Suriname

republicIndependence 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Suriname as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 121 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalParamaribo
LocationNorthern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between
1994

Every edition of Suriname

Populationas each edition published it
422,840 people July 1994 est. · 396,813 in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.57% 1994 est. · 1.54% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 25.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 69.14 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.79 children per woman 1994 est. · 2.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
31.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 40 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,800 1993 est. · $3,300 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-0.3% 1993 est. · -2.5% in 1993

Geography

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

23 fields
Land boundaries
1,707km
total · Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Irrigated land
590sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

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

Map references

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

163,270 sq km

land area

161,470 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than Georgia

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

International disputes

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

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds

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

arable land

0%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

0%

forest and woodland

97%

other

3%

current issues

NA

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

  • party to - Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Wetlands;
  • signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note

  • mostly tropical rain forest;
  • great diversity of flora and fauna which for the most part is not threatened because of the lack of development;
  • relatively small population most of which lives along the coast

People

21 fields
Population
422,840
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 1.57% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
25.31Death
6Net migration
-3.66

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)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

31.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

69.45 years

male

66.94 years

female

72.08 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.79 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Surinamer(s)

adjective

Surinamese

Languages

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

total population

95%

male

95%

female

95%

by occupation

NA

Government

Republic

34 fields

Legislature, 51 seatsone dot, one seat

NF 30NDP 10DA '91 9Independent 2

conventional long form

Republic of Suriname

conventional short form

Suriname

local long form

Republiek Suriname

local short form

Suriname

former

Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

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)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution

ratified 30 September 1987

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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);
  • election 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)

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president from members of the National Assembly

note

Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains significant power

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

  • elections 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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

  • The New Front (NF), a coalition of four parties (NPS, VHP, KTPI, SPA), leader Ronald R. VENETIAAN;
  • 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 DERBY;
  • 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), Caprino ALLENDY;
  • Pendawa Lima, Marsha JAMIN;
  • National Democratic Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE;
  • Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS, chairman;

Other political or pressure groups

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

Member of

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

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

FAX

(202) 244-5878

consulate(s) general

Miami

chief of mission

Ambassador Roger R. GAMBLE

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.

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,800
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
-0.3%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -5% (1991 est.); accounts for 27% of GDP

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, Paramaribo has failed to initiate the economic reforms necessary to stabilize the economy or win renewed Dutch aid disbursements. High inflation, high unemployment, widespread black market activity, and hard currency shortfalls continue to mark the economy.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $1.17 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$466 million

expenditures

$716 million, including capital expenditures of $123 million (1989 est.)

Exports

$290 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

partners

Norway 33%, Netherlands 26%, US 13%, Japan 6%, Brazil 6%, UK 3% (1992)

Imports

$250 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

partners

US 42%, Netherlands 22%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%, Brazil 5% (1992)

External debt

$180 million (March 1993 est.)

capacity

458,000 kW

production

2.018 billion kWh

consumption per capita

4,920 kWh (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

recipient

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 billion; 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); parallel rate 109 (January 1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

14 fields

Networkskm

Railroads
166Inland waterways
1,200
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

Railroads

  • 166 km total;
  • 86 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned, and 80 km 1.435-meter standard gauge;
  • all single track

total

8,300 km

paved

500 km

unpaved

bauxite, gravel, crushed stone, improved earth 5,400 km; sand, clay 2,400 km

Inland waterways

  • 1,200 km;
  • most important means of transport;
  • oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways

Ports

Paramaribo, Moengo, Nieuw Nickerie

Merchant marine

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

total

46

usable

38

with permanent-surface runways

5

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

1

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

3

Telecommunications

  • international facilities good;
  • domestic microwave system;
  • 27,500 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 5 AM, 14 FM, 6 TV, 1 shortwave;
  • 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Defense Forces

National Army (including Navy which is company-size, small Air Force | element), Civil Police

4 fields

Branches

National Army (including Navy which is company-size, small Air Force element), Civil Police

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 113,963; fit for military service 67,648

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Affiliation

(territory of Norway)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Suriname.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/suriname/1994.

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