Map of Suriname | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and then settled by the English in the mid-17th century Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863 workers were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987 when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990 the military overthrew the civilian leadership but a democratically elected government - a four-party New Front coalition - returned to power in 1991 and has ruled since; the coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005.


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Location: Northern South America bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N 56 00 W

Map reference: South America

Area
Total: 163,820 km²
Rank: 91
Land: 156,000 km²
Water: 7,820 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries
Total: 1703 km
Border countries: (3) Brazil 593 km; French Guiana 510 km; Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
Extremes highest point: Juliana Top 1230 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 0.36%
Permanent crops: 0.06%
Other: 99.58% (2005)

Irrigated land: 510 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 122 km³ (2003)

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that for the most part is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population mostly along the coast


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Population: 481,267 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 170
Growth rate: 1.103% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 123
Below poverty line: 70% (2002 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Surinamer
Adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups: Hindustani (also known locally as 'East Indians'; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37% Creole (mixed white and black) 31% Javanese 15% 'Maroons' (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10% Amerindian 2% Chinese 2% white 1% other 2%

Languages: Dutch (official) English (widely spoken) Sranang Tongo (Surinamese sometimes called Taki-Taki is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others) Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi) Javanese

Religions: Hindu 27.4% Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian) Roman Catholic 22.8% Muslim 19.6% indigenous beliefs 5%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 27.1%
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 159,525/female 160,871)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 13,004/female 17,229) (2009 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 27.9 years
Male: 27.5 years
Female: 28.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.103% (2009 est.)
Rank: 123

Birth rate: 16.8 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 126

Death rate: 5.51 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 176

Net migration rate: -0.26 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 99

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 75% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Tropical Timber 94 Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 18.81 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 109
Male: 22.21 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 15.18 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.73 years
Rank: 97
Male: 71 years
Female: 76.65 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.99 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 130

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 2.4% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 27
People living with hivaids: 6,800 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 116
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Deaths rank: 91

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: dengue fever Mayaro virus and malaria
Water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 89.6%
Male: 92%
Female: 87.2% (2004 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 13 years (2002)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
Conventional short form: Suriname
Local long form: Republiek Suriname
Local short form: Suriname
Former: Netherlands Guiana Dutch Guiana

Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital
Name: Paramaribo
Geographic coordinates: 5 50 N 55 10 W
Time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten singular - distrikt); Brokopondo Commewijne Coronie Marowijne Nickerie Para Paramaribo Saramacca Sipaliwini Wanica

Dependent areas

Independence: 25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday: Independence Day 25 November (1975)

Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987; effective 30 October 1987

Legal system: based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN ; Vice President Ramdien SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National Assembly after two votes by a simple majority in the larger United People's Assembly (893 representatives from the national local and regional councils) for five-year terms (no term limits); election last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
Election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN reelected president; percent of vote - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 62.9% Rabin PARMESSAR 35.4% other 1.7%; note - after two votes in the parliament failed to secure a two-thirds majority for a candidate the vote then went to a special session of the United People's Assembly on 3 August 2005

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NF 39.7% NDP 22.2% VVV 13.8% A-Com 7.2% A-1 5.9% other 11.2%; seats by party - NF 23 NDP 15 VVV 5 A-Com 5 A-1 3

Judicial branch: Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court (justices are nominated for life); member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Political parties and leaders: Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Amazone Party of Suriname or APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN] Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA] Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY] Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL] Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); General Interior Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a coalition that includes A-Combination or A-Com Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 an independent business-oriented party [Winston JESSURUN] National Party Suriname or NPS [Ronald VENETIAAN] United Reform Party or VHP [Ramdien SARDJOE] Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO] Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules WIJDENBOSCH] Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN] Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA] Party for Progression Justice and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN] Pendawalima or PL [Raymond SAPOEN]); Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU [Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP [Surinder MUNGRA]; Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj PANDAY]

International organization participation: ACP Caricom FAO G-77 IADB IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDB IFAD IFRCS IHO (suspended) ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IPU ISO (subscriber) ITU ITUC LAES MIGA NAM OAS OIC OPANAL OPCW PCA UN UNASUR UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCL WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jacques Ruben Constantijn KROSS
In the us chancery: Suite 460 4,301 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 244-7,488
In the us fax: [1] (202) 244-5,878
In the us consulate general: Miami
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa Bobbie SCHREIBER HUGHES
From the us embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129 Paramaribo
From the us mailing address: US Department of State PO Box 1821 Paramaribo
From the us telephone: [597] 472-900
From the us fax: [597] 410-025

Flag description: five horizontal bands of green (top double width) white red (quadruple width) white and green (double width); there is a large yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy is dominated by the mining industry with exports of alumina gold and oil accounting for about 85% of exports and 25% of government revenues making the economy highly vulnerable to mineral price volatility. Prospects for local onshore oil production are good and a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company (Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with several Western oil companies. Bidding on these new offshore blocks was completed in July 2006. The short-term economic outlook depends on the government's ability to control inflation and on the development of projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors though investment in these projects may slow with the tightening of global credit markets. Suriname has received aid for these projects from Netherlands Belgium and the European Development Fund. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. In 2000 the government of Ronald VENETIAAN returned to office and inherited an economy with inflation of over 100% and a growing fiscal deficit. He quickly implemented an austerity program raised taxes attempted to control spending and tamed inflation. The VENETIAAN administration also has created a stabilization fund to insulate future revenue from commodity shocks. These economic policies are likely to remain in effect during VENETIAAN's third term.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 164
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 61

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 113
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10.8%
Industry: 24.4%
Services: 64.8% (2005 est.)

Agriculture products: paddy rice bananas palm kernels coconuts plantains peanuts; beef chickens; shrimp; forest products

Industries: bauxite and gold mining alumina production; oil lumbering food processing fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (1994 est.)
Rank: 33

Labor force: 165,600 (2007)
Rank: 171
By occupation agriculture: 8%
By occupation industry: 14%
By occupation services: 78% (2004)

Unemployment rate: 9.5% (2004)
Rank: 122

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 70% (2002 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $392.6 million
Expenditures: $425.9 million (2004)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.4% (2007 est.)
Rank: 110

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9.71% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 89

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $651 million (31 December 2007)
Rank: 112

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: $24 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 60

Exports: $1.391 billion (2006 est.)
Rank: 143
Commodities: alumina gold crude oil lumber shrimp and fish rice bananas
Partners: Canada 36.2% Belgium 12.5% Norway 12.4% UAE 8.9% US 7.7% (2008)

Imports: $1.297 billion (2006 est.)
Rank: 166
Commodities: capital equipment petroleum foodstuffs cotton consumer goods
Partners: US 31.2% Netherlands 15.5% Trinidad and Tobago 14.2% China 7.7% Japan 6.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $263.3 million (2006)
Rank: 142

Debt external: $504.3 million (2005 est.)
Rank: 164

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar - 2.745 (2007) 2.745 (2006) 2.7317 (2005) 2.7336 (2004) 2.6013 (2003)
Note: in January 2004 the government replaced the guilder with the Surinamese dollar tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket


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Electricity
Production: 1.605 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 140
Consumption: 1.467 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 139
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 143
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 143
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 140
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 105
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 150

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 81,500 (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 149
Mobile cellular: 416,000 (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 159

Telephone system
General assessment: international facilities are good
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceed 100 telephones per 100 persons; microwave radio relay network
International: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .sr
Hosts: 162 (2009)
Hosts rank: 193
Users: 50,000 (2008)
Users rank: 170

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Rank: 156

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); recruitment is voluntary with personnel drawn almost exclusively from the Creole community (2007)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 50 (2009)
Rank: 91
With paved runways total: 5
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 4 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 45
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 40 (2009)

Heliports

Pipelines: oil 50 km (2008)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 4,304 km
Rank: 154
Paved: 1130 km
Unpaved: 3,174 km (2003)

Waterways: 1200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2008)
Rank: 61

Merchant marine
Total: 1
Rank: 151
By type: cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals: Paramaribo Wageningen


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Disputes international: area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing