Suriname

*Republiek Suriname*
Republic of Suriname
Republiek Suriname Republic of Suriname
	Motto: Justitia - Pietas - Fides (Latin); "Justice - Piety - Loyalty"
	Anthem: God zij met ons Suriname;
Capital; (and largest city)	Paramaribo; 5°50′N 55°10′W
Official languages	Dutch
Demonym	Surinamese
Government	Constitutional democracy
Independence	from the Netherlands
Area
Population
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
Currency	Surinamese dollar (SRD)
Time zone	ART (UTC-3)
Internet TLD	.sr
Calling code	+597

Previous (Surgery)

Next (Surrealism)

Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America. Suriname was formerly known as Nederlands Guyana, Netherlands Guiana or Dutch Guiana. Suriname is situated between French Guiana to the east and Guyana to the west. The southern border is shared with Brazil and the northern border is the Atlantic coast. The southernmost border with French Guiana is disputed along the Marowijne river, while the once-disputed boundary with Guyana was arbitrated by the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea on September 20, 2007. The country is the smallest sovereign state in terms of area and population in South America.

Geography

File:Suriname map.png

A map of Suriname with the disputed area (with Guyana) included

File:Suriname-CIA WFB Map.png

Map of Suriname.

File:Tailor's shop, Paramaibo, 1955.jpg

Tailor's shop, Paramaribo, 1955.

The Suriname River, near the city of Paramaribo

Suriname is the smallest independent country in South America. Situated on the Guiana Shield, the country can be divided into two main geographic regions. The northern, lowland coastal area (roughly above the line Albina-Paranam-Wageningen) has been cultivated, and most of the population lives here. The southern part consists of tropical rainforest and sparsely inhabited savanna along the border with Brazil, covering about 80% of Suriname's land surface.

There are two main mountain ranges in Suriname: the Bakhuys Mountains and the Van Asch Van Wijck Mountains. Julianatop is the highest mountain in the country at 1,286 metres (4,219 ft) above sea level. Other mountains include Tafelberg (1,026 m; 3,366 ft), Mount Kasikasima (718 m; 2,356 ft), Goliathberg (358 m; 1,174 ft) and Voltzberg (240 m; 787 ft).

Lying near the equator, Suriname has a tropical climate, and temperatures do not vary a lot throughout the year. The year has two wet seasons, from December to early February and from late April to mid-August.

Located in the northeast portion of the country is the Brokopondo Reservoir, one of the largest reservoir lakes in the world. It was created in 1964 by the Afobakka dam (the Brokopondo Project), built to provide hydroelectric power for the bauxite industry (which consumes about 75 percent of the output) and for domestic consumption.

In the upper Coppename River watershed, the Central Suriname Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site cited for its unspoiled rainforest biodiversity. There are many national parks in the country: Galibi National Reserve, Coppename Manding National Park and Wia Wia NR along the coast, Brownsberg NR, Raleighvallen/Voltzeberg NR, Tafelberg NR and Eilerts de Haan NP in the centre and the Sipaliwani NR on the Brazilian border. In all, 12 percent of the country's land area is devoted to national parks and lakes.

History

The indigenous Surinen, from whom the country's name derives, were the area's earliest known inhabitants. By the sixteenth century, however, the Surinen had been driven out by other native South American Indians, namely the Arawak and Carib tribes.

European exploration of the area began in the sixteenth century by Dutch, French, Spanish and English explorers. In the seventeenth century, plantation colonies were established by the Dutch and English along the many rivers in the fertile Guyana plains. In the Treaty of Breda, in 1667, the Dutch opted to keep the nascent plantation colony of Suriname conquered from the British, while leaving the small trading post of Nieuw Amsterdam in North America, now New York City, in the hands of the British.

The Dutch planters relied heavily on African slaves to cultivate the coffee, cocoa, sugar cane and cotton plantations along the rivers. Treatment of the slaves by their owners was notoriously bad, and many slaves escaped the plantations. With the help of the native South Americans living in the adjoining rainforests, these runaway slaves established a new and unique culture that was highly successful in its own right. Known collectively in English as the Maroons, and in Dutch as "Bosnegers," (literally meaning "Bush negroes"), they actually established several independent tribes, among them the Saramaka, the Paramaka, the Ndyuka or Aukan, the Kwinti, the Aluku or Boni and the Matawai.

The Maroons would often raid the plantations to recruit new members, acquire women, weapons, food, and supplies. These attacks were often deadly for the planters and their families, and after several unsuccessful campaigns against the Maroons, the European authorities signed peace treaties in the 19th century, granting the Maroons sovereign status and trade rights.

Slavery was abolished by the Netherlands in Suriname in 1863, but the slaves in Suriname were not fully released until 1873, after a mandatory ten-year transition period during which time they were required to work on the plantations for minimal pay and without state-sanctioned torture. As soon as they became truly free, the slaves largely abandoned the plantations where they had suffered for several generations, in favor of the city, Paramaribo. As a plantation colony, Suriname was still heavily dependent on manual labor, and to make up for the shortfall, the Dutch brought in contract laborers from the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia) and India (through an arrangement with the British). In addition, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, small numbers of mostly men were brought in from China and the Middle East. Although Suriname's population remains relatively small, because of this history it is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse in the world.

In 1954, the Dutch placed Suriname under a system of limited self-government, with the Netherlands retaining control of defense and foreign affairs. In 1973, the local government, led by the NPK (a largely Creole, meaning ethnically African or mixed African-European, party) started negotiations with the Dutch government leading toward full independence, which was granted on November 25, 1975. The severance package was substantial, and a large part of Suriname's economy for the first decade following independence was fueled by foreign aid provided by the Dutch government.

The first President of the country was Johan Ferrier, the former governor, with Henck Arron (leader of the Suriname National Party) as prime minister. Nearly one-third of the population of Suriname at that time emigrated to the Netherlands in the years leading up to independence, as many people feared that the new country would fare worse under independence than it did as an overseas colony of the Netherlands. Suriname's diaspora therefore includes more than a quarter of a million people living in the Netherlands, including several recent members of the Dutch national football (soccer) team.

On February 25, 1980, a military coup sidelined the democratic government, beginning a period of economic and social hardship for the country. On December 8, 1982, the military, then under the leadership of Desi Bouterse, rounded up several prominent citizens who were accused of plotting against the government. They were allegedly tortured and certainly killed during the night, and the Netherlands quickly suspended all foreign aid to Suriname. Desi Bouterse is scheduled to stand trial in Suriname in the fall of 2007 for his role in these killings.

Elections were held in 1987 and a new constitution was adopted, which among other things allowed the dictator to remain in charge of the army. Dissatisfied with the then government, Bouterse summarily dismissed them in 1990, by telephone. This event became popularly known as "the telephone coup." Bouterse's power began to wane after the 1991 elections, however, and a brutal civil war between the Suriname army and the Maroons loyal to Ronnie Brunswijk further weakened his position during the 1990s.

Suriname's democracy gained some strength after the turbulent 1990s, and its economy became more diversified and less dependent on Dutch financial assistance. Bauxite (Aluminum ore) mining continues to be a strong revenue source, but the discovery and exploitation of oil and gold has added substantially to Suriname's economic independence. Agriculture, especially of rice and bananas, remains a strong component of the economy, and ecotourism is providing new economic opportunities. More than 80 percent of Suriname's landmass consists of unspoiled rainforest, and with the establishment of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve in 1998, Suriname signaled its commitment to conservation of this precious resource. The Central Suriname Nature Reserve became a World Heritage Site in 2000.

Politics

The Republic of Suriname is a constitutional democracy based on the 1987 constitution.

The legislative branch of government consists of a 51-member unicameral National Assembly, simultaneously and popularly elected for a five-year term.

The president, who is elected for a five-year term by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly or, failing that, by a majority of the People's Assembly, heads the executive branch. If at least two-thirds of the National Assembly cannot agree to vote for one presidential candidate, a People's Assembly is formed from all National Assembly delegates and regional and municipal representatives who were elected by popular vote in the most recent national election. As head of government, the president appoints a 16-minister cabinet. There is no constitutional provision for removal or replacement of the president unless he resigns.

