Suriname

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 14, shortwave 1 radios: NA

Telephone system

27,500 telephones; international facilities good local: NA intercity: microwave radio relay network international: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations

Television

broadcast stations: 6 televisions: NA

Branches

National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements), Civil Police

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP SVALBARD (territory of Norway)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 116,456; males fit for military service 69,011 (1995 est.)

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

Budget

revenues: $300 million expenditures: $700 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (1994 est.)

Currency

1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents

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

Electricity

capacity: 420,000 kW production: 1.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,123 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1 - 1.7850 (fixed rate); parallel rate 510 (December 1994), 109 (January 1994)

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)

External debt

$180 million (March 1993 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

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)

Industrial production

growth rate 3.5% (1992 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP

Industries

bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

225% (1994 est.)

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1994 est.)

National product per capita

$2,800 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

-0.8% (1994 est.)

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.

Unemployment rate

NA

Area

total area: 163,270 sq km land area: 161,470 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds

Coastline

386 km

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

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)

Irrigated land

590 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total 1,707 km, Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Land use

arable land: NEGL% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 97% other: 3%

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

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

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

Terrain

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Paramaribo

Constitution

ratified 30 September 1987

Digraph

NS

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

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

FAX

[1] (202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami

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

Independence

25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral

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

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

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

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

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;

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

republic

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

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.)

Birth rate

24.72 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

5.91 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

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%

Infant mortality rate

30.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

NA

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.76 years male: 67.24 years female: 72.41 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95%

Nationality

noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese

Net migration rate

-3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

429,544 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

1.58% (1995 est.)

Religions

Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%

Total fertility rate

2.73 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

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

Merchant marine

total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,421 GRT/2,990 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, container 1

Ports

Albina, Moengo, Nieuw Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen

Railroads

total: 166 km (single track) standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 86 km 1.000-m gauge