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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 46 usable: 38 with permanent-surface runways: 5 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]

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

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, cargo 2, container 1

Ports [time series]

Paramaribo, Moengo, Nieuw 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]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 113,963; fit for military service 67,648

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]

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 [time series]

capacity: 458,000 kW production: 2.018 billion kWh consumption per capita: 4,920 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$290 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)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$180 million (March 1993 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$250 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 (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate -5% (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]

109% (1993 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $1.17 billion (1993 est.)

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

$2,800 (1993 est.)

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

-0.3% (1993 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, Paramaribo has failed to initiate the economic reforms necessary to stabilize the economy or win renewed Dutch aid disbursements. 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 sq km land area: 161,470 sq km 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]

current issues: NA 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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

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 [time series]

590 sq km (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

Note [time series]

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 [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

Executive branch [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); 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

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

(202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami

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

[597] 410025

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

Legal system [time series]

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

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, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), 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

Legislative branch (National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)) [time series]

elections 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

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; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement, Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO

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

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 [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 Roger R. GAMBLE embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmonstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo telephone: [597] 472900, 477881, or 476459

People

Birth rate [time series]

25.31 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1994 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]

31.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 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: 69.45 years male: 66.94 years female: 72.08 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese

Net migration rate [time series]

-3.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

422,840 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.57% (1994 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]

2.79 children born/woman (1994 est.)