Suriname

Republic of SurinameRepubliek Suriname

republicIndependence 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Suriname as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 88 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

Position4 00 N, 56 00 W

Area163,270 sq km

LocationNorthern South America, bordering the North Atlantic

Populationas each edition published it

436,418 people July 1996 est. · 396,813 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.6% 1996 est. · 1.54% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.04 years 1996 est. · 69.14 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.68 children per woman 1996 est. · 2.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

29.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 40 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,950 1995 est. · $3,300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

0.7% 1995 est. · -2.5% in 1993

Geography

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

15 fields

Land useshare of 163,270 sq km

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

Area

163,270sq km

land area: 161,470 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Georgia

Coastline

386km

exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

1,707km

border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Location

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

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)

Terrain

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

lowest point:: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point:: Wilhelmina Gebergte 1,286 m

Natural resources

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

Environment

current issues:: deforestation as foreign producers obtain timber concessions
natural hazards:: NA
international agreements:: party to - Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geographic 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

15 fields

Population

436,418

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 1.6% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

24.15Death

5.84Net migration

-2.36

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years70.04

67.51 · 72.7

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy93%

95.1% · 91%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Hindustani (also known locally as "East" Indians; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%Creole (mixed European and African ancestry) 31%Javanese 15.3%"Bush Black" (also known as "Bush Creole" whose ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves) 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%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 34% (male 74,959; female 71,500)
15-64 years:: 62% (male 136,287; female 132,407)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 9,930; female 11,335) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

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:: 0.88 male(s)/female
all ages:: 1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

29.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.68 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Surinamer(s)
adjective:: Surinamese

Languages

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

Government

Republic

22 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%

Legislature, 51 seatsone dot, one seat

NF 30NDP 10DA '91 9independents 2

Name of country

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

Data code

Type of government

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

Legal system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: President Ronald R. VENETIAAN (since 16 September 1991) and Prime Minister Jules R. AJODHIA (since 16 September 1991), who is also the vice president, were elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly;
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 was appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

note: Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains significant power

Legislative branch

unicameral

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

elections last held 25 May 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (51 total) NF 30, NDP 10, DA '91 9, independents 2

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, justices nominated for life

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), a coalition of two parties (AF, and BEP) formed in January 1991, Winston JESSURUN;
Alternative Forum (AF), Gerard BRUNINGS;
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;
The Alliance, a combination of three parties (DP, HPP, PVF), Ernie BRUNINGS;
Democratic Party (DP), Ernie BRUNINGS;
Reformed Progressive Party (HPP), Harry KISOENSINGH;
Party of the Federation of Land Workers PVF), Jwan SITAL

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

International organization participation

ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT
chancery:: Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 244-7488, 7490 through 7492

FAX

[1] (202) 244-5878; consulate(s) general: Miami

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Roger R. GAMBLE
embassy:: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address:: P. O. Box 1821, American Embassy Paramaribo, Department of State, Washington, DC, 20521-3390
telephone:: [597] 472900, 477881, 476459

FAX

[597] 420800

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 upwards of 15% of GDP and more than 65% | of export earnings.

21 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$2,950

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

0.7%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

62%

(1995)

Labor force

98,240

by occupation: agriculture, industry, services

GDP composition by sector(1994 est.)

agriculture 21.6%industry 23.7%services 54.7% (1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$300 millionExpenditures

$700 million (1994 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $70 million

Installed generating capacity, 420,000 kW

Electricity production

1.4 billionElectricity consumption per capita

3,123 (1993)

Economic overview

The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for upwards of 15% of GDP and more than 65% of export earnings. Following a dismal year in 1994 which saw the value of the Surinamese currency plummet by about 80%, inflation rise to more than 600%, and national output fall for the fifth consecutive year, nearly all economic indicators improved in 1995.

The VENETIAAN government unified the exchange rate and the currency gained some of its lost value. In addition, inflation fell to double digits and tax revenues increased sufficiently to nearly erase the budget deficit. The release of substantial development aid from the Netherlands - which had been held up due to the government's failure to initiate economic reforms - also helped buoy the economy.

Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued implementation of needed economic restructuring; the outcome of the national elections in May 1996 will be an important factor in determining future government policy.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

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

Agriculture

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

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Exports

$293.6 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
partners:: Norway 33%, Netherlands 26%, US 13%, Japan 6%, Brazil 6%, UK 3% (1992)

Imports

$194.3 million (f.o.b., 1994 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.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

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

Exchange rates

Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1 - central bank midpoint rate: 402.32 (December 1995), 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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 38 in all

over 3 047 m

under 914 m

914 to 1 523 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

4,470Railways

166Waterways

1,200

Highways: paved: 1,162 km · unpaved: 3,308 km (1990) · Railways: (single track) · standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge · narrow gauge: 86 km 1.000-m gauge · Waterways: ; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways