Suriname
_Suriname.jpg)
See regional map IV
Geography
Total area: 163,270 km²; land area:
161,470 km²
Comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries: 1,707 km total; Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claims:
- Extended economic zone: 200 nm
- Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and Rivière Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); claims area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Natural resources: timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp, bauxite, iron ore, and modest amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold
Land use: NEGL% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; NEGL% meadows and pastures; 97% forest and woodland; 3% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: mostly tropical rain forest
People
Population: 396,813 (July 1990), growth
rate 1.4% (1990)
Birth rate: 27 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 7 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 40 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 71 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Surinamer(s); adjective—Surinamese
Ethnic divisions: 37.0% Hindustani (East Indian), 31.0% Creole (black and mixed), 15.3% Javanese, 10.3% Bush black, 2.6% Amerindian, 1 .7% Chinese, 1 .0% Europeans, 1.1% other
Religion: 27.4% Hindu, 19.6% Muslim, 22.8% Roman Catholic, 25.2% Protestant (predominantly Moravian), about 5% indigenous beliefs
Language: Dutch (official); English widely spoken; Sranan Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki) is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others; also Hindi Suriname Hindustani (a vari- ant of Bhoqpuri), and Javanese
Literacy: 65%
Labor force: 104,000 (1984)
Organized labor: 49,000 members of labor force
Government
Long-form name: Republic of Suriname
Type: republic
Capital: Paramaribo
Administrative divisions: 1 districts (distrikten, singular distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands; formerly Netherlands Guiana or Dutch Guiana)
Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987
Legal system: NA
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Executive branch: president, vice president and prime minister, Cabinet of Ministers, Council of State; note—commander in chief of the National Army maintains significant power
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President Ramsewak SHANKAR (since 25 January 1988); Vice President and Prime Minister Henck Alfonsus Eugene ARRON (since 25 January 1988)
Political parties and leaders: 25 February Movement established by Lt. Col. Desire Bouterse in November 1983, but much of its activity taken over by New Democratic Party (NDP) in May 1987; leftists (all small groups)—Revolutionary People's Party (RVP), Michael Naarendorp; Progressive Workers and Farmers (PALU), Iwan Krolis; traditional parties—Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath Lachmon; National Party of Suriname (NPS), Henck Arron; Indonesian Peasants Party (KTPI), Willy Soemita; the VHP, NPS, and KTPI formed a coalition known as The Front in July 1987 that overwhelmingly defeated the NDP in the November 1987 elections
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: National Assembly—last held 25 November 1987 (next to be held November 1992); results—The Front 80%, others 20%; seats—(51 total) The Front 40, NDP 3, PALU 4, Pendawa Llwa 4
Member of: ACP, ECLA, FAO, GATT, G-77, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, IDB—Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT; Chancery at Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-7488 or 7490 through 7492; there is a Surinamese Consulate General in Miami; US—Ambassador Richard HOWLAND; Embassy at Dr. Sophie Redmonstraat 129, Paramaribo (mailing address is P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo); telephone [597] 72900 or 76459
Flag: 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
Overview: The economy is dominated by
the bauxite industry, which accounts for
about 80% of export earnings and 40% of
tax revenues. The economy has been in
trouble since the Dutch ended development
aid in 1982. A drop in world bauxite
prices that started in the late 1970s and
continued until late 1986, was followed by
the outbreak of a guerrilla insurgency in
the interior. The guerrillas targeted the
economic infrastructure, crippling the
important bauxite sector and shutting down
other export industries. These problems
have created both high inflation and high
unemployment. A small gain in economic
growth of 3.6% was registered in 1988
due to reduced guerrilla activity and
improved international markets for bauxite.
GDP: $1.27 billion, per capita $3,215; real growth rate 3.6% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 50% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: 27% (1988)
Budget: revenues $466 million; expenditures $716 million, including capital expenditures of $123 million (1989 est.)
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