Suriname

Full name of country: Republic of Suriname

Region: South America

Official language: Dutch

Population: 646,758 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Surinamer(s) (noun), Surinamese (adjective)

Land area: 156,000 sq km

Water area: 7,820 sq km

Capital: Paramaribo

National anthem: "God zij met ons Suriname!" (God Be with Our Suriname), by Cornelis Atses Hoekstra and Henry De Ziel/Johannes Corstianus De Puy

National holiday: Independence Day, November 25 (1975)

Population growth: 1.07% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC –3

Flag: Suriname's flag features five horizontal stripes, a thicker red stripe in the center, flanked by thinner white stripes above and below, with wide green stripes on the top and bottom of the flag. A yellow star, symbolizing the country's ethnic groups, is centered on the red stripe. The red in the flag represents progress and love, while the white stands for peace and justice and the green stands for fertility and hope.

Independence: November 25, 1975 (from the Netherlands)

Government type: presidential republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law; note—a new criminal code was enacted in 2017

Suriname, a former colony of the Netherlands, is officially known as the Republic of Suriname (Republiek Suriname). It is one of the smallest South American countries and is situated on the northeastern coast of South America. Suriname is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, by French Guiana to the east, and by Guyana to the west. Brazil lies to the south.

The country is known for its vast rain forests and for preserving and integrating African traditions in its culture. Historically, it has had a diverse ethnic and racial population. The population is still diverse, although tension still exists between Hindustani and East Asian groups and the Creole and Maroon majority. Because political power has been concentrated in the light-skinned population, there are also tensions between light- and dark-skinned Surinamese.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: Suriname's population is a mixture of ethnic groups, the largest of which are Hindustanis (or East Indians), Maroons (descendents of enslaved Africans who escaped), and Creoles (people of mixed race). Other groups include people of Javanese, Indigenous, Chinese, and European descent. The country's mixed ethnic heritage reflects its history of plantation slavery.

Most of Suriname's population lives in the north along the coast and in the urban center of the capital, Paramaribo.

The Maroons may be divided into six subgroups: the Saramaka, Ndjuka, Matawai, Aluku (Boni), Paramaka, and Kwinti. The Maroon population continues to live in small communities in forested areas, relying on small-scale farming, hunting, and trading. Maroons practice a religion called Winti, which derives from West African religions.

In addition to Winti, many different religions are practiced in Suriname, including Hinduism, Islam, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Jehovah's Witness, and Indigenous faiths. Christians are the largest faith group, followed by Hindus and Muslims. African religious traditions are sometimes practiced along with Christianity among the Creoles and Maroons.

While Dutch is the official language of Suriname, a number of languages are spoken there. Among these are English, Hindustani, and Javanese. Because of its ethnic diversity, there are also many Creole languages spoken in the country, including Sranan-Tongo or Surinamese, Paramakan, Ndjuka, Aluku, and Kwinti. Sranan-Tongo is a mixture of English, Dutch, Portuguese, and African.

Indigenous People: The earliest Indigenous people known to dwell in Suriname were an Amerindian people called the Surinas. Among other local tribes were the Arawak, Carib, and Warrau (Awarao) peoples, who called their land Guiana. The Indigenous peoples fought the early efforts of British explorers to establish colonies on their land.

British colonists eventually settled the land in 1650. They established sugar plantations there and relied on enslaved Africans to work the farms. Later, the Dutch Netherlands obtained the region from Great Britain through the Treaty of Breda (1667). The Dutch became the primary European group and ruling class. They continued to force enslaved Africans to work on the sugar plantations.

Creoles, or people of mixed race, were often descendents of enslaved Africans and European enslavers. With the abolition of slavery in 1863, Chinese, Hindustanis, and Indonesians were brought to Suriname as indentured servants to help support the agricultural industry.

Education: According to 2021 estimates, 95 percent of Suriname's adult population over fifteen can read and write. The University of Suriname (now the Anton de Kom University of Suriname), which opened in 1968, is the country's only major university. It became an important center of resistance against the socialist military government during the 1980s.

Children between the ages of six and twelve must attend school in Suriname. Basic education consists of primary school and secondary school; vocational education is also available. Religious groups such as Muslims, Christians, and Hindus have set up their own schools, which have served to segregate education along religious lines.

Children are educated in the Dutch language, which makes learning more difficult for children who speak Dutch as a second language. Rural schools face more shortages of qualified teachers than schools in densely populated areas do. Much of the country's education system is financed by aid from the Netherlands and by the European Development Fund.

Health Care: There are a number of tropical infectious diseases that are prevalent in Suriname, includingmalaria, dengue fever, diarrhoeal diseases, typhoid, and Zika virus. More than 1 percent of the population lives with HIV/AIDS, according to 2020 estimates. Poverty and inadequate sanitation contribute to the spread of disease. Average life expectancy at birth is 72.7 years, with 69 years for men and 76.7 years for women (2024 estimates).

During the political upheaval of the 1980s, much of Suriname's health infrastructure suffered. Many educated Surinamers, including nurses and physicians, immigrated to other countries. The country has sought to update its health infrastructure through the cooperation of the Bureau of Public Health, the Regional Health Service, and the Medical Mission, which serves the remote regions of the country. The Ministry of Health subsidizes some health services for people in poverty, older people, and children. Missionary workers and nonprofit organizations provide other health services.

Food: Rice is an important part of the Surinamese diet. Fruits like pineapple and bananas and vegetables such as cassava, sweet potato, and red peppers are also used widely in Surinamese cooking.

Because of its cultural diversity, traditional Hindustani and Indonesian dishes can also be found throughout the country. Suriname, with its long history of sugar production, is famous for its rum, as well as for the local Parbo beer, named for the capital of Paramaribo.

Arts & Entertainment: One famous Surinamese author was J. G. A. Koenders (1886–1957), who edited the journal Foetoe-boi (Servant). The work of novelist Edgar Cairo (1948–2000) draws upon African traditions, the history of slavery, and Black Creole traditions. Astrid Roemer (b. 1947) is an internationally known writer who focuses on the culture of Suriname in her novels.

Traditional music in Suriname has been influenced strongly by Maroon culture. Rhythms derived from Maroon music have helped to create kaseko, a popular music and dance form that features various kinds of drums. Kaseko has also been influenced by other music and dance styles, including reggae, calypso, and soca. Popular kaseko musicians have included Lieve Hugo (1934–75) and Max Nijman (1942–2016). Aleke is a modern derivation of traditional music, and is popular among young people. Aleke songs often deal with important social issues such as AIDS and poverty. Well-known aleke artists include the band Yakki Famirie.

The native art of Suriname is typically made from natural materials, including wood and the fruit of the calabash tree (a hollow gourd). The woodcarvings of the Maroons are valued by both tourists and museums; these are often practical items like combs, trays, and canoe paddles that have been intricately engraved.

Holidays: In addition to commemorating their various religious holidays, Surinamers celebrate the national holiday of Independence Day on November 25. Other public holidays include Labour Day (May 1), Abolition Day (July 1), Day of the Indigenous People (August 9), and Day of the Maroon People (October 10). February 25 has controversially marked Revolution Day, commemorating the military takeover in 1980. At the end of each year, Surinamers hold the Surifesta. This festival is popular with tourists; it includes street parties, cultural and artistic performances, and fireworks.

Environment and Geography

Topography: The northern part of Suriname is made up of sedimentary rock. The south tends to have higher elevations. There are a number of large rivers running from south to north, including the Marowijne, the Commewijne, the Suriname, the Sarramacca, and the Nickerie.

Suriname may be divided into three vegetative zones. The coastal plain in the north consists of sandbanks and mud banks, with few sandy beaches. This area is covered predominantly with salt marsh vegetation. The New Coastal Plain (17,000 square kilometers/6,563 square miles) consists of clay, peat, marshes, and quartz sand ridges; it features the best agricultural land in the country. The Old Coastal Plain (4,000 square kilometers/1,544 square miles) is a combination of swamps and dry ground, and also contains valuable agricultural land. Most of Suriname's population live in the coastal plains.

The second zone is composed of savannas and open land, while the third zone is mountainous and is located in the interior of the country. Much of the Indigenous population still lives in the mountains and the forested interior. The highest mountain in the country is Juliana Peak (1,280 meters/4,120 feet), located in the Wilhelmina Mountain range.

The sparsely populated south consists of savannas, tropical rainforest, and swamps. The Tumuc-Humac Mountain chain and the Sipalwani Plain, a savanna near the Brazilian border, are located there. Forests and jungles cover most of the country's land area.

Natural Resources: Suriname has been among the world's largest suppliers of the mineral bauxite. It also historically mined, manufactured, and exported aluminum, although the industry declined sharply in the 2010s. Although 94.6 percent of Suriname was still covered in forest in 2018, it has been difficult to create an industry around the timber supply, in part because few roads go into the country's interior. Gold, nickel, iron ore, copper, and platinum deposits are also found there. Suriname's fisheries are known for their shrimp.

Plants & Animals: Suriname's rainforests contain a high degree of biodiversity and are home to a number of animals, including howler monkeys, tarantulas, termites, crocodiles, and piranhas. The country's many snake species include anacondas and boa constrictors, which live in swampy habitats. There are four species of sea turtle that nest in Suriname, including the Olive Ridley turtle.

Common plants include tropical trees like the pina palm, groenheart, ingipipa, letterhout/snakewood, cedar, and purpleheart. Various species of cactus, orchids, and fungi also grow in Suriname. Flowers that are found in Suriname include the Heisteria cauliflora, the Passiflora gladulosa, and Ipomoea quamoclit. Because much of the interior remains unexplored, there are species of plant that have not yet been identified.

The country has set aside millions of hectares of land for conservation areas, such as the Brownsberg Nature Park, the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, the Sipaliwini Nature Reserve, and the Noord Saramacca Multiple Use Management Area.

Climate: Suriname has a tropical climate, with a rainforest climate along coast. The minor rainy season lasts from December to February, while the minor dry season extends from February to April. The major rainy season typically lasts from April to August, and the major dry season from August to December.

The warmest month in Suriname is September, while January is the coldest. However, the country's average temperature remains fairly constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit). The temperature varies slightly, but Suriname does not see extreme high or low temperatures. The temperature generally falls several degrees at night, and fluctuates during the colder months. The country tends to have high humidity.

Like other countries, Suriname also faced increased threats related to climate change that included flooding and more intense precipitation.

Economy

Beginning in the seventeenth century, Suriname exported many crops and natural resources important to the colonial economy of Britain, and later, the Netherlands. Crops such as tobacco, sugar, cotton, bananas, and cacao have each played an important role in the country's agricultural and economic history. Rice, coffee, and oranges have also been grown there.

The economy is dominated by the mining industry, with exports of natural resources accounting for the bulk of the country's exports. The mineral bauxite, which can be processed to make aluminum, is one of Suriname's most important exports and natural resources. Gold is also a valuable export, and production increased after the alumina mining industry declined in the 2010s. Timber, fish, and shrimp are also widely exported from the country.

In 2023, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Suriname was an estimated US$11.976 billion and the per capita GDP was an estimated US$19,000. The country has a fairly high rate of unemployment and also one of the highest inflation rates in the world, at 59.1 percent in 2021.

Industry: Suriname's major export products include gold and other precious metals, lumber, and refined petroleum. Suriname's major trading partners include Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana for exports, and the United States, the Netherlands, China, Japan, and Trinidad and Tobago for imports.

There are bauxite mining operations in the northeastern portion of the country, near Paranam and Moengo. However, a major US-based alumina mining company ended its Surinamese operations in 2015, drastically affecting the nation's overall economy. Fishing and food processing are also significant industries.

