Comprising 330 islands in the central South Pacific, Fiji’s geography has made it both a destination and migratory crossroads for centuries. Austronesian peoples are believed to have settled here some 3,500 years ago, with Melanesians following a thousand years later.In the 10th Century, the Tu’i Tonga Empire was established in Tonga, and Fiji came within its sphere of influence. This brought Polynesian customs and language to Fiji. According to legend, great chief Lutunasobasoba led his people across the seas to Fiji, where Melanesians and Polynesians mixed to create a highly developed society.In 1643, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman accidentally discovered Fiji; in 1774, English navigators, including Captain James Cook, followed. The first Europeans to land and live among the Fijians were shipwrecked sailors and runaway convicts from the Australian penal settlements.From 1879 to 1916, Indians came to work the sugar plantations. Many stayed on as independent farmers and businessmen and now comprise nearly half the population. Today, Fiji is a thriving, multi-cultural country, recognized as one of the leading island nations in the South Pacific.