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.

Currently, the head of state of Fiji is the president of the republic, appointed by the Parliament for a three-year term under the terms of the Constitution of 2013.^[1]

The current president is Ratu Wiliame Katonivere. He was elected on 22 October 2021,^[2] and sworn in on 12 November 2021.^[3]

The current president-elect is Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu. He was elected on 31 October 2024,^[4]^[5] and will be sworn in on 11 November 2024.^[4]

Tui Viti (King of Fiji) (1871–1874)

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Seru Epenisa Cakobau	c. 1815 – 1 February 1883 (aged c. 67–68)	5 June 1871	10 October 1874	Son of Tanoa Visawaqa

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 recognised 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. From 1874 to 1970, the British monarch was Fiji's formal head of state.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family
Victoria	(1819-05-24)24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901(1901-01-22) (aged 81)	10 October 1874	22 January 1901		Hanover
Edward VII	(1841-11-09)9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910(1910-05-06) (aged 68)	22 January 1901	6 May 1910	Son of Victoria	Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
George V	(1865-06-03)3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936(1936-01-20) (aged 70)	6 May 1910	20 January 1936	Son of Edward VII	Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (until 1917) Windsor (from 1917)
Edward VIII	(1894-06-23)23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972(1972-05-28) (aged 77)	20 January 1936	11 December 1936 (abdicated)	Son of George V	Windsor
George VI	(1895-12-14)14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952(1952-02-06) (aged 56)	11 December 1936	6 February 1952	Son of George V	Windsor
Elizabeth II	(1926-04-21)21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022(2022-09-08) (aged 96)	6 February 1952	10 October 1970	Daughter of George VI	Windsor

Governors

The British monarch was represented by a governor, who acted on the advice of the British government.

Queen of Fiji (1970–1987)

Fiji became an independent Commonwealth realm on 10 October 1970,^[6] and Elizabeth II assumed the role of Queen of Fiji.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Elizabeth II	(1926-04-21)21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022(2022-09-08) (aged 96)	10 October 1970	6 October 1987 (deposed)	Daughter of George VI	Windsor

Governors-general

The Queen of Fiji was represented by a governor-general, who acted on the advice of the Fijian government.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Monarch (Reign)
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Monarch (Reign)
1		Sir Robert Sidney Foster (1913–2005)	10 October 1970	13 January 1973	2 years, 95 days	Elizabeth II
2		Ratu Sir George Cakobau (1912–1989)	13 January 1973	12 February 1983	10 years, 30 days
3		Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau (1918–1993)	12 February 1983	6 October 1987	4 years, 236 days

Presidents (1987–present)

Fiji was proclaimed a republic on 7 October 1987,^[7] upon the deposition of the Fijian monarchy following two military coups.

President	Took office	Left office	Time in office		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)	16 December 1993 Acting until 18 January 1994	29 May 2000	6 years, 165 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)	30 July 2009 Acting until 5 November 2009	12 November 2015	6 years, 105 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	2 years, 355 days	People's Alliance (FijiFirst 2021–24)	2021	Bainimarama Rabuka
Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu (born 1953) President-elect	Set to assume office on 11 November 2024		−10 days	People's Alliance	2024	Rabuka

Timeline

References

^ "Constitution of the Republic of Fiji" (PDF). 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015.
^ "Ratu Wiliame is Fiji's new Head of State". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
^ "New President sworn in". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b Apenisa Waqairadovu (31 October 2024). "Ratu Naiqama appointed President". FBC News. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
^ "Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu is new President of Fiji after getting 37 votes in parliament". Fiji Village. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
^ Robert Trumbull (10 October 1970). "Fiji Raises the Flag of Independence After 96 Years of Rule by British". New York Times. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
^ "FIJI COUP LEADER DECLARES REPUBLIC". New York Times. Associated Press. 7 October 1987. Retrieved 13 August 2022.

[const-1] "Constitution of the Republic of Fiji" (PDF). 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015.

[2] "Ratu Wiliame is Fiji's new Head of State". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 October 2021.

[3] "New President sworn in". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 November 2021.

[FBCResults-4] Apenisa Waqairadovu (31 October 2024). "Ratu Naiqama appointed President". FBC News. Retrieved 31 October 2024.

[:2-5] "Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu is new President of Fiji after getting 37 votes in parliament". Fiji Village. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.

[6] Robert Trumbull (10 October 1970). "Fiji Raises the Flag of Independence After 96 Years of Rule by British". New York Times. Retrieved 15 August 2022.

[7] "FIJI COUP LEADER DECLARES REPUBLIC". New York Times. Associated Press. 7 October 1987. Retrieved 13 August 2022.

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v t e Heads of state of Fiji
Queen (1970–1987)	Elizabeth II
President (from 1987)	Rabuka§ Ganilau Mara Bainimarama§ Iloilo Bainimarama§ Iloilo Nailatikau Konrote Katonivere Lalabalavu (Elect)
§Head of the military regime