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

top of page


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 coalition - returned to power in 1991. The coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005 and ruled until August 2010 when voters returned former military leader Desire BOUTERSE and his opposition coalition to power.


top of page


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

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N 56 00 W

Map reference

Area
Rank: 92
Comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation

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

Land use

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


top of page


Population: 560,157 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 170
Growth rate: 1.222% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 97
Below poverty line: 70% (2002 est.)

Nationality

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

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.222% (2012 est.)
Rank: 97

Birth rate: 17.44 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 111

Death rate: 6.17 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 159

Net migration rate: 0.96 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 56

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 69

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 143

Total fertility rate: 2.08 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 119

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.45 physicians/1000 population (2000)

Hospital bed density: 3.1 beds/1000 population (2007)

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 49
People living with hivaids: 3,700 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 123
Deaths: fewer than 200 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 103

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name

Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital

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: civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law; note - the Commissie Nieuw Surinaamse Burgerlijk Wetboek completed drafting a new civil code in February 2009

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

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: A-Combination (a coalition that includes the General Liberation and Development Party ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK] and SEEKA [Paul ABENA]); Basic Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Dilip SARDJOE]; Basic Party for Renewal and Democracy or PVF [Soedeschand JAIRAM]; Democratic Union Suriname or DUS [Japhet DIEKO]; Mega Combination Coalition (a coalition that joined with A-Combination and the PL to form a majority in Parliament in 2010 - includes the National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE] (largest party in the coalition) Progressive Worker and Farmer's Union or PALU [Jim HOK] Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA] DNP-2000 [Jules WIJDENBOSCH] Union of Brotherhood and Unity in Politics BEP [Caprino ALENDY] and New Suriname or NS [Nanan PANDAY]); National Union or NU [P. VAN LEEUWAARDE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a coalition made up of the National Party of Suriname or NPS [Runaldo VENETIAAN] United Reform Party or VHP [Ramdien SARDJOE] Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 - an independent business-oriented party [Winston JESSURUN] Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Carl BREEVELD]; Party for the Permanent Prosperity Republic Suriname or PVRS [NA]; People's Alliance Pertjaja Luhur's or PL [Paul SOMOHARDJO](includes D-21 [Soewarta MOESTADJA] and Pendawa Lima [Raymond SAPEON] which merged with PL in 2010)

International organization participation: ACP AOSIS Caricom CD CELAC FAO G-77 IADB IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IPU ISO (correspondent) ITU ITUC (NGOs) LAES MIGA NAM OAS OIC OPANAL OPCW PCA Petrocaribe UN UNASUR UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: five horizontal bands of green (top double width) white red (quadruple width) white and green (double width); a large yellow five-pointed star is centered in the red band; red stands for progress and love; green symbolizes hope and fertility; white signifies peace justice and freedom; the star represents the unity of all ethnic groups; from its yellow light the nation draws strength to bear sacrifices patiently while working toward a golden future

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


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. Economic growth which reached about 7% in 2008 owing to sizeable foreign investment in mining and oil slowed to 2.2% in 2009 as investment waned and the country earned less from its commodity exports when global prices for most commodities fell. Trade picked up boosting Suriname's economic growth about 4% per year in 2010-12 but the government's budget remained strained. Inflation rose from 1.3% in 2009 to 17.7% in 2011. In January 2011 the government devalued the currency by 20% and raised taxes to reduce the budget deficit. As a result of these measures inflation receded to 6% in 2012. 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 161

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 83

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 101

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

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

Industries

Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (1994 est.)
Rank: 50

Labor force: 165,600 (2007)
Rank: 176

Unemployment rate: 12.1% (2006)
Rank: 105

Youth unemployment

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

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -2.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 77

Taxes and other revenues: 16.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 182

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 17.7% (2011 est.)
Rank: 158

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 11.75% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 70

Stock of narrow money: $1.075 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 146

Stock of broad money: $2.033 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 148

Stock of domestic credit: $1.029 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 150

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: $251.1 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 44

Exports: $2.467 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 130
Commodities: alumina gold crude oil lumber shrimp and fish rice bananas
Partners: US 23.9% Canada 19.5% Belgium 17.2% UAE 8.9% Norway 6.2% Guyana 4.8% France 4.1% (2011)

Imports: $1.679 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 165
Commodities: capital equipment petroleum foodstuffs cotton consumer goods
Partners: US 26.1% Netherlands 15.6% UAE 8.6% China 8.2% Antigua and Barbuda 7.4% Netherlands Antilles 5.5% Brazil 4.4% Japan 4.1% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $726.8 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 134

Debt external: $504.3 million (2005 est.)
Rank: 169

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Production: 1.603 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 141
Consumption: 1.463 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 146
Exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 114
Imports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 117
Installed generating capacity: 389,000 kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 145
Generation sources fossil fuels: 51.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 154
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 155
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 48.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 43
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 171

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 16,000 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 76
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 165
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 110
Crude oil proven reserves: 72 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 78

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 7,407 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 107
Products consumption: 14,100 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 148
Products exports: 1058 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 109
Products imports: 6,430 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 146

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 177
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 183
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 128
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 112
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 180

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 2.343 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 149

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 85,500 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 150
Mobile cellular: 947,000 (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 156

Telephone system

Broadcast media: 2 state-owned TV stations; 1 state-owned radio station; multiple private radio and TV stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .sr
Hosts: 188 (2012)
Hosts rank: 202
Users: 163,000 (2009)
Users rank: 146

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures: 0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Rank: 153

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


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 47 (2012)
Rank: 93

Heliports

Pipelines: oil 50 km (2010)

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 154

Waterways: 1200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2011)
Rank: 61

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Paramaribo Wageningen


top of page


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 arbitration to resolve the longstanding 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