List of heads of state of Fiji
This article lists the heads of state of Fiji, from the establishment of the Kingdom of Fiji in 1871 to the present day.
Tui Viti (King of Fiji) (1871–1874)
- Seru Epenisa Cakobau (5 June 1871 – 10 October 1874) (ceded Fiji to the United Kingdom)
Note that Cakobau had been the Vunivalu (Warlord/Paramount Chief) of Bau since 1852. He had long styled himself the Tui Viti (King of Fiji), but had not been recognized as such by other chiefs, and he exercised no direct authority outside his domain of Bau until he united the country under his leadership in 1871. His ancestors, going back as far as 1770, have often – erroneously – been listed as "Kings" of Fiji.
British period (1874–1970)
On 10 October 1874, Cakobau signed the Deed of Cession, that granted the British Empire sovereignty over the islands in 1874. From 1874 to 1970, the British Monarch was Fiji's formal head of state.
- Queen Victoria (10 October 1874 – 22 January 1901)
- King Edward VII (22 January 1901 – 6 May 1910)
- King George V (6 May 1910 – 20 January 1936)
- King Edward VIII (20 January 1936 – 11 December 1936)
- King George VI (11 December 1936 – 6 February 1952)
- Queen Elizabeth II (6 February 1952 – 10 October 1970)
Queen of Fiji (1970–1987)
In 1970, Fiji became an independent realm of the Commonwealth, and Queen Elizabeth II, assumed the role of Queen of Fiji.
- Queen Elizabeth II held the title of Queen of Fiji (10 October 1970 – 6 October 1987)†
†Ousted following military coup and proclamation of Republic.
Governors-General (1970–1987)
The Queen of Fiji was represented by a governor-general, who acted on the advice of the Fijian government.
Governor-General of Fiji | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Name (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Tenure | Monarch | |
Took office | Left office | ||||
Dominion of Fiji | |||||
1. | Sir Robert Sidney Foster (1913–2005) |
10 October 1970 | 13 January 1973 | ||
2. | Ratu Sir George Cakobau (1912–1989) |
13 January 1973 | 12 February 1983 | ||
3. | Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau (1918–1993) |
12 February 1983 | 6 October 1987 |
Presidents (1987–present)
Fiji was proclaimed a republic on 7 October 1987, upon the abdication of Queen Elizabeth II following two military coups. Major-General Sitiveni Rabuka, who had masterminded the coups, formed an interim administration, exercising the powers of the presidency but without taking the title, styling himself Head of the Interim Military Government instead. On 5 December that year, the last Governor General, Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, was appointed the first president. Ganilau served as president until 15 December 1993, when he died in office. He was succeeded by Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.
In the constitutional upheaval of 2000, following the forced resignation of President Mara on 29 May, Commodore Frank Bainimarama styled himself Head of the Interim Military Government (as had Rabuka in 1987), until Ratu Josefa Iloilo was appointed president on 13 July 2000. On 5 December 2006, Commodore Frank Bainimarama deposed the Fijian Government and President Iloilo and again become Head of the Interim Military Government. On 4 January 2007 Iloilo was restored to presidency, and remain president until 30 July 2009, when he retired and Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Nailatikau become acting president. On 5 November 2009, Nailatikau was sworn in as president.
List of presidents of Fiji
Portrait | President | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Election | Prime minister(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Major general Sitiveni Rabuka (born 1948) Acting Head of the Interim Military Government | 7 October 1987 | 5 December 1987 | 59 days | RFMF | — | — | ||
Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau (1918–1993) | 5 December 1987 | 15 December 1993 † | 6 years, 10 days | Independent | 1987 | Mara Rabuka | ||
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (1920–2004) Acting | 16 December 1993 | 18 January 1994 | 33 days | Independent | — | Rabuka | ||
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (1920–2004) | 18 January 1994 | 29 May 2000 | 6 years, 132 days | Independent | 1994 | Rabuka Chaudhry Momoedonu | ||
Commodore Frank Bainimarama (born 1954) Acting Head of the Interim Military Government | 29 May 2000 | 13 July 2000 | 45 days | RFMF | — | Qarase | ||
Ratu Josefa Iloilo (1920–2011) | 13 July 2000 | 5 December 2006 | 6 years, 145 days | Independent | 2000 2006 | Qarase Momoedonu Qarase | ||
Commodore Frank Bainimarama (born 1954) Acting Head of the Interim Military Government | 5 December 2006 | 4 January 2007 | 30 days | RFMF | — | Senilagakali | ||
Ratu Josefa Iloilo (1920–2011) | 4 January 2007 | 30 July 2009 | 2 years, 207 days | Independent | — | Bainimarama | ||
Ratu Brigadier general (Rtd) Epeli Nailatikau (born 1941) Acting | 30 July 2009 | 5 November 2009 | 98 days | Independent | — | Bainimarama | ||
Ratu Brigadier general (Rtd) Epeli Nailatikau (born 1941) | 5 November 2009 | 12 November 2015 | 6 years, 7 days | Independent | 2009 | Bainimarama | ||
Major general (Rtd) Jioji Konrote (born 1947) | 12 November 2015 | 12 November 2021 | 6 years | FijiFirst | 2015 2018 | Bainimarama | ||
Ratu Wiliame Katonivere (born 1964) | 12 November 2021 | Incumbent | 172 days | FijiFirst | 2021 | Bainimarama |