The judiciary is headed by the Court of Justice (Supreme Court). This court supervises the magistrate courts. Members are appointed for life by the president in consultation with the National Assembly, the State Advisory Council and the National Order of Private Attorneys. In April 2005, the regional Caribbean Court of Justice, based in Trinidad, was inaugurated. As the final court of appeal, it was intended to replace the London-based Privy Council.

Administrative divisions

The country is divided into 10 administrative districts, each headed by a district commissioner appointed by the president. The commissioner is similar to the governor of a United States-type state but is appointed and removed by the president.

Economy

The economy of Suriname is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Other main export products include rice and bananas. Suriname has recently started exploiting some of its sizeable oil^[1] and gold^[2] reserves. About a quarter of the people work in the agricultural sector. The Surinamese economy is very dependent on other countries, with its main trade partners being the Netherlands, the United States and countries in the Caribbean.

After assuming power in the fall of 1996, the Wijdenbosch government ended the structural adjustment program of the previous government, claiming it was unfair to the poorer elements of society. Tax revenues fell as old taxes lapsed and the government failed to implement new tax alternatives. By the end of 1997, the allocation of new Dutch development funds was frozen as Surinamese Government relations with the Netherlands deteriorated. Economic growth slowed in 1998, with decline in the mining, construction, and utility sectors. Rampant government expenditures, poor tax collection, a bloated civil service, and reduced foreign aid in 1999 contributed to the fiscal deficit, estimated at 11% of GDP. The government sought to cover this deficit through monetary expansion, which led to a dramatic increase in inflation.

GDP (2006 est.): U.S. $2.11 billion. Annual growth rate real GDP (2006 est.): 5.8%. Per capita GDP (2006 est.): U.S. $4,000. Inflation (2006): 5.6%. Natural resources: Bauxite, gold, oil, iron ore, other minerals; forests; hydroelectric potential; fish and shrimp. Agriculture: Products—rice, bananas, timber, and citrus fruits. Industry: Types—alumina, oil, gold, fish, shrimp, lumber. Trade (2005): Exports—U.S. $929.1 million: alumina, gold, crude oil, wood and wood products, rice, bananas, fish, and shrimp. Major markets—Norway (23.9%), U.S. (16.8%), Canada (16.4%), France (8.1%), Iceland (2.9%). Imports—$1.1 billion: capital equipment, petroleum, iron and steel products, agricultural products, and consumer goods. Major suppliers—U.S. (24.4%), Netherlands (14.5%), Trinidad and Tobago (10.5%), Japan (4.3%), China (5.4%), Brazil (3.6%).

Demographics

File:Suriname demography.png

The population growth of Suriname. Note the y-axis is the number inhabitants in thousands.

Suriname's population of 438,144 (July 2005 estimate) is made up of several distinct ethnic groups.

East Indians (known locally as Hindoestanen) form the largest group at 37% of the population. They are descendants of nineteenth-century contract workers from India. They are from the Indian states of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh, in Northern India, along the Nepalese border.
The Creoles form about 31% of the population. They are the descendants of West African slaves, some mixed with Dutch, other whites, Sephardi Jews and other ethnic groups.
The Javanese (descendants of contract workers from the former Dutch East Indies on the island of Java, Indonesia) make up 15%.
Maroons (descendants of escaped West African slaves) make up 10% and are divided into five main groups: Aucans, Kwinti, Matawai, Paramaccans and Saramaccans.
Amerindians form 3% of the population (some say as low as 1%), the main groups being the Akuriyo, Arawak, Carib/Kaliña, Trío and Wayana.
Chinese are mainly descendants of the earliest nineteenth-century contract workers.
Boeroes (derived from boer, the Dutch word for farmer) are descendants of Dutch nineteenth-century immigrant farmers.
Jews, both Sephardic and East European.

Because of the great number of ethnic groups in the country, there is no main religion. Christianity, both in the form of Roman Catholicism and variations of Protestantism, is dominant among Creoles and Maroons. Most of the Hindustani are Hindu, but they also practice Islam and Christianity. The Javanese also practice both Islam and Christianity. At 20% of the population, Suriname has the largest Muslim community by percentage in the New World.^[3] Despite the religious diversity, the makeup of Suriname's population is very similar to that of neighboring Guyana, with the exception of the Indonesian population (which Guyana lacks). French Guiana, as part of France, does not collect ethnic statistics.

The vast majority of people (about 90%) live in Paramaribo or on the coast. There is also a significant Surinamese population in the Netherlands. In 2005 there were 328,300 Surinamese people living in the Netherlands, which is about 2% of the total population of the Netherlands (compared to 438,144 in Suriname).

Languages

Dutch is the official language of Suriname.
Sranan Tongo serves as the lingua franca, initially the native speech of the Creoles. Sranan Tongo is an English language based creole language (due to over twenty years of British presence) with a large influence from Dutch and several other languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, West African languages and several indigenous languages.
Sarnami Hindi is the third largest language of the nation. Sarnami Hindustani is a form of Bihari, which is a dialect of modern India's Hindi language. It is spoken by the descendants of British Asian contract workers.
Javanese is spoken by the descendants of Javanese contract workers.
Maroon languages are somewhat intelligible with Sranan Tongo. Some are based on Portuguese rather than English. Maroon languages include Saramaka, Paramakan, Ndyuka and Aukan, Kwinti and Matawai.
Amerindian languages are spoken by the Amerindians of Suriname. These languages include Carib and Arawak.
Hakka Chinese and Cantonese is spoken by the descendants of the Chinese contract workers.
Mandarin is spoken by more recent Chinese immigrants.
Additionally, English and, to a lesser extent, Spanish are also used, especially at tourist-oriented facilities or shops.

Culture

Waterfront houses in Paramaribo, 1955.

Due to the mix of population groups, Surinamese culture is very diverse. Ethnicity/race: East Indians (Hindustanis) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, “Bush Negroes” (also known as Maroons) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Sports

Some of the greatest football players to represent the Netherlands, such as Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, Patrick Kluivert, Clarence Seedorf, Aron Winter, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Stanley Menzo, and Edgar Davids are of Surinamese descent. Davids in particular has written of his passionate pride in his Surinamese heritage and his love of attending soccer matches there. There are a number of local heroes in other sports as well, like Primraj Binda, best known as the athlete who dominated the 10 km for nearly a decade, Steven Vismale and Letitia Vriesde. Another notable track athlete from Suriname was Tommy Asinga.

Anthony Nesty is the only person to win a medal (for swimming) for Suriname at the Olympics. Originally from Trinidad, not Suriname, he now lives in Miami, Florida, USA.

Miscellaneous

Suriname (referred to as 'Surinam') is the setting for the largest part of Aphra Behn's classic novella, Oroonoko.
The 1962 film The Spiral Road, directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Rock Hudson, was filmed in Suriname (then Dutch Guiana).
Chapter 19 of Voltaire's classic Candide is set in Suriname.
In the film The Silence of the Lambs Suriname is mentioned as the source of a shipment of Death's-head Hawkmoth.
Suriname is featured in the TV series E-Ring.
Golden Globe and Emmy-winning American actor Jimmy Smits (born in New York City in 1955) was born of a Surinamese father, Cornelis Smits, who immigrated from Dutch Guiana

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

↑ (English) Rigzone Staatsolie Launches Tender for 3 Offshore Blocks
↑ (English) Cambior Development of the Gross Rosebel Mine in Suriname
↑ Muslim Minorities in the West: Visible and Invisible By Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, Jane I. Smith, pg 271

External links

Template:Maplr

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

Suriname ^history

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

History of "Suriname"

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.

[1] (English) Rigzone Staatsolie Launches Tender for 3 Offshore Blocks

[2] (English) Cambior Development of the Gross Rosebel Mine in Suriname

[3] Muslim Minorities in the West: Visible and Invisible By Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, Jane I. Smith, pg 271

[1]

[2]

[3]