Suriname

The Spaniards first explored Suriname in the 16th century, and the English then settled it in the mid-17th century. Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of African slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. The Netherlands granted the colony independence in 1975. Five years later, the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared Suriname a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected government -- a four-party coalition -- returned to power in 1991. The coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005 and ruled until 2010, when voters returned former military leader Desire BOUTERSE and his opposition coalition to power. President BOUTERSE ran unopposed in 2015 and was reelected. Opposition parties campaigned hard against BOUTERSE in the run-up to the 2020 elections, and a multi-party coalition led by Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI’s VHP and Ronnie Brunswijk’s ABOP was installed. 

4 00 N, 56 00 W

flooding

slightly larger than Georgia

deforestation; pollution of inland waterways from small-scale mining activities

Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

Signed, but not ratified: None of the selected agreements

tropical; moderated by trade winds

386 km

Total: 1,907 km

Border countries (3): Brazil 515 km; French Guiana 556 km; Guyana 836 km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

smallest independent country on the South American continent; mostly tropical rainforest; great diversity of flora and fauna; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

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

South America

600 sq km (2020)

99 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

population is concentrated along the northern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated

Highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Lowest point: Unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m

Mean elevation: 246 m

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)

Total : 163,820 sq km

Land: 156,000 sq km

Water: 7,820 sq km

Agricultural land: 0.4% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 0.1% (2023 est.)

Forest: 91.7% (2023 est.)

Other: 7.9% (2023 est.)

0-14 years: 22.5% (male 73,864/female 71,573)

15-64 years: 70% (male 226,417/female 226,235)

65 years and over: 7.5% (2024 est.) (male 20,071/female 28,598)

At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Noun: Surinamer(s)

Adjective: Surinamese

Urban population: 66.4% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 0.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Improved:

Urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 96.6% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 98% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 2% of population (2022 est.)

239,000 PARAMARIBO (capital) (2018)

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Total dependency ratio: 42.9 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 32.1 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 10.8 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 9.3 (2024 est.)

Improved:

Urban: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 91.2% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 96.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 8.8% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)

Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 27.4%, Maroon (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 21.7%, Creole (mixed White and Black) 15.7%, Javanese 13.7%, mixed 13.4%, other 7.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2012 est.)

Protestant 23.6% (includes Evangelical 11.2%, Moravian 11.2%, Reformed 0.7%, Lutheran 0.5%), Hindu 22.3%, Roman Catholic 21.6%, Muslim 13.8%, other Christian 3.2%, Winti 1.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 1.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 3.2% (2012 est.)

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

Major-language sample(s):
Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

1.36 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

5.7% of GDP (2021)

13.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

Total: 11 years (2021 est.)

Male: 10 years (2021 est.)

Female: 11 years (2021 est.)

Women married by age 15: 8.8% (2018)

Women married by age 18: 36% (2018)

Men married by age 18: 19.6% (2018)

0.91 (2024 est.)

Total: 24.2% (2024 est.)

Male: 16.9% (2024 est.)

Female: 35.9% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 32 years (2024 est.)

Male: 31 years

Female: 32.9 years

84 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.89 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Total: 646,758 (2024 est.)

Male: 320,352

Female: 326,406

Total: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 37.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 21 deaths/1,000 live births

26.4% (2016)

6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

14.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 6.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Beer: 3.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits: 2.87 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total population: 72.7 years (2024 est.)

Male: 69 years

Female: 76.7 years

1.07% (2024 est.)

52.2% (2018 est.)

6.7% (2018 est.)

2.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

8.6% national budget (2024 est.)

Municipal: 49.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial: 135.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Agricultural: 431.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 78,600 tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.9% (2022 est.)

12.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

2.521 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 2.507 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas: 14,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

60.896 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. FAUCHER (since 31 January 2023)

Embassy: 165 Kristalstraat, Paramaribo

Mailing address: 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington DC  20521-3390

Telephone: [597] 556-700

FAX: [597] 551-524

Email address and website:
Caparamar@state.gov

https://sr.usembassy.gov/

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

Name: Paramaribo

Geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W

Time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Etymology: The name comes from the Guaraní words para (water or river) and maribo (inhabitants)

History: Previous 1975; latest ratified 30 September 1987, effective 30 October 1987

Amendment process: Proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership

Chief of state: President Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS (since 16 July 2025)

Head of government: President Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS (since 16 July 2025)

Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

Election/appointment process: President and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly; president and vice president serve a 5-year term (no term limits)

Most recent election date: 6 July 2025

Election results:
2025: Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA

2020: Chandrikapersad "Chan" SANTOKHI elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA

2015: Desire Delano BOUTERSE reelected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA

Expected date of next election: 2030

Note: The president is both chief of state and head of government

Description: Five horizontal bands of green (top, double-width), white, red (quadruple-width), white, and green (double-width); a five-pointed yellow star is centered on the red band

Meaning: Red stands for progress and love, green for hope and fertility, and white for peace, justice, and freedom; the star represents the unity of ethnic groups

25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)

Highest court(s): High Court of Justice of Suriname (consists of the court president, vice president, and 4 judges)

Judge selection and term of office: Court judges appointed by the national president in consultation with the National Assembly, the State Advisory Council, and the Order of Private Attorneys; judges serve for life

Subordinate courts: Cantonal courts

Note: Appeals beyond the High Court are referred to the Caribbean Court of Justice; human rights violations can be appealed to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights with judgments issued by the Inter-American Court on Human Rights

civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law

Legislature name: National Assembly (Nationale Assemblee)

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Number of seats: 51 (all directly elected)

Electoral system: Proportional representation

Scope of elections: Full renewal

Term in office: 5 years

Most recent election date: 5/25/2025

Parties elected and seats per party: National Democratic Party (NDP) (18); Progressive Reform Party (VHP) (17); National Party of Suriname (NPS) (6); General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP) (6); Other (4)

Percentage of women in chamber: 31.4%

Expected date of next election: May 2030

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP
Democratic Alternative '91 or DA91
General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP
National Democratic Party or NDP
National Party of Suriname or NPS
Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE
Party for National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI
People's Alliance (Pertjajah Luhur) or PL
Progressive Workers' and Farmers' Union or PALU
Progressive Reform Party or VHP
Reform and Renewal Movement or HVB
Surinamese Labor Party or SPA

18 years of age; universal

presidential republic

Conventional long form: Republic of Suriname

Conventional short form: Suriname

Local long form: Republiek Suriname

Local short form: Suriname

Former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Etymology: Name may derive from the Surinen people who inhabited the area at the time of European contact

Chief of mission: Ambassador Jan Marten Willem SCHALKWIJK (since 19 April 2022)

Chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008

Telephone: [1] (202) 629-4302

FAX: [1] (202) 629-4769

Email address and website:
Amb.vs@gov.sr

https://surinameembassy.org/index.html

Consulate(s) general: Miami

Title: "God zij met ons Suriname!" (God Be With Our Suriname)

Lyrics/music: Cornelis Atses HOEKSTRA and Henry DE ZIEL/Johannes Corstianus DE PUY

History: Adopted 1959; originally adapted from a Sunday-school song written in 1893; contains lyrics in both Dutch and Sranang Tongo

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

royal palm, faya lobi (flower)

Citizenship by birth: No

Citizenship by descent only: At least one parent must be a citizen of Suriname

Dual citizenship recognized: No

Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

Selected World Heritage Site locales: Central Suriname Nature Reserve (n); Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (c); Jodensavanne Archaeological Site: Jodensavanne Settlement and Cassipora Creek Cemetery (c)

green, white, red, yellow

Lowest 10%: 2.2% (2022 est.)

Highest 10%: 30.1% (2022 est.)

Note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

gold, fish, refined petroleum, wood, tobacco (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Switzerland 49%, UAE 28%, Guyana 5%, USA 4%, France 3% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

rice, sugarcane, oranges, vegetables, chicken, cassava, plantains, pineapples, eggs, citrus fruits (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Revenues: $863 million (2019 est.)

Expenditures: $1.648 billion (2019 est.)

refined petroleum, ships, excavation machinery, trucks, tobacco (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
33.181 (2024 est.)
36.776 (2023 est.)
24.709 (2022 est.)
18.239 (2021 est.)
9.31 (2020 est.)

gold mining, oil, lumber, food processing, fishing

upper middle-income South American economy; new floating currency regime; key aluminum goods, gold, and hydrocarbon exporter; new IMF plan for economic recovery and fiscal sustainability; controversial hardwood industry

$4.714 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

USA 22%, China 12%, Netherlands 11%, Trinidad & Tobago 9%, Guyana 8% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

3.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
4.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
3.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

255,500 (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

$2.645 billion (2023 est.)

Note: Present value of external debt in current US dollars

$1.632 billion (2024 est.)
$1.346 billion (2023 est.)
$1.195 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

7.4% (2024 est.)
7.7% (2023 est.)
8.2% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

$12.316 billion (2024 est.)
$11.976 billion (2023 est.)
$11.68 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

16.2% (2024 est.)
51.6% (2023 est.)
52.4% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

$9.306 million (2024 est.)
$148.118 million (2023 est.)
$76.321 million (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$19,400 (2024 est.)
$19,000 (2023 est.)
$18,700 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$2.571 billion (2024 est.)
$2.203 billion (2023 est.)
$2.342 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$2.793 billion (2024 est.)
$2.533 billion (2023 est.)
$2.6 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

2.8% (2024 est.)
2.5% (2023 est.)
2.4% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

2.1% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Agriculture: 7.5% (2023 est.)

Industry: 39.9% (2023 est.)

Services: 48.3% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Electrification - total population: 99% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas: 100%

Electrification - rural areas: 98%

Imports: 2 metric tons (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels: 57.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Hydroelectricity: 42% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Production: 7.173 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Consumption: 6.967 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves: 89 million barrels (2021 est.)

Installed generating capacity: 537,000 kW (2023 est.)

Consumption: 1.896 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 245.206 million kWh (2023 est.)

Percent of population: 78% (2023 est.)

.sr

2 state-owned TV stations; 1 state-owned radio station; multiple private radio and TV stations (2019)

Total subscriptions: 989,000 (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 150 (2022 est.)

Total: 125,000 (2022 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions: 129,000 (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 est.)

PZ

55 (2025)

Total: 13 (2023)

By type: General cargo 5, oil tanker 3, other 5

1 (2025)

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2024)

Suriname National Army (Nationaal Leger or NL); Army (Landmacht), Navy (Marine); Air Force (Luchtmacht), Military Police (Korps Militaire Politie)

Ministry of Justice and Police: Suriname Police Force (Korps Politie Suriname or KPS) (2025)

1.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2018 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
1.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
1.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

the National Leger is responsible for defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Suriname against foreign aggression; other special tasks include border control and supporting domestic security as required; the military police, for example, have direct responsibility for immigration control at the country’s ports of entry, and the military assists the police in combating crime, particularly narco-trafficking, including joint military and police patrols, as well as joint special security teams; in addition, the military provides aid and assistance during times of natural emergencies and participates in socio-economic development projects (2025)

approximately 2,000 National Army (2025)

the Suriname Army has a limited inventory comprised of a mix of older weapons and equipment, largely originating from such suppliers as Brazil, the Netherlands, and India; France also provides material assistance (2024)

Refugees: 3,241 (2024 est.)

Total ports: 4 (2024)

Large: 0

Medium: 0

Small: 1

Very small: 3

Ports with oil terminals: 3

Key ports: Moengo, Nieuw Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam

39.2 (2022 est.)

Note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality