important

Labasa

Fiji · Oceania

Score

Difficulty

1.00

Lit count

Verified count

Loading map…

Town and Tikina in Vanua Levu, Fiji

About Labasa

Labasa is a town in Fiji with a population of 28,500 at the 2010 census.

History

The first investment in the territory was done by the British in 1893, with the founding of the Labasa Sugar Mill. Labasa town was established back in 1922, serving the sugar cane farms and farm workers with harvesting season resulting in significant seasonal employment. The initial urbanization and economic effort in Labasa was halted temporarily by a hurricane that hit Labasa back in 1929, damaging infrastructures significantly. By the 1930s new buildings started to sprout, including the "Jagannath, Nanhu and Company". These companies had significant economic boost from the creation of the Fiji Sugar Corporation in the 1940s. The town however truly started to become more urbanized and richer from 1963 onwards, at an exponential rate.

Top travelers for this city

No verified travelers yet. Be the first to light Labasa.

Scarcity

0 travelers have lit this city.

0 are strongly verified.

Selected city attractions

No selected P0 attractions are linked to this city yet. Admins can correct city links after import.

Demographics and culture

Labasa is heavily Indo-Fijian, and downtown Labasa is consequently filled with curry houses and sari shops. It is the fourth-largest city in Fiji. Known as the Friendly North for its warm, hospitable culture, Labasa is home to the popular Festival of the Friendly North, which has run for over 40 years and has resulted in over 1.3 million in charitable projects in the region.

Economic activities

The surrounding areas of Labasa are mostly farming areas, which contribute to much of the industry in the town. The largest crop grown is sugar cane. The large Fiji Sugar Corporation-1894 sugar mill on the outskirts of Labasa town is the only such mill on the island. Recently, due to political changes and loss of overseas markets, sugar cane farming and production has been steadily decreasing. This has been reflected in the increasing migration of people to the main island of Viti Levu, in search of employment opportunities. Labasa Hospital is the referral centre for all health centres and hospital on the island of Vanua Levu, and has recently been expanded. Labasa is generally an agricultural town, off the tourist track. The Labasa Airport is located in Waiqele about 7 km from the town centre with multiple daily domestic flights to Nausori and Nadi international airports. …