Fiji’s colonial administration officially transferred from Levuka to Suva in 1882.
The move followed Fiji’s 1874 cession to the United Kingdom. Colonial authorities began shifting the capital from Levuka, on the island of Ovalau, to Suva on Viti Levu because Levuka was cramped between steep hills and the sea, leaving little room for expansion. Suva offered more space for government offices, roads and a growing port.
A common source of confusion is the year 1877. That was when colonial authorities decided to move the capital and began the practical relocation. The administrative transfer became official in 1882, making that the best answer to a question asking when the administration transferred.
Suva later became Fiji’s first incorporated municipality in 1910. Today it is the country’s political and commercial centre, while Levuka is remembered for its well-preserved colonial townscape and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013.