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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

2 state-owned TV stations; 1 state-owned radio station; multiple private radio and TV stations (2007)

Internet country code [time series]

.sr

Internet users [time series]

total: 212,900 | percent of population: 37.1% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 4, FM 23, shortwave 3 (2008)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: international facilities are good | domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 185 telephones per 100 persons; microwave radio relay network | international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2010)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 84,900 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 927,800 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 162 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 159

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

3 (plus 7 repeaters) (2000)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; shrimp; forest products

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.156 billion | expenditures: $1.383 billion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-4.4% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 161

Central bank discount rate [time series]

10% (2013) | 9% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 19

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

12.28% (31 December 2014 est.) | 11.99% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Current account balance [time series]

-$386 million (2014 est.) | -$198 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99

Debt - external [time series]

$1.067 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $983 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

The economy is dominated by the mining industry, with exports of oil, gold, and alumina accounting for about 85% of exports and 27% of government revenues, making the economy highly vulnerable to mineral price volatility. Economic growth has declined from just under 5% in 2012 and 2013 to 4% in 2014. In January 2011, the government devalued the currency by 20% and raised taxes to reduce the budget deficit. As a result of these measures, inflation receded to less than 4% in 2014. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. The government's reliance on revenue from extractive industries will temper Suriname's economic outlook, especially if gold prices continue their downward trend.

Exchange rates [time series]

Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar - | 3.3 (2014 est.) | 3.3 (2013 est.) | 3.3 (2012 est.) | 3.2683 (2011 est.) | 2.7454 (2010 est.)

Exports [time series]

$2.149 billion (2014 est.) | $2.395 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Exports - commodities [time series]

alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners [time series]

US 32.1%, UAE 16.8%, Belgium 13.4%, Canada 10%, France 6.2%, Netherlands 4.3% (2014)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$5.21 billion (2014 est.)

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

$8.987 billion (2014 est.) | $8.825 billion (2013 est.) | $8.581 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 161

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 6.2% | industry: 48.9% | services: 44.8% (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$16,300 (2014 est.) | $16,000 (2013 est.) | $15,500 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 99

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

1.8% (2014 est.) | 2.8% (2013 est.) | 3.1% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 155

Gross national saving [time series]

25.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | 26% of GDP (2013 est.) | 30.5% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 43

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% | highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$1.966 billion (2014 est.) | $2.126 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Imports - commodities [time series]

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners [time series]

US 31.3%, Netherlands 16.6%, China 10.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 6.9%, Japan 4.2% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

2.5% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Industries [time series]

bauxite and gold mining, alumina production; oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.4% (2014 est.) | 1.9% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Labor force [time series]

165,600 (2007 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 11.2% | industry: 19.5% | services: 69.3% (2010)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Population below poverty line [time series]

70% (2002 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$625.2 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $778.8 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Stock of broad money [time series]

$2.885 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $2.736 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 145

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$2.029 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.669 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$1.409 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.353 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

22.2% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Unemployment rate [time series]

8.9% (2014 est.) | 8.5% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

2.268 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Crude oil - production [time series]

15,000 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

88.97 million bbl (1 January 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 73

Electricity - consumption [time series]

1.572 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

54.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 145

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

45.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 210

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 185

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

412,000 kW (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Electricity - production [time series]

1.75 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 144

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

17,000 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

8,884 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

10,070 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

15,980 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 163,820 sq km | land: 156,000 sq km | water: 7,820 sq km | country comparison to the world: 92

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly larger than Georgia

Climate [time series]

tropical; moderated by trade winds

Coastline [time series]

386 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m | highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 0.67 cu km/yr (6%/4%/90%) | per capita: 1,396 cu m/yr (2006)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

4 00 N, 56 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

Irrigated land [time series]

511.8 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,907 km | border countries (3): Brazil 515 km, French Guiana 556 km, Guyana 836 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 0.5% | arable land 0.4%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0.1% | forest: 94.6% | other: 4.9% (2011 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

South America

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Total renewable water resources [time series]

122 cu km (2011)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

name: Paramaribo | geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W | time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship [time series]

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Suriname | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution [time series]

previous 1975; latest ratified 30 September 1987, effective 30 October 1987; amended 1992 (2015)

Country name [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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Jay N. ANANIA (since 1 October 2012) | embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo | mailing address: US Department of State, PO Box 1821, Paramaribo | telephone: [597] 472-900 | FAX: [597] 410-972

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sylvana Elvira SIMSON (since 1 September 2015) | chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488 | FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 | consulate(s) general: Miami

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Desire Delano BOUTERSE (since 12 August 2010); Vice President Ashwin ADHIN (since 12 August 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Desire Delano BOUTERSE (since 12 August 2010); Vice President Ashwin ADHIN (since 12 August 2015) | cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president | elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly; president and vice president serve a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 25 May 2015 (next to be held on 25 May 2020) | election results: Desire Delano BOUTERSE reelected president; National Assembly vote - NA

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); a large, yellow, five-pointed star is centered in the red band; red stands for progress and love; green symbolizes hope and fertility; white signifies peace, justice, and freedom; the star represents the unity of all ethnic groups; from its yellow light the nation draws strength to bear sacrifices patiently while working toward a golden future

Government type [time series]

constitutional democracy

Independence [time series]

25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)

International law organization participation [time series]

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

highest resident court(s): High Court of Justice of Suriname (consists of the court president, vice president, and 4 judges); note - Suriname can appeal beyond its High Court to the Caribbean Court of Justice, with final appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) | judge selection and term of office: court judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the High Court; judges appointed for life | subordinate courts: cantonal courts

Legal system [time series]

civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law; note - the Commissie Nieuw Surinaamse Burgerlijk Wetboek completed drafting a new civil code in February 2009

Legislative branch [time series]

description: unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 25 May 2015 (next to be held in May 2020) | election results: percent of vote by party - NDP 45.5%, V7 37.2%, A-Com 10.5%, DOE 4.3%, PALU .7%, other 1.7%; seats by party - NDP 26, V7 18, A-Com 5, DOE 1, PALU 1

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "God zij met ons Suriname!" (God Be With Our Suriname) | lyrics/music: Cornelis Atses HOEKSTRA and Henry DE ZIEL/Johannes Corstianus DE PUY | note: adopted 1959; originally adapted from a Sunday school song written in 1893 and contains lyrics in both Dutch and Sranang Tongo

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

National symbol(s) [time series]

royal palm, faya lobi (flower); national colors: green, white, red, yellow

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

Alternative Combination or A-Com (a coalition that includes ABOP, KTPI, PDO) | Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP [Celsius WATERBERG] | Democratic Alternative '91 or DA91 [Winston JESSURUN] | General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK} | National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire Delano BOUTERSE] | National Party of Suriname or NPS [Gregory RUSLAND] | Party for Democracy and Development or PDO [Waldy NAIN] | Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Carl BREEVELD] | Party for National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA] | People's Alliance, Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Paul SOMOHARDJO] | Progressive Worker and Farmer's Union or PALU [Jim HOK] | Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Guno CASTELEN] | United Reform Party or VHP [Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI] | Victory 7 or V7 (formerly the New Front for Democracy and Development or NF) (a coalition including NPS, VHP, DA91, PL, SPA) [Chandrikapresad SANTOKHI]

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

Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE] | Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE] | Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and then settled by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of African slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. The Netherlands granted the colony independence in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected government - a four-party coalition - returned to power in 1991. The coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005 and ruled until August 2010, when voters returned former military leader Desire BOUTERSE and his opposition coalition to power.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 134,218 | females age 16-49: 134,439 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 109,445 | females age 16-49: 112,538 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 4,119 | female: 4,106 (2010 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Suriname Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (2010)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription; personnel drawn almost exclusively from the Creole community (2012)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 25.66% (male 75,791/female 72,934) | 15-24 years: 17.48% (male 51,657/female 49,662) | 25-54 years: 44.3% (male 130,726/female 126,048) | 55-64 years: 6.81% (male 19,291/female 20,198) | 65 years and over: 5.75% (male 14,395/female 18,931) (2015 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

16.34 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117

Child labor - children ages 5-14 [time series]

total number: 6,094 | percentage: 6% (2006 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

5.8% (2010) | country comparison to the world: 83

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

47.6% (2010)

Death rate [time series]

6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157

Demographic profile [time series]

Suriname is a pluralistic society consisting primarily of Creoles (persons of mixed African and European heritage), the descendants of escaped African slaves known as Maroons, and the descendants of Indian and Javanese contract workers. The country overall is in full, post-industrial demographic transition, with a low fertility rate, a moderate mortality rate, and a rising life expectancy. However, the Maroon population of the rural interior lags behind because of lower educational attainment and contraceptive use, higher malnutrition, and significantly less access to electricity, potable water, sanitation, infrastructure, and health care. | Some 350,000 people of Surinamese descent live in the Netherlands, Suriname's former colonial ruler. In the 19th century, better-educated, largely Dutch-speaking Surinamese began emigrating to the Netherlands. World War II interrupted the outflow, but it resumed after the war when Dutch labor demands grew - emigrants included all segments of the Creole population. Suriname still is strongly influenced by the Netherlands because most Surinamese have relatives living there and it is the largest supplier of development aid. Other emigration destinations include French Guiana and the United States. Suriname's immigration rules are flexible, and the country is easy to enter illegally because rainforests obscure its borders. Since the mid-1980s, Brazilians have settled in Suriname's capital, Paramaribo, or eastern Suriname, where they mine gold. This immigration is likely to slowly re-orient Suriname toward its Latin American roots.

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 50.8% | youth dependency ratio: 40.4% | elderly dependency ratio: 10.4% | potential support ratio: 9.6% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

Ethnic groups [time series]

Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

1.02% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

200 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

3,800 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Hospital bed density [time series]

3.1 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 26.17 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 30.48 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 68

Languages [time series]

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), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.97 years | male: 69.57 years | female: 74.48 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 95.6% | male: 96.1% | female: 95% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: very high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever | vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2013)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

PARAMARIBO (capital) 234,000 (2014)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

155 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Median age [time series]

total: 29.1 years | male: 28.7 years | female: 29.4 years (2015 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Surinamer(s) | adjective: Surinamese

Net migration rate [time series]

0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

26.1% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 60

Population [time series]

579,633 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 171

Population growth rate [time series]

1.08% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Religions [time series]

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

Sanitation facility access [time series]

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.97 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 15.3% | male: 11.6% | female: 21.7% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 51

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 66% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 0.78% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea arbitration to resolve the longstanding dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Illicit drugs [time series]

growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: Suriname is a source and destination country for women, men, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; women and girls from Suriname, Guyana, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic are subjected to sex trafficking in the country, sometimes in interior mining camps; Surinamese women and girls are also sexually exploited in French Guiana; migrant workers in agriculture and on fishing boats and children working in informal urban sectors and gold mines are vulnerable to forced labor | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Suriname does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute a significant effort toward meeting the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking; in 2013, the government prosecuted an increased number of sex trafficking cases but decreased investigations and prosecutions of sex trafficking offenders; authorities failed to investigate, prosecute, or convict labor traffickers; fewer sex trafficking and no forced labor victims were identified; protective services for victims were inadequate, but plans to open a government-run shelter for women and child victims were initiated in 2014; a national strategy to combat human trafficking was also adopted in 2014 (2014)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

55 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 85

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 6 | over 3,047 m: 1 | under 914 m: 5 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 49 | 914 to 1,523 m: 4 | 45 (2013)

Pipelines [time series]

oil 50 km (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Paramaribo, Wageningen

Roadways [time series]

total: 4,304 km | paved: 1,130 km | unpaved: 3,174 km (2003) | country comparison to the world: 155

Waterways [time series]

1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2011) | country comparison to the world: 58