Suriname
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What is Suriname?
Suriname, situated on South America's northern coast, is a small country with a diverse population. Formerly known as Dutch Guiana, it was a Dutch plantation colony that gained independence on November 25, 1975. The capital, Paramaribo, is located 9 miles (15 km) from the Atlantic Ocean on the Suriname River.
Dutch is the official language, but many also speak Sranan, other Creole languages, English, Sarnami, Javanese, and Indigenous languages. The largest ethnic group is South Asians, followed by Maroons, Creoles, Javanese, and people of mixed ethnicity.
Suriname's economy relies on natural resources, especially bauxite, with additional income from agriculture and remittances.
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Where is Suriname located?
Suriname, also known as the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America. It is bordered to the north by the Atlantic Ocean, to the east by French Guiana, to the south by Brazil and to the west by Guyana. Formerly known as Dutch Guiana, it is one of the smallest countries in South America with one of the region's most diverse populations. Its capital, Paramaribo, is located 9 miles (15 km) from the Atlantic Ocean on the Suriname River.
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What is the capital city of Suriname?
The capital of Suriname is Paramaribo, its largest city and chief port. Paramaribo is on the Suriname River, 9 miles (15 km) from the Atlantic Ocean. The city's historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its unique blend of European and local architectural elements. Much of Paramaribo’s Dutch colonial architecture and canal system remain. The East-West Highway connects Paramaribo to Albina on the eastern border and Nieuw Nickerie on the western border.
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What languages are spoken in Suriname?
The official language of Suriname is Dutch. However, its usage varies among ethnic groups, with most of the population learning it as a second language. Additional languages spoken in Suriname include Sranan, an English-based creole language, along with other creole languages. Other languages spoken in Suriname are English, Sarnami (which originated from Hindi and Urdu), Javanese, and a number of Maroon and South American Indian languages. Sranan is used by almost the entire population of Suriname as either a first or a second language and functions as a lingua franca and a national language.
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What is the history of Suriname as a former colony?
Suriname's colonial history began with unsuccessful settlements by the Spanish, Dutch, British, and French in the early 17th century due to Indian resistance. The first permanent European settlement was established in 1651 by British planters and their slaves. In 1667, the Dutch seized Suriname and gained formal control in exchange for New Amsterdam (now New York City).
Except for brief periods of British rule, Suriname remained under Dutch control until its independence in 1975. It developed into a plantation colony, with sugar as the main export. Slaves from Africa comprised most of the population until the mid-19th century. Laborers from China, India, and Java were later brought to work on plantations. Bauxite mining became prominent in the 20th century. Suriname is one of South America's smallest countries, and is known for its ethnic diversity and natural resources.
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What are some important cultural traditions or festivals in Suriname?
Suriname is a culturally diverse society with various ethnic groups that contribute to its traditions. The arts incorporate traditions from Javanese, Indian, and Maroon cultures through textiles, baskets, and wood carvings.
Culinary traditions blend South Asian, Javanese, Creole, West African, and Chinese elements. While Suriname has no official religion, Christianity is the principal religion, but Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and African and Indian religions are also widely practiced.
One notable festival celebrated by the Indo-Caribbean population in Suriname is Holi, also known as Phagwah. This joyous festival embraces diversity and inclusion.
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News •
Suriname, country located on the northern coast of South America. Suriname is one of the smallest countries in South America, yet its population is one of the most ethnically diverse in the region. Its economy is dependent on its extensive supply of natural resources, most notably bauxite, of which it is one of the top producers in the world. The southern four-fifths of the country is almost entirely covered with pristine tropical rainforest.
Formerly known as Dutch Guiana, Suriname was a plantation colony of the Netherlands that gained its independence on November 25, 1975. From 1980 to 1987 the country was governed by a succession of military regimes. A new civilian constitution was approved in 1987. Another military coup took place in 1990, but the country returned to civilian rule the following year. The capital, Paramaribo, lies 9 miles (15 km) from the Atlantic Ocean on the Suriname River.
