by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became a Dutch
colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863, workers were
brought in from India and Java. 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 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 New Front coalition - returned to power in
1991 and has ruled since; the coalition expanded to eight parties in
2005.
Geography ::Suriname
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
French Guiana and Guyana
Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 56 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 163,820 sq km
country comparison to the world: 91
land: 156,000 sq km
water: 7,820 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,703 km
border countries: Brazil 593 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Coastline:
386 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m
Natural resources:
timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small
amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 0.36%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 99.58% (2005)
Irrigated land:
510 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
122 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.67 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)
per capita: 1,489 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland
waterways by small-scale mining activities
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
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
People ::Suriname
Population:
481,267 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.1% (male 66,603/female 64,035)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 159,525/female 160,871)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 13,004/female 17,229) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.9 years
male: 27.5 years
female: 28.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.103% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
Birth rate:
16.8 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
Death rate:
5.51 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
Net migration rate:
-0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
Urbanization:
urban population: 75% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.81 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 109
male: 22.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.73 years
country comparison to the world: 97
male: 71 years
female: 76.65 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.99 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.4% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,800 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: dengue fever, Mayaro virus, and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese
Ethnic groups:
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%
Religions:
Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman
Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%
Languages:
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), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.6%
male: 92%
female: 87.2% (2004 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 11 years
female: 13 years (2002)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Suriname
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form: Suriname
local long form: Republiek Suriname
local short form: Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
Government type:
constitutional democracy
Capital:
name: Paramaribo
geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W
time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,
Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
Independence:
25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Constitution:
ratified 30 September 1987; effective 30 October 1987
Legal system:
based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August
2000); Vice President Ramdien 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)
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 (no term limits); election
last held on 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
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NF 39.7%, NDP 22.2%,
VVV 13.8%, A-Com 7.2%, A-1 5.9%, other 11.2%; seats by party - NF
23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A-1 3
Judicial branch:
Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court
(justices are nominated for life); member of the Caribbean Court of
Justice (CCJ)
Political parties and leaders:
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 that includes A-Combination or A-Com, Democratic
Alternative 1991 or DA-91, an independent, business-oriented party
[Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname or NPS [Ronald
VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ramdien 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE]; Association
of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE]; Women's
Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]
International organization participation:
ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDB, IFAD,
IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jacques Ruben Constantijn KROSS
chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878
consulate(s) general: Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa Bobbie SCHREIBER HUGHES
embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address: US Department of State, PO Box 1821, Paramaribo
telephone: [597] 472-900
FAX: [597] 410-025
Flag description:
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
Economy ::Suriname
Economy - overview:
The economy is dominated by the mining industry, with exports of
alumina, gold, and oil accounting for about 85% of exports and 25%
of government revenues, making the economy highly vulnerable to
mineral price volatility. Prospects for local onshore oil production
are good, and a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil drilling
was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company (Staatsolie)
signed exploration agreements with several Western oil companies.
Bidding on these new offshore blocks was completed in July 2006. 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, though investment in these projects may
slow with the tightening of global credit markets. Suriname has
received aid for these projects from Netherlands, Belgium, and the
European Development Fund. 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. In 2000, the
government of Ronald VENETIAAN, returned to office and inherited an
economy with inflation of over 100% and a growing fiscal deficit. He
quickly implemented an austerity program, raised taxes, attempted to
control spending, and tamed inflation. The VENETIAAN administration
also has created a stabilization fund to insulate future revenue
from commodity shocks. These economic policies are likely to remain
in effect during VENETIAAN's third term.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.226 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
$3.987 billion (2007 est.)
$3.779 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.933 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
5.5% (2007 est.)
4.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,900 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
$8,500 (2007 est.)
$8,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.8%
industry: 24.4%
services: 64.8% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
165,600 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 171
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 14%
services: 78% (2004)
Unemployment rate:
9.5% (2004)
country comparison to the world: 122
Population below poverty line:
70% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $392.6 million
expenditures: $425.9 million (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.23% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 89
9.71% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$484.7 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 95
$416.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.018 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 95
$824.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$793.1 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 112
$651 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts;
beef, chickens; shrimp; forest products
Industries:
bauxite and gold mining, alumina production; oil, lumbering, food
processing, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
6.5% (1994 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Electricity - production:
1.605 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Electricity - consumption:
1.467 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
15,280 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Oil - consumption:
14,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Oil - exports:
4,308 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Oil - imports:
6,296 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Oil - proved reserves:
79.6 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 140
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Current account balance:
$24 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Exports:
$1.391 billion (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Exports - commodities:
alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
Exports - partners:
Canada 36.2%, Belgium 12.5%, Norway 12.4%, UAE 8.9%, US 7.7% (2008)
Imports:
$1.297 billion (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
US 31.2%, Netherlands 15.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.2%, China 7.7%,
Japan 6.4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$263.3 million (2006)
country comparison to the world: 142
Debt - external:
$504.3 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Exchange rates:
Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar - 2.745 (2007), 2.745 (2006),
2.7317 (2005), 2.7336 (2004), 2.6013 (2003)
note: in January 2004, the government replaced the guilder with the
Surinamese dollar, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket
Communications ::Suriname
Telephones - main lines in use:
81,500 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 149
Telephones - mobile cellular:
416,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 159
Telephone system:
general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceed
100 telephones per 100 persons; microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus 7 repeaters) (2000)
Internet country code:
.sr
Internet hosts:
162 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 193
Internet users:
50,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 170
Transportation ::Suriname
Airports:
50 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 91
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 45
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 40 (2009)
Pipelines:
oil 50 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 4,304 km
country comparison to the world: 154
paved: 1,130 km
unpaved: 3,174 km (2003)
Waterways:
1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 61
Merchant marine:
total: 1
country comparison to the world: 151
by type: cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Paramaribo, Wageningen
Military ::Suriname
Military branches:
National Army (Nationaal Leger, NL; includes Naval Wing, Air Wing)
(2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); recruitment is voluntary, with personnel
drawn almost exclusively from the Creole community (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 130,534
females age 16-49: 130,243 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 107,367
females age 16-49: 111,000 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 4,251
female: 4,265 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Transnational Issues ::Suriname
Disputes - international:
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
Illicit drugs:
growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for
Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment point for
arms-for-drugs dealing
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Svalbard (Europe)
Introduction ::Svalbard
Background:
First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands
served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th
centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years
later it officially took over the territory.
Geography ::Svalbard
Location:
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,
Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
Geographic coordinates:
78 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 62,045 sq km
country comparison to the world: 124
land: 62,045 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
3,587 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but
not recognized by Russia
Climate:
arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold
winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of
Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year
Terrain:
wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast
clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north
coasts
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m
Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (no trees; the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry)
(2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for
coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the
northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main
islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area;
Spitsbergen Island is the site of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a
seed repository established by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and
the Norwegian Government
People ::Svalbard
Population:
2,116 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 231
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.023% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
Birth rate:
NA
Death rate:
NA
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Sex ratio:
NA (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Total fertility rate:
NA (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0% (2001)
country comparison to the world: 170
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
0 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 165
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
0 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 156
Ethnic groups:
Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)
Languages:
Norwegian, Russian
Literacy:
NA
Government ::Svalbard
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
Spitzbergen)
Dependency status:
territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the
Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in
Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty
was awarded to Norway
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Longyearbyen
geographic coordinates: 78 13 N, 15 33 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
Independence:
none (territory of Norway)
Legal system:
the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
Executive branch:
chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
head of government: Governor Per SEFLAND (since 1 October 2005);
Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since 2003)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant
governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of
Justice
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
none
Flag description:
the flag of Norway is used
Economy ::Svalbard
Economy - overview: