Suriname

Republic of SurinameRepubliek Suriname

republicIndependence 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Suriname as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalParamaribo

Area163,270 km2

LocationNorthern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between French

Populationas each edition published it

416,321 people July 1993 est. · 396,813 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.54% 1993 est. · 1.04% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

69.14 years 1993 est. · 72.7 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.85 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

32.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 40 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,300 1991 est. · $19,400 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

-2.5% 1991 est. · 2.8% in 2025

Geography

Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between French | Guiana and Guyana

13 fields

Land useshare of 163,270 km2

meadows and pastures 0%forest and woodland 97%other 3%arable land 0% in all · permanent crops 0% in all · irrigated 590 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

163,270km2

land area: 161,470 km2comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia

Coastline

386km

exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

1,707km

total · Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Location

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

Map references

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa);
claims area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)

Terrain

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Natural resources

timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp, bauxite, iron ore, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold

People

14 fields

Population

416,321

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.54% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

25.85Death

6.1Net migration

-4.33

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years69.14

66.65 · 71.76

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy95%

95% · 95%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Ethnic divisions

Hindustani (East Indian) 37%Creole (black and mixed) 31%Javanese 15.3%Bush black 10.3%Amerindian 2.6%Chinese 1.7%Europeans 1%other 1.1%

Religions

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

Labor force

104,000

(1984)by occupation: NA

Infant mortality rate

32.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Surinamer(s)
adjective:: Surinamese

Dutch (official), English widely spoken, Sranan Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki) is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others, Hindi Suriname Hindustani (a variant of Bhoqpuri), Javanese

Government

Republic

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

80%

elected by the National Assembly - Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) (645 votes) 80%Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) (115 votes) 14%Hans PRADE (DA '91) (49 votes) 6%

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form:: Suriname
local long form:: Republiek Suriname
local short form:: Suriname
former:: Netherlands Guiana Dutch Guiana

Digraph

Type

republic

Capital

Paramaribo

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Constitution

ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Political parties and leaders

The New Front (NF), leader NA, a coalition of four parties (NPS, VHP, KTPI, SPA);
Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath LACHMON;
National Party of Suriname (NPS), Ronald VENETIAAN;
Party of National Unity and Solidarity (KTPI), Willy SOEMITA;
Suriname Labor Party (SPA) Fred DARBY;
Democratic Alternative '91 (DA '91), Winston JESSURUN, a coalition of four parties (AF, HPP, Pendawa Lima, BEP) formed in January 1991;
Alternative Forum (AF), Gerard BRUNINGS, Winston JESSURUN;
Reformed Progressive Party (HPP), Panalal PARMESSAR;
Party for Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP), Cipriano ALLENDY;
Pendawa Lima, Marsha JAMIN;
National Democratic Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE;
Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS, chairman;
National Republic Party (PNR), Robin RAVALES

Other political or pressure groups

Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA), Ronnie BRUNSWIJK, Johan "Castro" WALLY;
Union for Liberation and Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG;
Saramaccaner Bosneger Angula Movement, Carlos MAASSI;
Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement, Leendert ADAMS;
Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

President:: last held 6 September 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996);
results - elected by the National Assembly - Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) 80% (645 votes), Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) 14% (115 votes), Hans PRADE (DA '91) 6% (49 votes)
National Assembly:: last held 25 May 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996);
results - percent of vote NA;
seats - (51 total) NF 30, NDP 10, DA '91 9, Independent 2

Executive branch

president, vice president and prime minister, Cabinet of Ministers, Council of State;
note - Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains significant power

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Ronald R. VENETIAAN (since 16 September 1991); Vice President and Prime Minister Jules R. AJODHIA (since 16 September 1991)

Member of

ACP, CARICOM (observer), ECLAC, FAO, GATT, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT
chancery:: Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: (202) 244-7488 or 7490 through 7492
consulate general:: Miami

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador John (Jack) P. LEONARD
embassy:: Dr. Sophie Redmonstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address:: P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo
telephone:: [597] 472900, 477881, or 476459
FAX:: [597] 410025

Flag

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

Economy

The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for 15% of | GDP and about 70% of export earnings.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$3,300

(1991 est.)

Real growth rate

-2.5%

(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -5.0% (1991 est.); accounts for 27% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

26%

(1991)

Unemployment rate

16.5%

(1990)

Budget

Revenues

$466 millionExpenditures

$716 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $123 million (1989 est.)

Overview

The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for 15% of GDP and about 70% of export earnings. The economy has been in trouble since the Dutch ended development aid in 1982. A drop in world bauxite prices which started in the late 1970s and continued until late 1986 was followed by the outbreak of a guerrilla insurgency in the interior that crippled the important bauxite sector.

Although the insurgency has since ebbed and the bauxite sector recovered, a military coup in December 1990 reflected continued political instability and deterred investment and economic reform. High inflation, high unemployment, widespread black market activity, and hard currency shortfalls continue to mark the economy.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.35 billion (1991 est.)

Exports

$417 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
partners:: Norway 36%, Netherlands 28%, US 11%, Japan 7%, Brazil 5%, UK 5% (1989)

Imports

$514 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods
partners:: US 41%, Netherlands 24%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Brazil 4% (1989)

External debt

$138 million (1990 est.)

Electricity

458,000 kW capacity; 2,018 million kWh produced, 4,920 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing, fishing

Agriculture

accounts for 10.4% of GDP and 25% of export earnings;
paddy rice planted on 85% of arable land and represents 60% of total farm output;
other products - bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts, beef, chicken;
shrimp and forestry products of increasing importance;
self-sufficient in most foods

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion

Currency

1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1 - 1.7850 (fixed rate until October 1992), 25.04 (January 1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

7 fields

Merchant marine, 3 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 2container 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,472 GRT/8,914 DWT

Networkskm

Highways

8,300Railroads

166Inland waterways

1,200

Highways: ; 500 km paved; 5,400 km bauxite gravel, crushed stone, or improved earth; 2,400 km sand or clay · Railroads: ; 86 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned, and 80 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; all single track · Inland waterways: ; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways