After Papua New Guinea (PNG), Fiji is the second largest island nation in the Southwest
Pacific and the hub of the region. Nearly all Fiji Islanders have either Fijian or Fiji
Hindi as their first language, in roughly equal numbers, while the former colonial
language, English, with very few native speakers, has retained an important role,
particularly as medium of instruction and lingua franca. Although the Constitution
nominally gives these three languages equal status, the vernaculars, including some
minority languages, remain the main media of communication, while English dominates
in most official spheres. In spite of frequent pronouncements about the importance
of vernaculars, little planning takes place, and there is little recognition of
non-standard dialects.