Suriname

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Suriname's Information


Capital	Paramaribo
Languages	Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is the native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
Ethnic Groups	Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 27.4%, "Maroon" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 21.7%, Creole (mixed white and black) 15.7%, Javanese 13.7%, mixed 13.4%, other 7.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2012 est.)
Religion	Protestant 23.6% (includes Evangelical 11.2%, Moravian 11.2%, Reformed .7%, Lutheran .5%), Hindu 22.3%, Roman Catholic 21.6%, Muslim 13.8%, other Christian 3.2%, Winti 1.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 1.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 3.2% (2012 est.)
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)
Area	163,820.00 km²
Water Area	7,820.00 km²
Land Area	156,000.00 km²
Population	585,824.00 Population concentrated along the nothern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated
Location	Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
No. Bordering Countries	3
Bordering Countries	Brazil 515 km, French Guiana 556 km, Guyana 836 km
GDP(PPP)	$8,547,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$15,200.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and India.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are alumina, gold, crude oil, and lumber.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are the United States, the Netherlands, and China.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include capital equipment, petroleum, and foodstuffs.
Climate	Arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year
Terrain	Mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Where is Suriname?

Located in Northern South America, Suriname has a 1,907.00 km border with Brazil (515 km), French Guiana (556 km) and Guyana (836 km). It has a 386.00 km coastline. Suriname claims a triangel of land between the new and Kutari/Koetari rivers.

The capital city of Suriname is Paramaribo. It is the largest and the most populous city in the country. The city is located on the banks of Suriname River in the district of Paramaribo. Paramaribo was established as a Dutch settlement in 1613 and was confirmed as a leading town in Suriname in 1667 in the Treaty of Breda. It has been the capital of Suriname since the colonial times to date. As of 2012 official census, Paramaribo has a population of approximately 241,000 people, almost half the population of the entire country.

Geography

Suriname has a mean elevation of 246 m above sea level.

It has an arctic climate, with cool summers and cold winters. Its terrain consists mostly of rolling hills, as well as narrow coastal plains with swampland.

Population

Suriname has a population of 585,824 making it the 170th largest in the world. The majority of the population is concentrated along the northern coastal strip.

Dutch is the official language, while English is widely spoken. The major ethnic group is reported as Hindustani. The majority of the population is Protestant Christian or Roman Catholic.

The official and most widely spoken language in Suriname is Dutch. Dutch became a popular language after Suriname became a colony of The Netherlands. Although the country gained independence in 1975, it retained the Dutch as the official language. Thus, Dutch has been the official language from the time of colonization to the present day. Approximately 60% of the Surinamese population speaks Dutch as their first language with the majority of the rest of the population using it as either the second or the third language.

Government

Suriname is an independent country. It gained independence from the Netherlands in 1975. Its constitution was last ratified in 1987.

The politics of Suriname take place in the context of parliamentary representative democracy with the president as both the head of state and government. The executive power is exercised by the government and supervised by the parliament while the legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. On a national level, the citizens elect the president and the members of the National Assembly.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Suriname's GDP is $8,547,000,000.00 (USD) with $15,200.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 160th largest economy and its citizens the 102nd richest in the world. The currency of Suriname is the Dollar (SRD).

Its major export partners are Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and India. Its main exports are alumina, gold, crude oil, and lumber. Its major import partners are the United States, the Netherlands, and China. Its major imports include capital equipment, petroleum, and foodstuffs.

Flag

The flag of Suriname consists of horizontal tri-bands of green on top and bottom, with red sandwiched by white stripes. A yellow five-pointed star is at the center of the red field. The flag is in the proportion of 2:3. It was adopted on November 25, 1975, following the country’s independence. The green color represents the country’s fertile landscape, opportunities, and hope for a better country. White symbolizes justice, freedom, and peace while the red field symbolizes love and progress.