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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 46 usable: 39 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

8,300 km total; 500 km paved; 5,400 km bauxite gravel, crushed stone, or improved earth; 2,400 km sand or clay

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

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 [time series]

3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,472 GRT/8,914 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 container

Ports [time series]

Paramaribo, Moengo, Nicuw Nickerie

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

166 km total; 86 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned, and 80 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; all single track

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

international facilities good; domestic microwave system; 27,500 telephones; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 14 FM, 6 TV, 1 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Defense Forces

Affiliation [time series]

(territory of Norway)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

National Army (including Navy which is company-size, small Air Force element), Civil Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 111,716; fit for military service 66,429 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 10.4% 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 [time series]

revenues $466 million; expenditures $716 million, including capital expenditures of $123 million (1989 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

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

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion

Electricity [time series]

458,000 kW capacity; 2,018 million kWh produced, 4,920 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1 - 1.7850 (fixed rate until October 1992), 25.04 (January 1992)

Exports [time series]

$417 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas partners: Norway 36%, Netherlands 28%, US 11%, Japan 7%, Brazil 5%, UK 5% (1989)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$138 million (1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$514 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods partners: US 41%, Netherlands 24%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Brazil 4% (1989)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate -5.0% (1991 est.); accounts for 27% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

26% (1991)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.35 billion (1991 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$3,300 (1991 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-2.5% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for 15% of GDP and about 70% of export earnings. The economy has been in trouble since the Dutch ended development aid in 1982. A drop in world bauxite prices which started in the late 1970s and continued until late 1986 was followed by the outbreak of a guerrilla insurgency in the interior that crippled the important bauxite sector. Although the insurgency has since ebbed and the bauxite sector recovered, a military coup in December 1990 reflected continued political instability and deterred investment and economic reform. High inflation, high unemployment, widespread black market activity, and hard currency shortfalls continue to mark the economy.

Unemployment rate [time series]

16.5% (1990)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 163,270 km2 land area: 161,470 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia

Climate [time series]

tropical; moderated by trade winds

Coastline [time series]

386 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

mostly tropical rain forest

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); claims area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)

Irrigated land [time series]

590 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Paramaribo

Constitution [time series]

ratified 30 September 1987

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT chancery: Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 244-7488 or 7490 through 7492 consulate general: Miami

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

President: 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) National Assembly: last held 25 May 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (51 total) NF 30, NDP 10, DA '91 9, Independent 2

Executive branch [time series]

president, vice president and prime minister, Cabinet of Ministers, Council of State; note - Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains significant power

Flag [time series]

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 [time series]

25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Ronald R. VENETIAAN (since 16 September 1991); Vice President and Prime Minister Jules R. AJODHIA (since 16 September 1991)

Legal system [time series]

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, CARICOM (observer), ECLAC, FAO, GATT, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

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 holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA), Ronnie BRUNSWIJK, Johan "Castro" WALLY; Union for Liberation and Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG; Saramaccaner Bosneger Angula Movement, Carlos MAASSI; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement, Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

The New Front (NF), leader NA, a coalition of four parties (NPS, VHP, KTPI, SPA); 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 DARBY; 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), Cipriano ALLENDY; Pendawa Lima, Marsha JAMIN; National Democratic Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS, chairman; National Republic Party (PNR), Robin RAVALES

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador John (Jack) P. LEONARD embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmonstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo telephone: [597] 472900, 477881, or 476459 FAX: [597] 410025

People

Birth rate [time series]

25.85 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Hindustani (East Indian) 37%, Creole (black and mixed) 31%, Javanese 15.3%, Bush black 10.3%, Amerindian 2.6%, Chinese 1.7%, Europeans 1%, other 1.1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

32.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

104,000 (1984) by occupation: NA

Languages [time series]

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, Hindi Suriname Hindustani (a variant of Bhoqpuri), Javanese

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 69.14 years male: 66.65 years female: 71.76 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese

Net migration rate [time series]

-4.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

416,321 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.54% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.85 children born/woman (1993 est.)