Background: The Spaniards first explored Suriname in the 16th century, and the English then settled it in the mid-17th century. Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of African slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. The Netherlands granted the colony independence in 1975. Five years later, the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared Suriname 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 2010, when voters returned former military leader Desire BOUTERSE and his opposition coalition to power. President BOUTERSE ran unopposed in 2015 and was reelected. Opposition parties campaigned hard against BOUTERSE in the run-up to the 2020 elections, and a multi-party coalition led by Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI’s VHP and Ronnie Brunswijk’s ABOP was installed.

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

Land boundaries
Total: 1,907 km
Border countries (3): (3) Brazil 515 km; French Guiana 556 km; Guyana 836 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
Highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m
Lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
Mean elevation: 246 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 91.7% (2023 est.)
Other: 7.9% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 600 km² (2020)

Natural hazards: flooding

Geography
Note: smallest independent country on the South American continent; mostly tropical rainforest; great diversity of flora and fauna; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

Population
Total: 646,758 (2024 est.)
Male: 320,352
Female: 326,406
Distribution: population is concentrated along the northern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated
Growth rate: 1.07% (2024 est.)

Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is the native language of Creoles and much of the younger population), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
Major-language sample(s): ; Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

Religions: Protestant 23.6% (includes Evangelical 11.2%, Moravian 11.2%, Reformed 0.7%, Lutheran 0.5%), Hindu 22.3%, Roman Catholic 21.6%, Muslim 13.8%, other Christian 3.2%, Winti 1.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 1.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 3.2% (2012 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.5% (male 73,864/female 71,573)
15-64 years: 70% (male 226,417/female 226,235)
65 years and over: 7.5% (2024 est.) (male 20,071/female 28,598)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 42.9 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 32.1 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 10.8 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 9.3 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 32 years (2024 est.)
Male: 31 years
Female: 32.9 years

Population growth rate: 1.07% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 14.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: population is concentrated along the northern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated

Urbanization
Urban population: 66.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 239,000 PARAMARIBO (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 84 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 37.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 21 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 69 years
Female: 76.7 years

Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 2% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 8.8% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 6.7% (2018 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 7.4% (2024 est.); 7.7% (2023 est.); 8.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Paramaribo
Geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W
Time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name comes from the Guaraní words para (water or river) and maribo (inhabitants)

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

Legal system: civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS (since 16 July 2025)
Head of government: President Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS (since 16 July 2025)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
Election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly; president and vice president serve a 5-year term (no term limits)
Most recent election date: 6 July 2025
2025: Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA
2020: Chandrikapersad 'Chan' SANTOKHI elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA
2015: Desire Delano BOUTERSE reelected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA
Expected date of next election: 2,030
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Legislature name: National Assembly (Nationale Assemblee)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 51 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 5/25/2025
Parties elected and seats per party: National Democratic Party (NDP) (18); Progressive Reform Party (VHP) (17); National Party of Suriname (NPS) (6); General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP) (6); Other (4)
Percentage of women in chamber: 31.4%
Expected date of next election: May 2,030

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

National anthem
Title: 'God zij met ons Suriname!' (God Be With Our Suriname)
Lyrics/music: Cornelis Atses HOEKSTRA and Henry DE ZIEL/Johannes Corstianus DE PUY
History: adopted 1959; originally adapted from a Sunday-school song written in 1893; contains lyrics in both Dutch and Sranang Tongo

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 2.8% (2024 est.); 2.5% (2023 est.); 2.4% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 2.8% (2024 est.); 2.5% (2023 est.); 2.4% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 7.5% (2023 est.)
Industry: 39.9% (2023 est.)
Services: 48.3% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industries: gold mining, oil, lumber, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 2.1% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 255,500 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 7.4% (2024 est.); 7.7% (2023 est.); 8.2% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 7.4% (2024 est.); 7.7% (2023 est.); 8.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $863 million (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $1.648 billion (2019 est.)

Exports: $2.793 billion (2024 est.); $2.533 billion (2023 est.); $2.6 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: gold, fish, refined petroleum, wood, tobacco (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $2.571 billion (2024 est.); $2.203 billion (2023 est.); $2.342 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, ships, excavation machinery, trucks, tobacco (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 537,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 1.896 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 245.206 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 99% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 100%
Access electrification - rural areas: 98%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 57.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 42% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 2 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 89 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 7.173 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 6.967 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 2.521 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 2.507 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 14,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 60.896 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 129,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 989,000 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 150 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 78% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 125,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2022 est.)

Military expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2019 est.); 1.1% of GDP (2018 est.); 1.1% of GDP (2017 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2016 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

Airports: 55 (2025)

Heliports: 1 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 13 (2023)
By type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 3, other 5