Suriname

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

Law of the Sea

• mostly tropical rain forest;
• great diversity of flora and fauna which for the most part is increasingly threatened by new development;
• relatively small population most of which lives along the coast

0-14 years:

33% (male 72,945; female 69,468)

15-64 years:

62% (male 133,840; female 129,452)

65 years and over:

5% (male 10,309; female 11,966) (July 1998 est.)

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.86 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

noun:

Surinamer(s)

adjective:

Surinamese

conventional long form:

Republic of Suriname

conventional short form:

Suriname

local long form:

Republiek Suriname

local short form:

Suriname

former:

Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

chief of state:

• President Jules WIJDENBOSCH (since 14 September 1996);
• Vice President Pretaapnarian RADHAKISHUN (since 14 September 1996);
• note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:

• President Jules WIJDENBOSCH (since 14 September 1996);
• Vice President Pretaapnarian RADHAKISHUN (since 14 September 1996);
• note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:

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

note: First Advisor of State maintains significant power

elections:

• president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a constitutional majority vote in the National Assembly after two votes, by the larger Peoples Assembly (the National Assembly members and 289 local and regional councillors), for five-year terms;
• election last held 23 May 1996;
• runoff election held 5 September 1996 (next to be held NA May 2001)

election results:

• Jules WIJDENBOSCH elected president;
• percent of legislative vote NA;
• National Assembly failed to elect president;
• results reflect the People's Assembly votes-Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) 438, Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) 407

• The New Front (NF), a coalition of three parties (NPS, VHP, 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), a coalition of parties (AF, and BEP) formed in January 1991, Winston JESSURUN;
• Alternative Forum (AF), Rick VAN RAVENSWAY;
• Party for Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP), Caprino ALLENDY;
• Pendawa Lima, Paul SOMOHARDJO;
• National Democratic Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE;
• Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS;
• The Progressive Development Alliance, a combination of two parties (HPP, PVF), Harry KISOENSINGH;
• Democratic Party (DP), Frank PLAYFAIR;
• Reformed Progressive Party (HPP), Harry KISOENSINGH;
• Party of the Federation of Land Workers PVF), Jwan SITAL;
• Party for Renewal and Democracy (BVD), Atta MUNGRA;
• Independent Progressive Democratic Alternative (OPDA), Joginder RAMKHILAWAN

• Union for Liberation and Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG;
• Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement, Leendert ADAMS;
• Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO;
• General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP), Ronnie BRUNSWIJK

chief of mission:

Ambassador Arnold Theodoor HALFHIDE

chancery:

Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 244-7488

chief of mission:

Ambassador Dennis K. HAYS

embassy:

Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo

mailing address:

P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo; pouch address: American Embassy Paramaribo, Department of State, Washington, DC, 20521-3390

telephone:

[597] 472900, 477881, 476459

• 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

• paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts;
• beef, chicken;
• forest products and shrimp of increasing importance

total value:

$434.3 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)

commodities:

alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

partners:

Norway 33%, Netherlands 26%, US 13%, Japan 6%, Brazil 6%, UK 3% (1994)

total value:

$490 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

commodities:

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

partners:

US 40%, Netherlands 24%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 3% (1994)

• Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1-central bank midpoint rate: 401.00 (January 1998), 401.00 (1997), 401.26 (1996), 442.23 (1995), 134.12 (1994);
• parallel rate: 412 (December 1995), 510 (December 1994), 109 (January 1994)

note: beginning July 1994, the central bank midpoint exchange rate was unified and became market determined

total:

166 km (single track)

standard gauge:

80 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:

86 km 1.000-m gauge

total:

4,530 km

paved:

1,178 km

unpaved:

3,352 km (1996 est.)

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

• 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 [Kutari] Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)