Difference between revisions of "Suriname" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Infobox Country
 
{{Infobox Country
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| native_name              = ''Republiek Suriname''
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|native_name              = {{native name|nl|Republiek Suriname}}
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| conventional_long_name  = Republic of Suriname
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|conventional_long_name  = Republic of Suriname
−
| common_name              = Suriname
+
|common_name              = Suriname
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| image_flag              = Flag of Suriname.svg
+
|image_flag              = Flag of Suriname.svg
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| image_coat              = Coat of arms of Suriname.png
+
|image_coat              = Coat of arms of Suriname.png
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| national_motto         = ''Justitia - Pietas - Fides''{{nbsp|2}}<small>{{la icon}}<br/>"Justice - Piety - Loyalty"
+
|national_motto           = ''Justitia - Pietas - Fides''{{nbsp|2}}<small>{{la icon}}<br/>"Justice - Duty - Loyalty"</small>
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| image_map                = LocationSuriname.svg
+
|image_map                = LocationSuriname.svg
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| national_anthem          = ''[[God zij met ons Suriname]]''
+
|national_anthem          = ''[[God zij met ons Suriname]]'' {{nbsp|2}}<small>{{nl icon}}<br />''('God be with our Suriname')''</small>
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| official_languages      = [[Dutch language|Dutch]]
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|official_languages      = [[Dutch language|Dutch]] |regional_languages      = [[Sranan Tongo]], Caribbean Hindustani (a [[dialect]] of [[Hindi]]), [[English language|English]], [[Javanese language|Javanese]]<ref name=CIA>CIA, [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/suriname/ Suriname] ''The World Factbook''. Retrieved April 16, 2024.</ref>
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| demonym                   = Surinamese
+
|demonym                 = Surinamese
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| capital                  = [[Paramaribo]]
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|capital                  = [[Paramaribo]]
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| latd=5 |latm=50 |latNS=N |longd=55 |longm=10 |longEW=W
+
|latd=5 |latm=50 |latNS=N |longd=55 |longm=10 |longEW=W
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| government_type          = [[Constitutional democracy]]
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|government_type          = Unitary assembly-independent republic
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| leader_title1           = [[President of Suriname|President]]
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|leader_title1            = [[President of Suriname|President]]
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| leader_name1             = [[Ronald Venetiaan]]
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|leader_name1            = [[Chan Santokhi]]
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| largest_city            = [[Paramaribo]]
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|leader_title2           = [[Vice President of Suriname|Vice-President]]
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| area_km2                = 163,820
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|leader_name2             = [[Ronnie Brunswijk]]
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| area_sq_mi              = 63,251 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
+
|largest_city            = [[Paramaribo]]
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| area_rank                = 91st
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|area_km2                = 163,821
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| area_magnitude          = 1 E11
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|area_sq_mi              = 63,251 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
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| percent_water            = 1.1
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|area_rank                = 91st
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| population_estimate     = 449,888
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|area_magnitude          = 1 E11
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| population_estimate_year = July 2005
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|percent_water            = 1.1
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| population_estimate_rank = 170th
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| population_estimate         = 639,759<ref name=CIA/>
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| population_census        = 487,024
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| population_estimate_year   = 2023
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| population_census_year  = 2004
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| population_estimate_rank   = 170th
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| population_density_km2  = 2.7
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| population_density_km2      = 3.9
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| population_density_sq_mi = 7.0 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
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| population_density_sq_mi    = 10.0 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
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| population_density_rank  = 223rd
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| population_density_rank    = 231st
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| GDP_PPP_year            = 2005
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|population_density_km2  = 2.9
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| GDP_PPP                 = $2.898 billion <!--CIA—>
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|population_density_sq_mi = 7.6 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
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| GDP_PPP_rank             = 160st
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|population_density_rank  = 231st
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| GDP_PPP_per_capita       = $5,683
+
| GDP_PPP                     = {{increase}} $11.435 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.SR">[https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2023/October/weo-report?c=366,&s=NGDPD,PPPGDP,NGDPDPC,PPPPC,&sy=2020&ey=2028&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (Suriname)] ''International Monetary Fund''. Retrieved April 16, 2024.</ref>
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| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 96th
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| GDP_PPP_year                = 2023
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| HDI_year                 = 2003
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| GDP_PPP_rank               = 160th
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| HDI                      = 0.759
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| GDP_PPP_per_capita         = {{increase}} $18,311<ref name="IMFWEO.SR" />
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| HDI_rank                = 89th
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| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank     = 91st
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| HDI_category            = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font>  
+
| GDP_nominal                 = {{increase}} $3.539 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.SR" />
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| sovereignty_type        = [[Independence]]
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| GDP_nominal_year            = 2023
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| sovereignty_note        = from the [[Netherlands]]  
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| GDP_nominal_rank            = 173rd
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| established_event1      = Date
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| GDP_nominal_per_capita      = {{decrease}} $5,667<ref name="IMFWEO.SR" />
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| established_date1        = [[November 25]] [[1975]]
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| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 106th
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| currency                = [[Surinamese dollar]]
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|sovereignty_type        = [[Independence]]
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| currency_code            = SRD
+
|established_event1      = from the [[Netherlands]]
−
| time_zone                = ART
+
|established_date1        = November 25, 1975
−
| utc_offset              = -3
+
|currency                = [[Surinamese dollar]]
−
| time_zone_DST            = ''not observed''
+
|currency_code            = SRD
−
| utc_offset_DST          = -3
+
|time_zone                = ART
−
| cctld                    = [[.sr]]
+
|utc_offset              = -3
−
| calling_code            = 597
+
|time_zone_DST            = ''not observed''
−
| footnotes                =
+
|utc_offset_DST          = -3
 +
|drives_on                = [[Suriname#Transport|left]]
 +
|cctld                    = [[.sr]]
 +
|calling_code            = 597
 
}}
 
}}
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'''Suriname<ref>[[ISO 3166]]</ref>''', officially the '''Republic of Suriname''', (often misspelled as Surinam, but rectified in most up-to-date dictionaries; in [[Sranan Tongo]] '''Sranan''') is a country in northern [[South America]]. Suriname was [[Geographical renaming|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 Ocean|Atlantic]] coast. The southernmost border with French Guiana is disputed along the [[Maroni River|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 [[sovereignty|sovereign]] state in terms of [[area]] and [[population]] in South America.
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'''Suriname,''' officially the '''Republic of Suriname,''' is a country in northern [[South America]] that is rich in [[bauxite]], although [[gold]] and [[petroleum|oil]] reserves are now being explored and developed. Formerly known as 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 Ocean|Atlantic]] coast. It claims two disputed territories totaling some 6,800 square miles (17,612 sq km) in the southwest and southeast, bordering on Guyana and French Guiana, respectively. The country is the smallest state in terms of area and population in South America.
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{{toc}}
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As a plantation colony, Suriname was heavily dependent on manual labor, originally [[slavery|slaves]] and later contract laborers from the [[Dutch East Indies]] and [[India]], as well as [[China]] and the [[Middle East]]. Although Suriname's population remains relatively small, because of its history it is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse countries in the world.
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== Geography ==
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Suriname is the smallest independent country in [[South America]]. Situated on the Guiana Shield, a unique geological formation, 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 percent of Suriname's land surface.
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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 4,219&nbsp;ft (1,286 m) above sea level. Other mountains include Tafelberg (3,366&nbsp;ft; 1,026&nbsp;m), Mount Kasikasima (2,356&nbsp;ft; 718&nbsp;m), Goliathberg (1,174&nbsp;ft; 358&nbsp;m), and Voltzberg (787&nbsp;ft; 240&nbsp;m).
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Lying near the [[equator]], Suriname has a tropical [[climate]], and temperatures do not vary much throughout the year. The year has two wet seasons, from December to early February and from late April to mid-August.
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[[Image:Paramaribo 55.20082W 5.85569N.jpg|thumb|400px|right|The Suriname River, near the city of Paramaribo]]
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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]], built to provide [[hydroelectricity|hydroelectric]] power for the [[bauxite]] industry (which consumes about 75 percent of the output) and for domestic consumption.
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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 park]]s 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 center 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.
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The Central Suriname Nature Reserve comprises a range of [[topography]] and [[ecosystem]]s. Its montane and lowland [[forest]]s contain a high diversity of [[plant]] life with almost 6,000 plant [[species]] collected. There are viable populations of [[animal]]s typical of the region, including [[jaguar]], giant [[armadillo]], giant river [[otter]], [[tapir]], [[sloth]]s, and eight species of [[primate]]s, as well as 400 [[bird]] species.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
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{{main|History of Suriname}}
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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 [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas |native]] South American Indians, namely the [[Arawak]] and [[Carib]] tribes.
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The indigenous "Surinen," from whom the country's name derives, were the area's earliest known inhabitants. By the [[16th century]], however, the Surinen had been driven out by other native South American Indians, namely the [[Arawak]] and [[Carib]] tribes.
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 +
===European colonization===
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[[Image:Santigron children Suriname.jpg|thumb|400px|The village Santigron in Suriname, a Maroon village in the rainforest. Some 20,000 Maroons, (from the French term ''marron,'' meaning "fugitive") descendants of Suriname's escaped slaves, are still living in Suriname's [[rainforest]] having retained their most original and traditional Afro-American culture. Photo taken May 2006.]]
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 +
European exploration of the area began in the sixteenth century by [[Netherlands|Dutch]], [[France|French]], [[Spain|Spanish]], and [[England|English]] explorers. In the seventeenth century, plantation colonies were established by the Dutch and English along the many [[river]]s in the fertile Guyana plains. In the Treaty of Breda, signed in 1667, the Dutch opted to keep the nascent plantation colony of Suriname conquered from the British, while leaving the small trading post of New Amsterdam in North America, now [[New York City]], in the hands of the British.
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The Dutch planters relied heavily on [[Africa]]n [[slavery|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 [[rainforest]]s, 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, "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]].
  
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European exploration of the area began in the 16th century by Dutch, [[France|French]], [[Spain|Spanish]] and English explorers. In the [[17th century]], plantation colonies were established by the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] and [[England|English]] along the many rivers in the fertile Guyana plains.  At the [[Treaty_of_Breda_(1667)|Treaty of Breda]], in [[1667]], the Dutch decided 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|New York City]], in the hands of the British.
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The Maroons would often raid the plantations to recruit new members and 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 nineteenth century, granting the Maroons sovereign status and trade rights.  
  
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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 [[Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas|native South Americans]] living in the adjoining rain forests, 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]].
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Slavery in Suriname was abolished by the Netherlands in 1863, but the slaves were not fully released until 1873, after a mandatory ten-year transition period during which 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 city living in [[Paramaribo]].
  
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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 several peace treaties with them in the 19th century, granting the Maroons sovereign status and trade rights.  
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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.
  
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Slavery was abolished by the Netherlands in Suriname in [[1863]], but the slaves in Suriname were not fully released until [[1873]], after a mandatory 10 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 19th and early 20th 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.
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===Independence===
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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) began 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.
  
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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 towards full independence, which was granted on [[25 November]] [[1975]].  The severance package was very 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.
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The first president 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 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. 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.
  
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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 that it did as an overseas colony of the Netherlands. Suriname's diaspora therefore includes more than a quarter of one million people of Suriname origin living in the Netherlands today, including several recent members of the Dutch national football (soccer) team.
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On February 25, 1980, a military coup sidelined the democratic government, beginning a period of economic and social hardship. On December 8, 1982, a group of 13 dissidents, including a [[Journalism|newspaper editor]], two [[human-rights]] [[lawyer]]s, and several [[Labor union|labor]] leaders, were executed. The Netherlands quickly suspended all foreign aid. A military regime led by [[Desi Bouterse]] as chairman of the National Military Council controlled Suriname from 1980 until the beginning of the 1990s. As one of the wealthiest people in Suriname, he made his fortune in gold and forestry-related businesses, but claimed to be a socialist, when he took control of the nation.  
  
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On [[February 25]], [[1980]], a military coup sidelined the [[democratic]] government, and with it began a period of economic and social hardship for the country.  On [[8 December]] [[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 after this event.  Desi Bouterse is scheduled to stand trial in Suriname in the fall of [[2007]] for his role in these killings.
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Bouterse and 24 co-defendants were brought to trial 25 years later for allegedly instigating the "December Murders." The trial was to have begun in November 2007, before a [[military tribunal]] (however, Bouterse is still standing trial as of August 2008). "We need to do this for our history, for our children," said Betty Goede, the head of a local [[human-rights]] group that had spent nearly a decade fighting to try the case.  
  
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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.  
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Bouterse has been accused on various occasions of involvement in illegal [[drug trafficking]]. In July 1999, he was convicted ''in absentia'' in the Netherlands for [[cocaine]]-trafficking. The Netherlands has an international warrant for his arrest, which makes it almost impossible for him to leave Suriname. By law, Suriname cannot deliver him because he is a former head of state.  
  
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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 as strong component of the economy, and [[ecotourism]] is providing new economic opportunities. More than 80% of Suriname's land-mass consists of unspoiled rain forest, 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]].
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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 government, Bouterse summarily dismissed them in 1990, by telephone, an event that 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.  
  
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== Administrative divisions ==
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Suriname's democracy gained strength after the turbulent 1990s, and its [[economy]] became more diversified and less dependent on Dutch financial assistance. [[Bauxite]] (aluminum ore) [[mining]] became a strong revenue source, but the discovery and exploitation of [[petroleum|oil]] and [[gold]] added substantially to Suriname's economic independence.
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{{main|Districts of Suriname|Resorts of Suriname}}
 
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{|
 
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| Suriname is divided into ten [[district]]s:
 
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# [[Brokopondo District|Brokopondo]]
 
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# [[Commewijne District|Commewijne]]
 
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# [[Coronie District|Coronie]]
 
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# [[Marowijne District|Marowijne]]
 
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# [[Nickerie District|Nickerie]]
 
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# [[Para District|Para]]
 
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# [[Paramaribo District|Paramaribo]]
 
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# [[Saramacca District|Saramacca]]
 
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# [[Sipaliwini District|Sipaliwini]]
 
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# [[Wanica District|Wanica]]
 
  
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|}
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[[Agriculture]], especially of [[rice]] and [[banana]]s, 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 reserve became a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] in 2000.
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Suriname is further subdivided into 62 "resorte" (''ressorten'').
 
  
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== Geography ==
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== Politics ==
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{{main|Geography of Suriname}}
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The Republic of Suriname is a constitutional democracy based on the 1987 constitution. The legislative branch consists of a 51-member unicameral National Assembly, simultaneously and popularly elected for a five-year term.
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[[Image:Suriname map.png|thumb|left|200px|A map of Suriname with the disputed area (with Guyana) included]]
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[[File:Presidentieel Paleis.jpg|thumb|400px|Presidential Palace of Suriname]]
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[[Image:Suriname-CIA WFB Map.png|right|thumb|250px|Map of Suriname.]]
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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.
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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.
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=== Administrative divisions ===
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The country is divided into ten 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.
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===Foreign relations===
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[[File:Suriname with disputed territories.jpg|thumb|300px|Map of Suriname with disputed territories in light green]]
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Since gaining independence, Suriname has become a member of the [[United Nations]], the [[Organization of American States]], and the [[Non-Aligned Movement]]. Suriname is a member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market and the Association of Caribbean States; it is associated with the [[European Union]] through the Lome Convention. Suriname participates in the Amazonian Pact, a grouping of the countries of the [[Amazon]] Basin that focuses on protection of the region's [[natural resource]]s from environmental degradation. Reflecting its status as a major [[bauxite]] producer, Suriname is also a member of the International Bauxite Association. The country also belongs to the Economic Commission for Latin America, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the [[World Bank]], and the [[International Monetary Fund]]. Suriname became a member of the Islamic Development Bank in 1998.
  
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[[Image:Tailor's shop, Paramaibo, 1955.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Tailor's shop, Paramaribo, 1955.]]
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At independence, Suriname signed an agreement with the [[Netherlands]] providing for about $1.5 billion in development assistance grants and loans over a 10 to 15-year period. Initial disbursements amounted to about $100 million per year, but they were discontinued during military rule. After the return to a democratically elected government in 1991, Dutch aid resumed. The Dutch relationship continued to be an important factor in the economy, with the Dutch insisting that Suriname undertake economic reforms and produce specific plans acceptable to the Dutch for projects on which aid funds could be spent. In 2000, the Dutch revised the structure of their aid package and signaled to the Surinamese authorities their decision to disburse aid by sectoral priorities as opposed to individual projects. In 2001 both governments agreed to spend the remaining development funds to finance programs in six different sectors: health care, education, environment, agriculture, housing, and governance.
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[[Image:Paramaribo 55.20082W 5.85569N.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The Suriname River, near the city of Paramaribo]]
 
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Suriname is the smallest independent country in [[South America]]. Situated on the [[Guiana Shield|Guiana]] [[Shield (geography)|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.
 
  
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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 [[metre]]s (4,219&nbsp;ft) above [[sea level]]. Other mountains include [[Tafelberg (mountain)|Tafelberg]] (1,026&nbsp;[[metre|m]]; 3,366&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|ft]]), [[Mount Kasikasima]] (718&nbsp;m; 2,356&nbsp;ft), [[Goliathberg]] (358&nbsp;m; 1,174&nbsp;ft) and [[Voltzberg]] (240&nbsp;m; 787&nbsp;ft).
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Relations with the Dutch have been complicated by Dutch prosecution of [[Desi Bouterse]] ''in absentia'' on drug charges, and by legal maneuvering by Dutch prosecutors trying to bring charges relating to the December 1982 murders. A Dutch appellate court in 2000 found Bouterse guilty of one drug-related charge; the decision was upheld on appeal. But finally, in April 2008, the wealthy former ruler was facing trial.
  
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Lying near the [[equator]], Suriname has a [[tropical climate]], and temperatures do not vary a lot throughout the year. The year has two [[wet season]]s, from December to early February and from late April to mid-August.
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Bilateral agreements with several countries of the region, covering diverse areas of cooperation, have underscored the government's interest in strengthening regional ties. The return to Suriname from [[French Guiana]] of about 8,000 refugees of the 1986-1991 civil war between the military and domestic insurgents has improved relations with French authorities. Long-standing border disputes with [[Guyana]] and French Guiana remain unresolved. Negotiations with the government of Guyana brokered by the Jamaican prime minister in 2000 did not produce an agreement, but the countries agreed to restart talks after Guyanese national elections in 2001. In January 2002, the presidents of Suriname and Guyana met in Suriname and agreed to resume negotiations, establishing the Suriname-Guyana border commission. In 2004, Guyana brought Suriname before the [[United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea]] in a case regarding the maritime border dispute; a decision in favor of Guyana was issued in 2007. An earlier dispute with [[Brazil]] ended amicably after formal demarcation of the border.
  
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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 [[hydropower]] for the [[bauxite]] industry (which consumes about 75% of the output) and for domestic consumption.
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Suriname is a growing transshipment point for South American [[drug trafficking|drugs]] destined for [[Europe]] via the Netherlands and Brazil and a transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing.
  
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In the upper [[Coppename River]] [[drainage basin|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% of the country's land area are national parks and lakes.
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===Military===
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Surinamese armed forces consist of the national army under the control of the minister of defense and a smaller civil [[police force]], which is responsible to the minister of justice and police. The national armed forces comprise some 2,200 personnel, the majority of whom are deployed as light infantry security forces. A small air force, navy, and military police also exist. The Netherlands has provided limited military assistance to the Surinamese armed forces since the election of a democratic government in 1991.  
  
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==Economy==
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In recent years, the [[United States]] has provided training to military officers and policymakers to promote a better understanding of the role of the military in a civilian government. Since the mid-1990s, the [[People's Republic of China|China]] has been donating military equipment and logistical material to the Surinamese armed forces. The Netherlands, [[France]], [[Venezuela]], and [[Brazil]] also have working relationships with the Surinamese military.
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{{main|Economy of Suriname}}
 
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The [[Economics|economy]] of Suriname is dominated by the [[bauxite]] industry, which accounts for more than 15% of [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] and 70% of export earnings. Other main export products include [[rice]] and [[banana]]s. Suriname has recently started exploiting some of its sizeable [[Petroleum|oil]]<ref>{{en}} Rigzone [http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=28224 ''Staatsolie Launches Tender for 3 Offshore Blocks '']</ref> and [[gold]]<ref>{{en}} Cambior [http://www.cambior.com/2/archives/annual_report/2001/development.pdf ''Development of the Gross Rosebel Mine in Suriname'']</ref> reserves. About a quarter of the people work in the [[agriculture|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]].
 
  
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After assuming power in the fall of [[1996]], the [[Jules Wijdenbosch|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 sector]]s. 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]].
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Suriname’s borders are porous; largely uninhabited, unguarded, and ungoverned [[rainforest]] and rivers make up the eastern, western, and southern borders, and the navy’s capability to police Suriname’s northern [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] coast is limited. Protecting [[natural resource]]s from illegal exploitation such as unlicensed [[gold]] [[mining]] is difficult, and significant tax revenue is lost. Porous borders also make Suriname a target for transshipment of drugs. Since 2000, arrests and prosecutions of [[drug trafficking|drug smugglers]] have increased, partially due to funding and training for police capacity through the U.S. State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.
  
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GDP (2006 est.): U.S. $2.11 billion.
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==Economy==
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Annual growth rate real GDP (2006 est.): 5.8%.
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Suriname’s economy has been dominated by the export of [[aluminum|alumina]], [[petroleum|oil]], and [[gold]]. Other export products include [[banana]]s, [[shrimp]], [[fish]], [[rice]], and [[lumber]].  
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Per capita GDP (2006 est.): U.S. $4,000.
 
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Inflation (2006): 5.6%.
 
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Natural resources: Bauxite, gold, oil, iron ore, other minerals; forests; hydroelectric potential; fish and shrimp.
 
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Agriculture: Products—rice, bananas, timber, and citrus fruits.
 
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Industry: Types—alumina, oil, gold, fish, shrimp, lumber.
 
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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%).
 
  
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== Politics ==
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Bauxite (aluminium ore) mining used to be a strong revenue source until 2016. The discovery and exploitation of oil and gold has added substantially to Suriname's economic independence. Agriculture, especially rice and bananas, remains a strong component of the economy, and ecotourism is providing new economic opportunities, given than more than 90 percent of Suriname's landmass consists of unspoiled [[rainforest]]. With the establishment of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve in 1998, Suriname signaled its commitment to the conservation of this precious resource.
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{{main|Politics of Suriname}}
 
  
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The Republic of Suriname is a constitutional democracy based on the 1987 constitution.
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About a quarter of the people work in the agricultural sector. The Surinamese economy is very dependent on commerce, its main trade partners being the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, and Caribbean countries, mainly Trinidad and Tobago and the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles.
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The legislative branch of government consists of a 51-member unicameral National Assembly, simultaneously and popularly elected for a five-year term.
 
  
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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.
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===Privatization===
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In an effort to address the problem of Suriname’s ailing 110 parastatals, the government has introduced a plan that would strengthen them, after which they would be privatized. The first parastatals chosen for this experiment were the banana company, Surland, the wood processing company, Bruynzeel, and the rice company, SML.  
  
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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.
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After closing for more than seven months in 2002, the banana company was reopened under the new name SBBS. After an initial attempt to privatize the company failed in 2005, the government continued the restructuring of the company. With heavy financing from the [[European Union]] the company has been revitalized but is not yet out of debt. In 2006 SBBS produced and exported at record quantities. The management of the company is currently in the hands of a French company. The government has not announced any new plans for privatizing the company.
  
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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.
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The privatization attempt of the wood processing company, Bruynzeel, failed, as did the restructuring of the heavily indebted rice company SML.
  
 
== Demographics ==
 
== Demographics ==
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{{main|Demographics of Suriname}}
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Suriname's population is made up of several distinct ethnic groups.
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[[Image:Suriname demography.png|thumb|right|250px|The population growth of Suriname. Note the y-axis is the number inhabitants in thousands.]]
 
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Suriname's population of 438,144 (July 2005 estimate) is made up of several distinct ethnic groups.
 
 
   
 
   
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*East Indians (known locally as [[Hindoestanen]]) form the largest group at 37% of the population. They are descendants of [[19th century|nineteenth-century]] contract workers from [[India]]. They are from the Indian states of [[Bihar]] and Eastern [[Uttar Pradesh]], in Northern India, along the [[Nepal]]ese border.
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*East Indians (known locally as Hindoestanen) form the largest group of the population. They are descendants of nineteenth-century contract workers from [[India]].
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*The Creoles form about 31% of the population. They are the descendants of [[West African]] slaves, some mixed with [[Dutch (ethnic group)|Dutch]], other [[white people|white]]s, [[Sephardi Jews]] and other [[ethnic group]]s.
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*The Creoles are the descendants of [[West Africa]]n slaves, mixed with whites.
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*The [[Javanese]] (descendents of contract workers from the former [[Dutch East Indies]] on the island of Java, Indonesia) make up 15%.  
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*The Javanese are descendants of contract workers from the former Dutch East Indies on the island of Java, [[Indonesia]].  
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*[[Maroon (slavery)|Maroons]] (descendants of escaped [[West Africa]]n slaves) make up 10% and are divided into five main groups: [[Aucan]]s, [[Kwinti]], [[Matawai]], [[Paramaccan]]s and [[Saramaccan]]s.  
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*Maroons (descendants of escaped West African slaves) are divided into five main groups: Aucans, Kwinti, Matawai, Paramaccans, and Saramaccans.  
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*[[Indigenous Peoples of the Americas|Amerindians]] form 3% of the population (some say as low as 1%), the main groups being the [[Akuriyo]], [[Arawak]], [[Carib]]/[[Kaliña]], [[Trío]] and [[Wayana]].  
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*Amerindians form a small percentage of the population, the main groups being the [[Akuriyo]], [[Arawak]], Carib/Kaliña, Trío and [[Wayana]].
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*[[Overseas Chinese|Chinese]] are mainly descendants of the earliest [[19th century|nineteenth-century]] contract workers.
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*[[China|Chinese]] are mainly descendants of the earliest nineteenth-century contract workers.
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*[[Boeroes]] (derived from ''boer'', the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] word for ''farmer'') are descendants of [[Dutch (ethnic group)|Dutch]] [[19th century|nineteenth-century]] immigrant farmers.
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*Boeroes (derived from ''boer,'' the Dutch word for ''farmer'') are descendants of [[Netherlands|Dutch]] nineteenth-century immigrant farmers.
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*[[Jews]], both [[Sephardi Jews|Sephardic]] and [[Eastern Europe|East European]].
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*[[Jew]]s, both [[Sephardic]] and [[Ashkenazi]][[Eastern Europe|East European]].
  
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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 [[Hinduism|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.<ref> Muslim Minorities in the West: Visible and Invisible By Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, Jane I. Smith, pg 271</ref> 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.
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===Religion===
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Because of the great number of ethnic groups in the country, there is no main religion. [[Christianity]], both [[Roman Catholicism]] and variations of [[Protestantism]], is dominant among Creoles and Maroons. Most of the Hindustani are [[Hinduism|Hindu]], but they also practice [[Islam]] and Christianity. The Javanese also practice both Islam and Christianity. At 20 percent of the population, Suriname has the largest [[Muslim]] community by percentage in the New World.<ref>Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad and Jane I. Smith (eds.), ''Muslim Minorities in the West: Visible and Invisible'' (AltaMira Press, 2002, ISBN 978-0759102187), 271.</ref> 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.
  
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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).
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The vast majority of people (about 90 percent) live in Paramaribo or on the coast. There is also a significant Surinamese population in the [[Netherlands]].  
  
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== Languages ==
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=== Languages ===
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* [[Dutch language|Dutch]] is the official language of Suriname.
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Dutch is the official language of Suriname, but 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 20 years of British presence) with a large influence from Dutch and several other languages, including [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], [[West Africa]]n languages, and several indigenous languages.
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* [[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 Empire|British]] presence) with a large influence from [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and several other languages, including [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], West African languages and several indigenous languages.
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* ''[[Bhojpuri language|Sarnami Hindi]]'' is the third largest language of the nation. Sarnami Hindustani is a form of [[Bihari languages|Bihari]], which is a dialect of modern India's [[Hindi]] language. It is spoken by the descendants of [[British Asian]] contract workers.
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Other languages also spoken are:
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* [[Javanese language|Javanese]] is spoken by the descendants of Javanese contract workers.
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* ''Sarnami Hindi'' is the third largest language of the nation. A form of Bihari, a dialect of modern India's Hindi language, it is spoken by the descendants of British Asian contract workers.
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* [[Maroon (people)|Maroon]] languages are somewhat intelligible with [[Sranan Tongo]]. Some are based on [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] rather than [[English language|English]]. Maroon languages include [[Saramaka]], [[Paramakans|Paramakan]], [[Ndyuka]] and ''Aukan'', [[Kwintis|Kwinti]] and [[Matawais|Matawai]].
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* Javanese is spoken by the descendants of Javanese contract workers.
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* [[Amerindian]] languages are spoken by the Amerindians of Suriname. These languages include [[Carib languages|Carib]] and [[Arawakan languages|Arawak]].
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* 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.
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* [[Hakka (linguistics)|Hakka Chinese]] and [[Cantonese (linguistics)|Cantonese]] is spoken by the descendants of the Chinese contract workers.
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* Amerindian languages are spoken by the Amerindians of Suriname. These languages include [[Carib]] and [[Arawak]].
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* [[Standard Mandarin|Mandarin]] is spoken by more recent Chinese immigrants.
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* [[Hakka Chinese]] and Cantonese are spoken by the descendants of the Chinese contract workers.
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* Additionally, [[English language|English]] and, to a lesser extent, [[Spanish language|Spanish]] are also used, especially at tourist-oriented facilities or shops.
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* [[Mandarin]] is spoken by more recent Chinese immigrants.
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* Additionally, English and, to a lesser extent, Spanish are also used, especially at tourist-oriented facilities or shops.
  
 
== Culture ==
 
== Culture ==
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{{main|Roman Catholicism in Suriname|Music of Suriname|Hinduism in South America|Islam in Suriname}}
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[[Image:Water-front houses in Paramaibo, 1955.jpg|thumb|right|300px|right|Waterfront houses in Paramaribo, 1955.]]
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[[Image:Water-front houses in Paramaibo, 1955.jpg|thumb|right|150px|right|Waterfront houses in Paramaribo, 1955.]]
 
 
Due to the mix of population groups, Surinamese culture is very diverse.
 
Due to the mix of population groups, Surinamese culture is very diverse.
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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%
 
  
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== Miscellaneous ==
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===Cuisine===
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* Suriname (referred to as 'Surinam') is the setting for the largest part of [[Aphra Behn]]'s classic novella, [[Oroonoko]].
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The nation's many immigrants have left culinary traces. The only truly national dish is chicken and rice. In Paramaribo, Javanese and Chinese cuisine and restaurants are popular. In the countryside, breakfast consists of rice (for the Javanese), roti (Hindustani), or bread (Creoles). The main meal is eaten at 3 p.m., after offices have closed. After a siesta, sandwiches and leftovers are eaten.
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* The [[1962]] film ''The Spiral Road'', directed by [[Robert Mulligan]] and starring [[Rock Hudson]], was filmed in Suriname (then Dutch Guiana).
 
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* Chapter 19 of [[Voltaire]]'s classic ''[[Candide]]'' is set in Suriname.
 
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* 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 [[Long-distance track event#10.2C000 meters|10 km]] for nearly a decade, [[Steven Vismale]] and [[Letitia Vriesde]]. Another notable track athlete from Suriname was [[Tommy Asinga]].
 
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* A [[European ethnic groups|European]] [[mercenary]] by the name of [[Karl Penta]] organised a successful campaign to destabilise the military regime that ruled Suriname under the dictator, [[Dési Bouterse]].
 
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* [[Anthony Nesty]] is the only person to win a medal (for swimming) for Suriname at the [[Olympic Games|Olympics]]. Originally from Trinidad, not Suriname, he now lives in Miami, Florida, USA.
 
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* In the film ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]'' Suriname is mentioned as the source of a shipment of [[Death's-head Hawkmoth]].
 
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* Suriname is featured in the TV series ''[[E-Ring]]''.
 
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* [[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
 
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* Mistakenly referred to as being "a country in [[Africa]]" by host [[Mike Rowe (television host)|Mike Rowe]] on his popular [[Discovery Channel]] show ''[[Dirty Jobs]]'', and a country in [[Asia]] in the film ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]''
 
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* In the popular TV show [[Father Ted]], [[Bishop Brennan]] suggests that he is going to send Ted to an "island off the coast of Suriname" where two tribes "have been knocking the shit out of each other since 1907"
 
  
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==See also==
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===Sports===
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* [[Boy Scouts van Suriname]]
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Some of the greatest [[Football (world)|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.  
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* [[Foreign relations of Suriname]]
 
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* [[List of cities in Suriname]]
 
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* [[Military of Suriname]]
 
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* [[Transport in Suriname]]
 
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* [[Corantijn Basin]] - archaeological site
 
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<!--Too detailed for general article on country...?:
 
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===Surinamese footballers===
 
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Suriname is the birth place of many famous footballers who have gone on to represent the [[Netherlands|Netherlands international football team]] at international level or to take Dutch nationality. Below is a list of these players (SuriProfs).
 
  
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[[Andre Wasiman]]{{·}} [[Andwelé Slory]]{{·}} [[Anthony Correia]]{{·}} [[Anton Vriesde]]{{·}} [[Armond MacAndrew]]{{·}} [[Aron Winter]]{{·}} [[Benito Kemble]]{{·}} [[Boy Waterman]]{{·}} [[Brian Pinas]]{{·}} [[Brian Tevreden]]{{·}} [[Bryan Roy]]{{·}} [[Carlos Hasselbaink]]{{·}} [[Cerezo Fung A Wing]]{{·}} [[Chedric Seedorf]]{{·}} [[Clarence Seedorf]]{{·}} [[Clyde Wijnhard]]{{·}} [[Darl Douglas]]{{·}} [[Dean Gorré]]{{·}} [[Delano Hill]]{{·}} [[Diego Biseswar]]{{·}} [[Dion Esajas]]{{·}} [[Dustley Mulder]]{{·}} [[Dwight Tiendalli]]{{·}} [[Edgar Davids]]{{·}} [[Edson Braafheid]]{{·}} [[Ellery Caïro]]{{·}} [[Errol Refos]]{{·}} [[Etienne Esajas]]{{·}} [[Etienne Shew-A-Tjon]]{{·}} [[Evander Sno]]{{·}} [[Fabian de Freitas]]{{·}} [[Fabian Wilnis]]{{·}} [[Ferdy Vierklau]]{{·}} [[Fernando Derveld]]{{·}} [[Ferne Snoyl]]{{·}} [[Frank Rijkaard]]{{·}} [[Gaston Taument]]{{·}} [[Geoffrey Verweij]]{{·}} [[Gerald Vanenburg]]{{·}} [[Gianni Zuiverloon]]{{·}} [[Gino Coutinho]]{{·}} [[Glen Helder]]{{·}} [[Gregory Playfair]]{{·}} [[Guillano Grot]]{{·}} [[Guus Uhlenbeek]]{{·}} [[Harvey Esajas]]{{·}} [[Harvey Wijngaarde]]{{·}} [[Henk Fräser]]{{·}} [[Henk ten Cate]]{{·}} [[Hennie Meijer]]{{·}} [[Humphrey Mijnals]]{{·}} [[Humphrey Rudge]]{{·}} [[Iwan Redan]]{{·}} [[Jermaine Holwijn]]{{·}} [[Jermaine Sandvliet]]{{·}} [[Jerrel Promes]]{{·}} [[Jerrel Wolfgang ]]{{·}} [[Jerry de Jong]]{{·}} [[Jerry Simons]]{{·}} [[Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink]]{{·}} [[John Veldman]]{{·}} [[Jurgen Colin]]{{·}} [[Kenneth Monkou]]{{·}} [[Kenneth Vermeer]]{{·}} [[Kevin Bobson]]{{·}} [[Kew Jaliens]]{{·}} [[Kiran Bechan]]{{·}} [[Kurt Elshot]]{{·}} [[Leo Koswal]]{{·}} [[Leo Koswal Sr]]{{·}} [[Lorenzo Davids]]{{·}} [[Lorenzo Wouter]]{{·}} [[Luciano van Kallen]]{{·}} [[Maarten Atmodikoro]]{{·}} [[Maikel Renfurm]]{{·}} [[Marciano Vink]]{{·}} [[Mariano Carrilho]]{{·}} [[Marino Promes]]{{·}} [[Mario Melchiot]]{{·}} [[Mark de Vries]]{{·}} [[Marvin Brunswijk]]{{·}} [[Marvin Emnes]]{{·}} [[Melvin Brunswijk]]{{·}} [[Melvin Fleur]]{{·}} [[Melvin Holwijn]]{{·}} [[Melvin Zaalman]]{{·}} [[Michael Reiziger]]{{·}} [[Michael Schultz]]{{·}} [[Michel Nok]]{{·}} [[Milano Koenders]]{{·}} [[Mitchel Piqué]]{{·}} [[Mitchel Plet]]{{·}} [[Mitchel Schet]]{{·}} [[Nigel de Jong]]{{·}}
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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 race 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]].
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[[Nordin Wooter]]{{·}} [[Orlando Engelaar]]{{·}} [[Orlando Trustfull]]{{·}}
 
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[[Oswald Snip]]{{·}} [[Pascal Heije]]{{·}} [[Patrick Kluivert]]{{·}} [[Prince Rajcomar]]{{·}} [[Purrel Fränkel]]{{·}} [[Quincy van Ommeren]]{{·}} [[R. Muskiet]]{{·}} [[Raoul Henar]]{{·}} [[Ray Frankel]]{{·}} [[Regi Blinker]]{{·}} [[Regillio Simons]]{{·}} [[Regillio Slijngard]]{{·}} [[Regillio Vrede]]{{·}} [[Reinhard Breinburg]]{{·}} [[Rodney Cairo]]{{·}} [[Rodney Ubbergen]]{{·}} [[Roel Liefden]]{{·}} [[Romano Denneboom]]{{·}} [[Rodney Dangerfield]]{{·}} [[Romeo Wouden]]{{·}} [[Romeo Zondervan]]{{·}} [[Ronald Breinburg]]{{·}} [[Ronald Hoop]]{{·}} [[Royston Drenthe]]{{·}} [[Ruud Gullit]]{{·}} [[Ryan Babel]]{{·}} [[Ryan Donk]]{{·}} [[Samuel Koejoe]]{{·}} [[Serginho Greene]]{{·}} [[Sherjil MacDonald]]{{·}} [[Sigourney Bandjar]]{{·}} [[Bob Saget]]{{·}} [[Marlin Brando]]{{·}} [[Chuck Norris]]{{·}} [[GOD]]{{·}}
 
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[[Steve Olfers]]{{·}} [[Ulrich Cruden]]{{·}} [[Ulrich van Gobbel]]{{·}} [[Ulrich Wilson]]{{·}} [[Urby Emanuelson]]{{·}} [[Uriel Trustfull]]{{·}} [[Urvin Lee]]{{·}} [[Victor Kros]]{{·}} [[Winston Bakboord]]{{·}} [[Winston Bogarde]]{{·}} [[Winston Faerber]]
 
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—>
 
  
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== References ==
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=== Miscellaneous ===
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* Suriname is the setting for the largest part of Aphra Behn's classic [[novella]], ''Oroonoko.''
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* The 1962 [[film]], ''The Spiral Road,'' directed by Robert Mulligan and starring [[Rock Hudson]], was filmed in Suriname (then Dutch Guiana).
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* Chapter 19 of [[Voltaire]]'s classic ''Candide'' is set in Suriname.
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* Suriname was featured in the TV series ''E-Ring.''
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* [[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.
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== Notes ==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
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==References==
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* Briggs, Philip. ''Suriname''. Bradt Travel Guides, 2020. ISBN 978-1784771331
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* Buddingh, Hans. ''A History of Suriname''. Sidestone Press, 2023. ISBN 978-9464261400
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* De Dijn, Bart. ''Natural History and Ecology of Suriname''. LM Publishers, 2018. ISBN 978-9460224386
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* Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck, and Jane I. Smith (eds.). ''Muslim Minorities in the West: Visible and Invisible''. AltaMira Press, 2002. ISBN 978-0759102187
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
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{{sisterlinks|Suriname}}
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All links retrieved April 16, 2024.
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* {{nl icon}} [https://www.dna.sr/ The Suriname National Assembly]
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* {{CIA_World_Factbook_link|ns|Suriname}}
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* [https://www.cbvs.sr/ Central Bank of Suriname]
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* {{dmoz|Regional/South_America/Suriname/}}
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* [https://maps.lib.utexas.edu/maps/suriname.html Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection]
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* {{statoids|id=usr|title=Districts of Suriname}}
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* [https://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Suriname.html Suriname] ''Countries and their Cultures''
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* {{nl icon}} [http://www.kabinet.sr.org/ Cabinet of the president of the republic Suriname]
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* [https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/suriname/ Suriname] ''U.S. Department of State''
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* [http://suriname.undefine.nl/ Lot's of fun Information about Suriname - Undefine SURINAME]
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* [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/suriname Suriname] ''The World Factbook''
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* [http://www.searchsuriname.com/ Suriname's Official Business Search Engine - SEARCH SURINAME]
 
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* [http://www.britannica.com/nations/Suriname Encyclopaedia Britannica - Suriname Country Page]
 
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* {{nl icon}} [http://www.dna.sr/ The Suriname National Assembly]
 
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* [http://globaledge.msu.edu/countryInsights/country.asp?CountryID=150 Suriname information on globalEDGE]
 
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* [http://www.cbvs.sr/english/index.html Suriname's Central Bank]
 
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* [http://www.sil.org/americas/suriname/Index.html Dictionaries in some of Suriname's languages]
 
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* [http://www.kingbotho.com Andre Mosis, Kingbotho, researcher, percussionist]
 
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* [http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/EthnoAtlas/Hmar/Cult_dir/Culture.7834 Details on the various groups of Maroons or "Bush Negros" in Suriname]
 
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* [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/suriname.html Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection]
 
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* {{nl icon}}[http://www.cq-link.com/bedrijven/cbb/default.php Centrale Bureau Burgerzaken]
 
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* [http://www.ci-suriname.org/csnr/eng/index.htm Central Suriname Nature Reserve]
 
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* [http://www.stinasu.sr/ Central STINASU - Foundation for Nature Conservation in Suriname]
 
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* [http://www.constitution.org/cons/suriname.htm Constitution of Suriname]
 
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Latest revision as of 12:07, 17 April 2024


Republiek Suriname
Republic of Suriname
Flag of Suriname Coat of arms of Suriname
Motto: Justitia - Pietas - Fides  (Latin)
"Justice - Duty - Loyalty"
Anthem: God zij met ons Suriname   (Dutch)
('God be with our Suriname')
Location of Suriname
Capital
(and largest city) 		Paramaribo
5°50′N 55°10′W
Official languages Dutch
Recognized regional languages Sranan Tongo, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), English, Javanese[1]
Demonym Surinamese
Government Unitary assembly-independent republic
 -  President Chan Santokhi
 -  Vice-President Ronnie Brunswijk
Independence
 -  from the Netherlands November 25, 1975 
Area
 -  Total 163,821 km² (91st)
63,251 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) 1.1
Population
 -  2023 estimate 639,759[1] (170th)
 -  Density 2.9/km² (231st)
7.6/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2023 estimate
 -  Total Green Arrow Up (Darker).png $11.435 billion[2] (160th)
 -  Per capita Green Arrow Up (Darker).png $18,311[2] (91st)
GDP (nominal) 2023 estimate
 -  Total Green Arrow Up (Darker).png $3.539 billion[2] (173rd)
 -  Per capita Red Arrow Down.svg $5,667[2] (106th)
Currency Surinamese dollar (SRD)
Time zone ART (UTC-3)
 -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC-3)
Internet TLD .sr
Calling code +597

Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America that is rich in bauxite, although gold and oil reserves are now being explored and developed. Formerly known as 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. It claims two disputed territories totaling some 6,800 square miles (17,612 sq km) in the southwest and southeast, bordering on Guyana and French Guiana, respectively. The country is the smallest state in terms of area and population in South America.

As a plantation colony, Suriname was heavily dependent on manual labor, originally slaves and later contract laborers from the Dutch East Indies and India, as well as China and the Middle East. Although Suriname's population remains relatively small, because of its history it is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse countries in the world.

Geography

Suriname is the smallest independent country in South America. Situated on the Guiana Shield, a unique geological formation, 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 percent 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 4,219 ft (1,286 m) above sea level. Other mountains include Tafelberg (3,366 ft; 1,026 m), Mount Kasikasima (2,356 ft; 718 m), Goliathberg (1,174 ft; 358 m), and Voltzberg (787 ft; 240 m).

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

The Suriname River, near the city of Paramaribo

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, 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 center 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.

The Central Suriname Nature Reserve comprises a range of topography and ecosystems. Its montane and lowland forests contain a high diversity of plant life with almost 6,000 plant species collected. There are viable populations of animals typical of the region, including jaguar, giant armadillo, giant river otter, tapir, sloths, and eight species of primates, as well as 400 bird species.

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 colonization

The village Santigron in Suriname, a Maroon village in the rainforest. Some 20,000 Maroons, (from the French term marron, meaning "fugitive") descendants of Suriname's escaped slaves, are still living in Suriname's rainforest having retained their most original and traditional Afro-American culture. Photo taken May 2006.

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, signed in 1667, the Dutch opted to keep the nascent plantation colony of Suriname conquered from the British, while leaving the small trading post of New 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, "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 and 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 nineteenth century, granting the Maroons sovereign status and trade rights.

Slavery in Suriname was abolished by the Netherlands in 1863, but the slaves were not fully released until 1873, after a mandatory ten-year transition period during which 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 city living in 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.

Independence

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) began 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 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 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. 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. On December 8, 1982, a group of 13 dissidents, including a newspaper editor, two human-rights lawyers, and several labor leaders, were executed. The Netherlands quickly suspended all foreign aid. A military regime led by Desi Bouterse as chairman of the National Military Council controlled Suriname from 1980 until the beginning of the 1990s. As one of the wealthiest people in Suriname, he made his fortune in gold and forestry-related businesses, but claimed to be a socialist, when he took control of the nation.

Bouterse and 24 co-defendants were brought to trial 25 years later for allegedly instigating the "December Murders." The trial was to have begun in November 2007, before a military tribunal (however, Bouterse is still standing trial as of August 2008). "We need to do this for our history, for our children," said Betty Goede, the head of a local human-rights group that had spent nearly a decade fighting to try the case.

Bouterse has been accused on various occasions of involvement in illegal drug trafficking. In July 1999, he was convicted in absentia in the Netherlands for cocaine-trafficking. The Netherlands has an international warrant for his arrest, which makes it almost impossible for him to leave Suriname. By law, Suriname cannot deliver him because he is a former head of state.

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 government, Bouterse summarily dismissed them in 1990, by telephone, an event that 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 strength after the turbulent 1990s, and its economy became more diversified and less dependent on Dutch financial assistance. Bauxite (aluminum ore) mining became a strong revenue source, but the discovery and exploitation of oil and gold 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 reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Politics

The Republic of Suriname is a constitutional democracy based on the 1987 constitution. The legislative branch consists of a 51-member unicameral National Assembly, simultaneously and popularly elected for a five-year term.

Presidential Palace of Suriname

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 ten 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.

Foreign relations

Map of Suriname with disputed territories in light green

Since gaining independence, Suriname has become a member of the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and the Non-Aligned Movement. Suriname is a member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market and the Association of Caribbean States; it is associated with the European Union through the Lome Convention. Suriname participates in the Amazonian Pact, a grouping of the countries of the Amazon Basin that focuses on protection of the region's natural resources from environmental degradation. Reflecting its status as a major bauxite producer, Suriname is also a member of the International Bauxite Association. The country also belongs to the Economic Commission for Latin America, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. Suriname became a member of the Islamic Development Bank in 1998.

At independence, Suriname signed an agreement with the Netherlands providing for about $1.5 billion in development assistance grants and loans over a 10 to 15-year period. Initial disbursements amounted to about $100 million per year, but they were discontinued during military rule. After the return to a democratically elected government in 1991, Dutch aid resumed. The Dutch relationship continued to be an important factor in the economy, with the Dutch insisting that Suriname undertake economic reforms and produce specific plans acceptable to the Dutch for projects on which aid funds could be spent. In 2000, the Dutch revised the structure of their aid package and signaled to the Surinamese authorities their decision to disburse aid by sectoral priorities as opposed to individual projects. In 2001 both governments agreed to spend the remaining development funds to finance programs in six different sectors: health care, education, environment, agriculture, housing, and governance.

Relations with the Dutch have been complicated by Dutch prosecution of Desi Bouterse in absentia on drug charges, and by legal maneuvering by Dutch prosecutors trying to bring charges relating to the December 1982 murders. A Dutch appellate court in 2000 found Bouterse guilty of one drug-related charge; the decision was upheld on appeal. But finally, in April 2008, the wealthy former ruler was facing trial.

Bilateral agreements with several countries of the region, covering diverse areas of cooperation, have underscored the government's interest in strengthening regional ties. The return to Suriname from French Guiana of about 8,000 refugees of the 1986-1991 civil war between the military and domestic insurgents has improved relations with French authorities. Long-standing border disputes with Guyana and French Guiana remain unresolved. Negotiations with the government of Guyana brokered by the Jamaican prime minister in 2000 did not produce an agreement, but the countries agreed to restart talks after Guyanese national elections in 2001. In January 2002, the presidents of Suriname and Guyana met in Suriname and agreed to resume negotiations, establishing the Suriname-Guyana border commission. In 2004, Guyana brought Suriname before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in a case regarding the maritime border dispute; a decision in favor of Guyana was issued in 2007. An earlier dispute with Brazil ended amicably after formal demarcation of the border.

Suriname is a growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil and a transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing.

Military

Surinamese armed forces consist of the national army under the control of the minister of defense and a smaller civil police force, which is responsible to the minister of justice and police. The national armed forces comprise some 2,200 personnel, the majority of whom are deployed as light infantry security forces. A small air force, navy, and military police also exist. The Netherlands has provided limited military assistance to the Surinamese armed forces since the election of a democratic government in 1991.

In recent years, the United States has provided training to military officers and policymakers to promote a better understanding of the role of the military in a civilian government. Since the mid-1990s, the China has been donating military equipment and logistical material to the Surinamese armed forces. The Netherlands, France, Venezuela, and Brazil also have working relationships with the Surinamese military.

Suriname’s borders are porous; largely uninhabited, unguarded, and ungoverned rainforest and rivers make up the eastern, western, and southern borders, and the navy’s capability to police Suriname’s northern Atlantic coast is limited. Protecting natural resources from illegal exploitation such as unlicensed gold mining is difficult, and significant tax revenue is lost. Porous borders also make Suriname a target for transshipment of drugs. Since 2000, arrests and prosecutions of drug smugglers have increased, partially due to funding and training for police capacity through the U.S. State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.

Economy

Suriname’s economy has been dominated by the export of alumina, oil, and gold. Other export products include bananas, shrimp, fish, rice, and lumber.

Bauxite (aluminium ore) mining used to be a strong revenue source until 2016. The discovery and exploitation of oil and gold has added substantially to Suriname's economic independence. Agriculture, especially rice and bananas, remains a strong component of the economy, and ecotourism is providing new economic opportunities, given than more than 90 percent of Suriname's landmass consists of unspoiled rainforest. With the establishment of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve in 1998, Suriname signaled its commitment to the conservation of this precious resource.

About a quarter of the people work in the agricultural sector. The Surinamese economy is very dependent on commerce, its main trade partners being the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, and Caribbean countries, mainly Trinidad and Tobago and the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles.

Privatization

In an effort to address the problem of Suriname’s ailing 110 parastatals, the government has introduced a plan that would strengthen them, after which they would be privatized. The first parastatals chosen for this experiment were the banana company, Surland, the wood processing company, Bruynzeel, and the rice company, SML.

After closing for more than seven months in 2002, the banana company was reopened under the new name SBBS. After an initial attempt to privatize the company failed in 2005, the government continued the restructuring of the company. With heavy financing from the European Union the company has been revitalized but is not yet out of debt. In 2006 SBBS produced and exported at record quantities. The management of the company is currently in the hands of a French company. The government has not announced any new plans for privatizing the company.

The privatization attempt of the wood processing company, Bruynzeel, failed, as did the restructuring of the heavily indebted rice company SML.

Demographics

Suriname's population is made up of several distinct ethnic groups.

  • East Indians (known locally as Hindoestanen) form the largest group of the population. They are descendants of nineteenth-century contract workers from India.
  • The Creoles are the descendants of West African slaves, mixed with whites.
  • The Javanese are descendants of contract workers from the former Dutch East Indies on the island of Java, Indonesia.
  • Maroons (descendants of escaped West African slaves) are divided into five main groups: Aucans, Kwinti, Matawai, Paramaccans, and Saramaccans.
  • Amerindians form a small percentage of the population, 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 AshkenaziEast European.

Religion

Because of the great number of ethnic groups in the country, there is no main religion. Christianity, both 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 percent 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 percent) live in Paramaribo or on the coast. There is also a significant Surinamese population in the Netherlands.

Languages

Dutch is the official language of Suriname, but 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 20 years of British presence) with a large influence from Dutch and several other languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, West African languages, and several indigenous languages.

Other languages also spoken are:

  • Sarnami Hindi is the third largest language of the nation. A form of Bihari, 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 are 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.

Cuisine

The nation's many immigrants have left culinary traces. The only truly national dish is chicken and rice. In Paramaribo, Javanese and Chinese cuisine and restaurants are popular. In the countryside, breakfast consists of rice (for the Javanese), roti (Hindustani), or bread (Creoles). The main meal is eaten at 3 p.m., after offices have closed. After a siesta, sandwiches and leftovers are eaten.

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 race 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.

Miscellaneous

  • Suriname 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.
  • Suriname was 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.

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 CIA, Suriname The World Factbook. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (Suriname) International Monetary Fund. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  3. ↑ Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad and Jane I. Smith (eds.), Muslim Minorities in the West: Visible and Invisible (AltaMira Press, 2002, ISBN 978-0759102187), 271.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Briggs, Philip. Suriname. Bradt Travel Guides, 2020. ISBN 978-1784771331
  • Buddingh, Hans. A History of Suriname. Sidestone Press, 2023. ISBN 978-9464261400
  • De Dijn, Bart. Natural History and Ecology of Suriname. LM Publishers, 2018. ISBN 978-9460224386
  • Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck, and Jane I. Smith (eds.). Muslim Minorities in the West: Visible and Invisible. AltaMira Press, 2002. ISBN 978-0759102187

External links

All links retrieved April 16, 2024.

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