Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a democratically elected government returned to power in 1991.

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

4 00 N, 56 00 W

South America

total: 163,270 sq km
land: 161,470 sq km
water: 1,800 sq km

slightly larger than Georgia

total: 1,707 km
border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

386 km

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

tropical; moderated by trade winds

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

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

arable land: 0.36%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 99.58% (2005)

510 sq km (2003)

NA

deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

439,117 (July 2006 est.)

0-14 years: 29% (male 65,412/female 62,069)
15-64 years: 64.7% (male 145,913/female 138,076)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 12,223/female 15,424) (2006 est.)

total: 26.5 years
male: 26 years
female: 26.9 years (2006 est.)

0.2% (2006 est.)

18.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

7.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

-8.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

total: 23.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.89 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

total population: 69.01 years
male: 66.66 years
female: 71.47 years (2006 est.)

2.32 children born/woman (2006 est.)

1.7% (2001 est.)

5,200 (2001 est.)

less than 500 (2003 est.)

noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese

Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

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

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88%
male: 92.3%
female: 84.1% (2000 est.)

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

constitutional democracy

Paramaribo

10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

ratified 30 September 1987

based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger United People's Assembly (893 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms; election last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN reelected president; percent of vote - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 62.9%, Rabin PARMESSAR 35.4%, other 1.7%; note - after two votes in the parliament failed to secure a two-thirds majority for a candidate, the vote then went to a special session of the United People's Assembly on 3 August 2005

unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NF 39.73%, NDP 22.2%, VVV 13.79%, A-Com 7.21%, A-1 5.86%, other 7.42%; seats by party - NF 23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A-1 3

Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court (justices are nominated for life)

Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Amazone Party of Suriname or APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN], Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); General Interior Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a coalition which includes A-Combination or A-Com [leader NA], Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 which split from the A-1 before the elections of May 2005 and are an independent, business-oriented party [Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname or NPS [Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ram SARDJOE], Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression, Justice, and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL [Raymond SAPOEN]); Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU [Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP [Surinder MUNGRA]; Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj PANDAY]

Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE]; Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE]; Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

ACP, Caricom, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES
chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878
consulate(s) general: Miami

chief of mission: Ambassador Marsha E. BARNES
embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address: Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington, DC, 20521-3390
telephone: [597] 472-900
FAX: [597] 425-690

five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

The economy is dominated by the mining industry, which accounts for more than a third of GDP and subjects government revenues to mineral price volatility. The short-term economic outlook depends on the government's ability to control inflation and on the development of projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN, in his first term, implemented an austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending. Economic policies are likely to remain the same during VENETIAAN's second term. Prospects for local onshore oil production are good, as a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company (Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with Repsol, Mearsk, and Occidental.

$2.081 billion (2005 est.)

$1.355 billion (2005 est.)

2% (2005 est.)

$4,100 (2005 est.)

agriculture: 13%
industry: 22%
services: 65% (2001)

156,700 (2004)

agriculture: 8%
industry: 14%
services: 78%

9.5% (2004)

70% (2002 est.)

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

9.5% (2005 est.)

revenues: $392.6 million
expenditures: $425.9 million (2004)

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

bauxite and gold mining, alumina production; oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing

6.5% (1994 est.)

2.014 billion kWh (2003)

fossil fuel: 25.2%
hydro: 74.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

1.873 billion kWh (2003)

0 kWh (2003)

0 kWh (2003)

12,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

1,370 bbl/day (2003)

1,644 bbl/day (2003)

150 million bbl (2005)

0 cu m (2003 est.)

0 cu m (2003 est.)

0 cu m (2005)

$881 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Norway 29.4%, US 15.2%, Canada 12.5%, Belgium 10.2%, France 8.5%, UAE 6.2% (2004)

$750 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

US 26.2%, Netherlands 19.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.5%, Japan 6.6%, China 4.6%, Brazil 4.1% (2004)

$504.3 million (2005 est.)

Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million (2003)

Surinam dollar (SRD)

SRG

Surinamese dollars per US dollar - 2.7317 (2005), Surinamese guilders per US dollar - 2.7336 (2004), 2.6013 (2003), 2.3468 (2002), 2.1785 (2001)
note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; in January 2004, the government introduced the Surinamese dollar as replacement for the guilder, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket

calendar year

81,300 (2004)

212,800 (2004)

general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

300,000 (1997)

3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

63,000 (1997)

.sr

122 (2005)

2 (2000)

30,000 (2005)

47 (2005)

total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2005)

total: 42
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 36 (2005)

oil 51 km (2004)

total: 4,492 km
paved: 1,168 km
unpaved: 3,324 km (2002)

1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2005)

total: 1 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Paramaribo

National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements)

18 years of age (est.); no conscription

males age 18-49: 111,582
females age 18-49: 103,769 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49: 77,793
females age 18-49: 72,943 (2005 est.)

$7.5 million (2003 est.)

0.7% (2003 est.)

area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing