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Tapanahony River, near Palumeu airport, Sipaliwini District, Suriname
Tapanahony River, near Palumeu airport, Sipaliwini District in southern Suriname.
Image: Rob Oo
 

___ Suriname

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Flag of Suriname
Location map of Suriname. Where in South America is Suriname?
Location map of Suriname


Destination Suriname, a virtual guide to former Dutch Guiana. Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean in north, French Guiana in east, Guyana in west, and Brazil in south.


The smallest sovereign country in South America covers an area of 163,820 km², compared Suriname is still about four times the size of the Netherlands, or slightly larger than the U.S. state of Georgia.

Suriname is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the Americas, it has a population of 580,000 people (2015), most of them live in the coastal regions. Capital and largest city is Paramaribo, spoken languages are Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (a native Creole language and lingua franca), and Caribbean Hindustani.




Republic of Suriname | Republiek Suriname


Country Profile



Background:
Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of African slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. The country gained independence from The Netherlands in 1975. Many Dutch settlers did not trust an independent Suriname and fled to The Netherlands. In 1980 the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic.

It continued to rule through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally brought about a democratic election.

In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a democratically elected government returned to power in 1991.

The coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005 and ruled until August 2010, when voters returned former military strongman Dési Bouterse and his opposition coalition to power. President Bouterse was reelected unopposed in 2015.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)

related countries: The Netherlands

 

Official Name:
Republiek Suriname
short form: Suriname
int'l long form: Republic of Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

ISO Country Code: sr

Time:
Local Time = UTC -3h
Actual Time: Tue-Dec-10  17:38

Country Calling Code: +597

Capital City: Paramaribo (pop. 250 000)

Other Cities: Nieuw Nickerie, Moengo.

Government:
Type: Constitutional democracy.
Constitution: 30 September 1987.
Independence: 25 November 1975.

Geography:
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana.
Area: 163,820 km² (63,251 sq. mi.)
Terrain: Varies from coastal swamps to savanna to hills.

Climate: Tropical; moderated by trade winds.

People:
Nationality: Noun--Surinamer(s). Adjective--Surinamese.
Population: 580,000 (in 2015)
Ethnic groups: Hindustani (East Indian) 37%, Creole 31%, Javanese 15%, Bush Negro 10%, Amerindians 3%, Chinese 1.7% (percentages date from 1972 census, the last in which ethnicity data was collected).
Religions: Hindu, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Dutch Reformed, Moravian, several other Christian denominations, Jewish, Baha'i.
Languages: Dutch (official), English, Sranan Tongo (Creole language), Hindustani, Javanese.
Literacy: 90%

Natural resources: Timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore.

Agriculture products: Paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp.

Industries: Bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing.

Exports - commodities: aluminium oxide, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas.

Exports partners: Switzerland 21.8%, UAE 14.5%, India 13.9%, Belgium 9.7%, US 8.9%, France 8.1%, Canada 6.6% (2015)

Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods.

Imports partners: US 26.8%, Netherlands 14.3%, China 12.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.4%, Japan 4.8% (2015)

Currency: Surinamese Guilder (SRG)


Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

Official Sites of Suriname


Government of Suriname
The Government of Suriname website (in Dutch)

Kabinet van de President van Suriname
Cabinet of the President of Suriname (in Dutch)

Suriname Ministry of Transport, Communication and Tourism
Official site of the ministry (in Dutch)


Diplomatic Missions
The Suriname Consulate
Miami, USA
Suriname Mission to the UN
Permanent Mission of Suriname to the United Nations
Embassy of the Republic of Suriname in the U.S.
Washington, DC.
Foreign Embassies in Suriname
Address list of embassies in Suriname.

Statistics
Algemeen Bureau voor de Statistiek
Suriname in figures.


Maps

 Map of Suriname
Political Map of Suriname.
 Administrative Map of Suriname
Map of Suriname showing its administrative divisions.

Google Earth Google Earth Suriname
Searchable map and satellite view of Suriname.
Google Earth Google Earth Paramaribo
Searchable map and satellite view of Suriname's capital city.

Map of South America
Reference map of South America.


Amazon jungle with Mount Volzburg, Suriname
Amazon jungle, a pristine rainforest around Mount Voltzberg, the 245 m high granite monolith, one of several granite domes which shape the landscape in this part of Sipaliwini district in central south Suriname.
Image: David Evers

News

Dagblad Suriname
With Surinam News (in Dutch)
De Ware Tijd
Surinam Newspaper (in Dutch)
De West
Suriname News (in Dutch)
ParboComNews
Surinam News
 

Bookmark/share this page
Instagram

Arts & Culture

Surifesta
Site about the end of the year and New Year's festivities "Owruyari"
 

Business & Economy

Centrale Bank van Suriname
Suriname's Central Bank (in Dutch)

Suriname Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Eendeavors business opportunities and economic growth in Suriname

Suriname Products
Djogo Bier

Transportation
__Airline
Surinam Airways
Flying on Trusted Wings.

__Bus
Le Grand Baldew
Serves Paramaribo and the entire roadnet of Suriname.
 
 
Travel and Tour Consumer Information


Destination Suriname - Travel and Tour Guides


Discover Suriname: Trekking and Jungle Adventures, Old Plantations, New Amsterdam, Paramaribo, accommodation, hotels, attractions, festivals, events, tourist boards, biking, cruising, diving, trekking tours and much more.

The Suriname Tourism Foundation
Tourism Information on Suriname.  

GoSuriname.net
Suriname travel and tourism information site (in Dutch).
Home page for Suriname
Comprehensive Information on Suriname.
Suriname.net
Surriname portal site.
 

Education

Anton de Kom Universiteit van Suriname
The University of Suriname started in 1968 and it offers studies in the fields of social, technological and medical sciences.
 
 

Environment & Nature

Foundation for Nature Conservation in Suriname
STINASU contributes to the protection of Suriname's natural resources and cultural heritage.
The Tropical Rainforest in Suriname
A virtual tour through the rainforest in Suriname.
Suriname Eco-Destination of the Caribbean
Site offers some information on Suriname's environment.
WWF Guianas
WWF-Guianas, part of the global WWF family, is working to protect the forests, freshwaters and coasts of the Guianas (French Guiana, Suriname, and Guyana).
 
 

History

The history of Suriname
Brief history of Suriname.
Suriname het land en de geschiedenis
History of Suriname (in Dutch).
Suriname History
Brief overview of Suriname's history.
Surinam History
Introduction to Suriname's History by Surinam Net.
 
 

Issues Suriname


Moiwana'86
Human Rights Organization Suriname (M86) founded to to the promote and to protect human rights in Suriname.
Suriname's Political Theatre
Short list of persons who's activities, in one way or the other, have some influence on Suriname's politics.
 

Search

Suriname Info
Surinam Index.
Surinam Net
Surinam search engine & dirctory.
suriname.pagina.nl
Suriname links (in Dutch)


Additional Information on Suriname

BBC News Country Profile: Suriname
Suriname - LANIC
Latin American Network Information Center on Suriname
Background Notes: Suriname

Open Directory Project: Suriname
Wikipedia: Suriname
The World Factbook -- Suriname
 
 Support UNICEF

Other countries of South America:
Argentina | Bolivia | Brazil | Chile | Colombia | Ecuador | French Guiana | Guyana
Paraguay | Peru | Uruguay | Venezuela

Other Countries of Middle and Central America:
Belize | Costa Rica | El Salvador | Guatemala | Honduras | Mexico | Nicaragua | Panama
 
 
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