Suriname

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

• mostly tropical rain forest;
• great diversity of flora and fauna that, 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 72,673; female 69,212)

15-64 years:

62% (male 135,573; female 130,700)

65 years and over:

5% (male 10,585; female 12,413) (1999 est.)

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.85 male(s)/female

total population:

1.03 male(s)/female (1999 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 People's Assembly (869 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), 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 votes cast by the People's Assembly--Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) received 438 votes, Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) received 407 votes

chief of mission:

Ambassador Arnold Theodoor HALFHIDE

chancery:

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

consulate(s) general:

Miami

chief of mission:

Ambassador Dennis K. HAYS

embassy:

Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo

mailing address:

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

• 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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts;
• beef, chickens;
• forest products;
• shrimp

• Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1--850 (January 1999);
• central bank midpoint rate: 401.00 (1998), 401.00 (1997), 401.26 (1996), 442.23 (1995), 134.12 (1994);
• parallel

rate:

800 (December 1998), 412 (December 1995), 510 (December 1994)

note: beginning July 1994, the central bank midpoint exchange rate was unified and became market determined; during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder

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