- Head Of State And Government:
- President: Chandrikapersad Santokhi
- Capital:
- Paramaribo
- Population:
- (2026 est.) 658,200
- Form Of Government:
- multiparty republic with one legislative house (National Assembly [51])
- Official Language:
- Dutch
- Official Religion:
- none
- Official Name:
- Republiek Suriname (Republic of Suriname)
- Total Area (Sq Km):
- 163,820
- Total Area (Sq Mi):
- 63,251
- Monetary Unit:
- Suriname dollar (SRD)
- Population Rank:
- (2026) 172
- Population Projection 2030:
- 622,000
- Density: Persons Per Sq Mi:
- (2026) 10.4
- Density: Persons Per Sq Km:
- (2026) 4
- Urban-Rural Population:
- Urban: (2020) 66%
- Rural: (2020) 34%
- Life Expectancy At Birth:
- Male: (2021) 67.2 years
- Female: (2021) 72 years
- Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000):
- (2024) 3,610
- Gni Per Capita (U.S.$):
- (2024) 5,690
Land
Suriname is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, by French Guiana to the east, by Brazil to the south, and by Guyana to the west. Suriname is involved in territorial disputes with both Guyana and French Guiana that are legacies of colonial rule. The dispute with Guyana centers on the New River Triangle, a 6,000-square-mile (15,600-square-km) area between two tributaries of the Courantyne River in southern Guyana. In addition to claiming the New River Triangle, Suriname also contests its border with Guyana along the Courantyne: Suriname claims sovereignty over the entire river and thus views its west bank as the border, while Guyana claims that the thalweg, or deepest channel of the river, is the boundary. In 2007 a United Nations international tribunal settled another long-standing boundary dispute between the two countries, in which Suriname was awarded one-third of a disputed area of the Caribbean Sea. The area in contention with French Guiana is the 5,000-square-mile (13,000-square-km) region between the Itany and Marouini rivers in the southwestern corner of French Guiana.
Relief
The narrow coastal zone, some 226 miles (364 km) long, consists of sandbanks and mudbanks deposited by the southern equatorial currents from the area surrounding the mouth of the Amazon River (located to the east of Suriname, in Brazil). South of the mudbanks begins the New Coastal Plain, also formed from sand and clay from the mouth of the Amazon. The region, covering some 6,600 square miles (17,000 square km), consists of swampland. The soil of the swamps is clay, in which a great deal of peat has formed. The region is traversed by sandy ridges that run parallel to the coast.
South of the New Coastal Plain is the Old Coastal Plain, which covers some 1,550 square miles (4,000 square km). It consists largely of fine clays and sands and contains a variety of topographies, including old ridges, clay flats, and swamps.
South of the Old Coastal Plain is the Zanderij formation, a 40-mile- (64-km-) wide landscape of rolling hills. This formation rests on bleached sand sediments, which are rich in quartz. Most of the region is covered by tropical rainforest, but swamps and areas of savanna grassland are also found.
Farther to the south, bordering Brazil, is an area consisting largely of a central mountain range, its various branches, and scattered hilly areas; a vast tropical rainforest covers these highlands. The highest summit, at 4,035 feet (1,230 meters), is Juliana Top, in the Wilhelmina Mountains. In the southwest near the Brazilian border is the Sipaliwini Plain, another savanna area.
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Drainage and soils
Suriname’s major rivers flow northward into the Atlantic. They include the Courantyne, which forms part of the boundary with Guyana; the Coppename; the Suriname; and the Maroni, which forms part of the border with French Guiana. Suriname’s most fertile soils occur in the inundated lands reclaimed by diking and drainage (polders), which are principally in the New Coastal Plain.
Climate
Suriname has a tropical climate. The populated area in the north has four seasons: a minor rainy season from early December to early February, a minor dry season from early February to late April, a major rainy season from late April to mid-August, and a major dry season from mid-August to early December. Daytime temperatures in Paramaribo range between 70 and 90 °F (21 and 32 °C). In the interior, diurnal temperature extremes can vary by as much as about 20 degrees. However, the range in average temperatures between the warmest month, September, and the coldest, January, is only about 3 degrees. Rainfall is highest in the central and southeastern parts of the country. Annual rainfall averages about 75 inches (1,900 mm) in the west and 95 inches (2,400 mm) in Paramaribo.
Plant and animal life
The flora of the coastal area is better known than that of the interior. It consists of some 4,000 species of ferns and seed plants and a large number of mosses, weeds, and mildews. About nine-tenths of Suriname’s area is covered with heterogeneous forest consisting of more than 1,000 species of trees. The baboen (Virola surinamensis), which grows in the coastal area, is used to make plywood. The kapok (Ceiba pentandra) reaches a height of more than 150 feet (45 meters). The Central Suriname Nature Reserve, covering nearly 3,950,000 acres (1,600,000 hectares), was established in June 1998 in west-central Suriname. It is one of the largest protected areas of rainforest in the world and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.
There are some 150 species of mammals, including monkeys, wild pigs, deer, manatees, jaguars, ocelots, armadillos, sloths, and anteaters. The tapir is the largest land mammal. Reptiles include caimans, iguanas, and the boa constrictor. The beaches on the eastern part of the coast are breeding grounds for marine turtles, which are protected by law. About 650 species of birds, including hummingbirds, vultures, and parrots, have been identified. Some 350 species of fish occupy coastal and inland waters.