Agriculture: Agriculture accounts for a smaller percentage of Suriname's GDP. The cultivation of rice is very important throughout the country; one of the largest rice farms in the world is found in Wageningen.

Bananas are an important agricultural export for Suriname, which has also been developing its palm oil industry. Shrimp are a profitable resource within the country's fisheries.

Tourism: Suriname has minimal tourism infrastructure, and roads and transportation in the country tend to be poor. However, an international airport serves the capital of Paramaribo.

The rainforests and nature reserves are attractive to ecotourists, and Paramaribo features several gardens and historical sites. However, the US State Department reports that crime tends to be high in the city, and robberies and muggings are common.

Government

Suriname was a colony of the Netherlands from the late seventeenth century until 1975, when it was granted independence. Great Britain temporarily ruled Suriname from 1804 to 1816. Under British rule, Suriname ended the trading of enslaved people, although slavery was still legal in the country. It would not be abolished until 1863.

During the early twentieth century, the Dutch government continued to support the colony financially and manage its political affairs. Local government and political power was severely restricted, with only 2 percent of the population able to vote for members of parliament. After World War II there was an increase in the number of local political parties and in political participation, and in 1954 Suriname was granted autonomy. Because of its mixture of ethnicities and races, a coalition government was necessary to represent the diverse population.

By the early 1970s, the country was preparing for independence. A number of Surinamese, particularly minority groups with little political power, feared that independence would mean the economic and political collapse of Suriname. Because of these fears, many immigrated to the Netherlands. During its early years of nationhood, Suriname did experience economic depression and political corruption.

The military seized power in 1980 in an effort to replace the democratic state with a socialist republic. While Suriname was under martial law, many opposition leaders, journalists, academics, and lawyers were executed. When the Maroon-backed Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA) opposed the government, soldiers raided Maroon villages and killed many of the people. Between 1980 and 1985, traditional political parties were banned by the government. The violence between the SLA and the government finally ended with a treaty in 1992, when the civil rights of Maroons were recognized and the country renewed the process of democratization.

Suriname is a presidential republic that ratified its first constitution on September 30, 1987; it was later amended in 1992. The government consists of three branches: the executive, including the president, vice president, and Cabinet of Ministers; the legislative, which consists of the democratically elected fifty-one-member National Assembly; and the judiciary, which is headed by the High Court of Justice of Suriname. There are ten administrative districts in Suriname.

From 2005 to 2010, an eight-party coalition ruled the country. In August 2010, voters returned former coup leader Desiré Delano Bouterse to power. He ran unopposed and was reelected in 2015. Bouterse was convicted of murder for the extrajudicial killing of political prisoners in 1982 and sentenced to two decades' imprisonment in 2019. Despite seeking another term in 2020, Bouterse lost to and was succeeded by Chandrikapersad Santokhi.

Interesting Facts

• Suriname's Brokopondo Reservoir is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world, measuring 1,560 square kilometers (600 square miles).
• The first Jewish synagogue in the Western Hemisphere was constructed in Suriname in 1639.
• The jungles of Suriname are home to the blue poison dart frog, which is toxic to humans.
• Suriname is the only South American nation in which Dutch is the official language.
• In the 2010s Suriname consistently had more cell phone subscriptions than inhabitants.
• Despite having a carbon-negative economy by 2020, Suriname pledged to produce 35 percent of its electricity from renewable sources within fifteen years.

Bibliography

Foote, Nicola, editor. The Caribbean History Reader. Routledge, 2013.

Hoefte, Rosemarijn. Suriname in the Long Twentieth Century: Domination, Contestation, Globalization. Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.

"Suriname." The World Bank, 2024, data.worldbank.org/country/suriname. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

"Suriname." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 16 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/suriname/. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

“2019 Report on International Religious Freedom: Suriname.” US Department of State, 2020, www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/suriname. Accessed 23 Jun. 2022.‌