] to [[Fijian dollar|F$5880]], but other aspects of the quality of life enjoyed by Fiji Islanders had deteriorated. [[Life expectancy]] had declined from 72.9 in 2000 to 69.6 in 2004 and 67.8 in 2005, while literacy remained unchanged at 93%.

[[Joji Kotobalavu]], the chief executive of the [[Prime Minister of Fiji|Prime Minister]]'s Office, branded the report "a joke." His dismissal drew strong reaction from [[Leader of the Opposition (Fiji)|Opposition Leader]] [[Mahendra Chaudhry]], who said that whereas Kotobalavu was paid to be the Prime Minister's [[spin doctor]], the HDI report was put together by professionals who had no hidden agendas, and should therefore be taken very seriously.

Since 2005, the Human Development Index of Fiji has steadily risen from a reading of 0.687 to 0.743, just above the global median for all countries of 0.74.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fiji - Human Development Index 1980 - Present |url=https://www.maxinomics.com/fiji/human-development-index |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=Maxinomics}}</ref> As of 2020 Fiji ranked 90th out of 183 countries on the Human Development Index.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Human Development Index - Global Rankings |url=https://www.maxinomics.com/ranking/global/human-development-index |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=Maxinomics}}</ref>