Match 227 DB Rec# - 7,679 Dataset-WOFACT
Title :Suriname
Text :
Suriname
Geography
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French
Guiana and Guyana
Map references:
South America
Area:
total area:
163,270 sq km
land area:
161,470 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries:
total 1,707 km, Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Coastline:
386 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and Riviere Marouini
(both headwaters of the Lawa Rivier); claims area in Guyana between New
(Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari 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 small
amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold
Land use:
arable land:
NEGL%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
0%
forest and woodland:
97%
other:
3%
Irrigated land:
590 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation as foreign producers obtain timber concessions
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Law of the Sea
Note:
mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna which for
the most part is not threatened because of the lack of development;
relatively small population most of which lives along the coast
People
Population:
429,544 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
34% (female 70,845; male 74,330)
15-64 years:
61% (female 130,153; male 133,693)
65 years and over:
5% (female 10,897; male 9,626) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.58% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
24.72 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
5.91 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
30.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
69.76 years
male:
67.24 years
female:
72.41 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.73 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Surinamer(s)
adjective:
Surinamese
Ethnic divisions:
Hindustani (also known locally as "East" Indians; their ancestors emigrated
from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole
(mixed European and African ancestry) 31%, Javanese 15.3%, "Bush Black"
(also known as "Bush Creole" whose ancestors were brought to the country in
the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves) 10.3%, Amerindian 2.6%, Chinese 1.7%,
Europeans 1%, other 1.1%
Religions:
Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2%
(predominantly Moravian), 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), Hindustani (a dialect
of Hindi), Javanese
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
95%
male:
95%
female:
95%
Labor force:
NA
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Suriname
conventional short form:
Suriname
local long form:
Republiek Suriname
local short form:
Suriname
former:
Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
Digraph:
NS
Type:
republic
Capital:
Paramaribo
Administrative divisions:
10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne,
Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini,
Wanica
Independence:
25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Constitution:
ratified 30 September 1987
Legal system:
NA
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
President Ronald R. VENETIAAN (since 16 September 1991); Prime Minister
Jules R. AJODHIA (since 16 September 1991); election last held 6 September
1991 (next to be held NA May 1996); results - elected by the National
Assembly - Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) 80% (645 votes), Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP)
14% (115 votes), Hans PRADE (DA '91) 6% (49 votes)
cabinet:
Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president from members of the
National Assembly
note:
Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains significant power
Legislative branch:
unicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale):
elections last held 25 May 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (51 total) NF 30, NDP 10, DA '91 9,
independents 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Government
Political parties and leaders:
The New Front (NF), a coalition of four parties (NPS, VHP, KTPI, SPA),
leader Ronald R. VENETIAAN; Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath
LACHMON; National Party of Suriname (NPS), Ronald VENETIAAN; Party of
National Unity and Solidarity (KTPI), Willy SOEMITA; Suriname Labor Party
(SPA), Fred DERBY; Democratic Alternative '91 (DA '91), Winston JESSURUN, a
coalition of four parties (AF, HPP, Pendawa Lima, BEP) formed in January
1991; Alternative Forum (AF), Gerard BRUNINGS, Winston JESSURUN; Reformed
Progressive Party (HPP), Panalal PARMESSAR; Party for Brotherhood and Unity
in Politics (BEP), Caprino ALLENDY; Pendawa Lima, Marsha JAMIN; National
Democratic Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE; Progressive Workers' and Farm
Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS, chairman;
Other political or pressure groups:
Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA), Ronnie BRUNSWIJK, Johan "Castro" WALLY;
Union for Liberation and Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG; Mandela Bushnegro
Liberation Movement, Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA,
Thomas SABAJO
Member of:
ACP, CARICOM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD,
IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL,
IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT
chancery:
Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 244-7488, 7490 through 7492
FAX:
[1] (202) 244-5878
consulate(s) general:
Miami
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Roger R. GAMBLE
embassy:
Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address:
P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo
telephone:
[597] 472900, 477881, 476459
FAX:
[597] 410025
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 15% of
GDP and about 70% of export earnings. Paramaribo has failed to initiate the
economic reforms necessary to stabilize the economy or win renewed Dutch aid
disbursements. The government continues to finance deficit spending with
monetary emissions. As a result, high inflation, high unemployment,
widespread black market activity, and hard currency shortfalls continue to
mark the economy.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate:
-0.8% (1994 est.)
National product per capita:
$2,800 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
225% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA
Budget:
revenues:
$300 million
expenditures:
$700 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (1994 est.)
Exports:
$443.3 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
partners:
Norway 33%, Netherlands 26%, US 13%, Japan 6%, Brazil 6%, UK 3% (1992)
Imports:
$520.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods
partners:
US 42%, Netherlands 22%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%, Brazil 5% (1992)
External debt:
$180 million (March 1993 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 3.5% (1992 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
420,000 kW
production:
1.4 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
3,123 kWh (1993)
Industries:
bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing,
fishing
Agriculture:
accounts for 15% of GDP and 25% of export earnings; paddy rice planted on
85% of arable land and represents 60% of total farm output; other products -
bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts, beef, chicken; shrimp
and forestry products of increasing importance; self-sufficient in most
foods
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe
Economy
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion
Currency:
1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1 - 1.7850 (fixed
rate); parallel rate 510 (December 1994), 109 (January 1994)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Transportation
Railroads:
total:
166 km (single track)
standard gauge:
80 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:
86 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:
total:
8,800 km
paved:
500 km
unpaved:
bauxite, gravel, crushed stone 5,400 km; improved and unimproved earth 2,900
km
Inland waterways:
1,200 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts
ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways
Ports:
Albina, Moengo, Nieuw Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen
Merchant marine:
total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,421 GRT/2,990 DWT
ships by type:
cargo 1, container 1
Airports:
total:
46
with paved runways over 3,047 m:
1
with paved runways under 914 m:
38
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
7
Communications
Telephone system:
27,500 telephones; international facilities good
local:
NA
intercity:
microwave radio relay network
international:
2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations
Radio:
broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 14, shortwave 1
radios:
NA
Television:
broadcast stations:
6
televisions:
NA
Defense Forces
Branches:
National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements), Civil Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 116,456; males fit for military service 69,011 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
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The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995
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