Country Guide • Suriname
Suriname is located along the north east coast of South America.It is bordered to the north by the Atlantic Ocean, to the east by the Marowijne River (which forms the border with French Guiana), to the west by the Corantijn River (which forms the border with Guyana), and to the south by forests, savannahs and mountains which separate it from Brazil.
| Official Name | Republic of Suriname |
|---|---|
| Area | 163,265km² (63,037mile²) |
| Population | 435,500 |
| Continent | South America |
| Population per mile² | 7 |
| Capital City | Paramaribo |
| Religions | 22% Roman Catholic, 15% Moravian, 26% Hindu, 19% Muslim and the remainder follow local native tribal beliefs. |
| Language | 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 |
| Government | Republic |
| Currency | Surinamese Dollar |
| GDP | $1.5 billion |
| GDP per Head | $3,500 |
| Natural Resources | Timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum and iron ore |
| Land Use | Arable Land 0.37% |
| Agriculture | Bananas, paddy rice, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products and shrimp |
| Industry | 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 |
| Tourism | Suriname has its own fair share of nature parks and reserves. Suriname is an unusual cultural enclave with an extraordinary ethnic variety deriving from Dutch colonization with many examples of Dutch colonial architecture |
| Natural Hazards | None |
| Health Risks | |
| Climate | Suriname has a tropical climate that is characterised by high rainfall, high humidity and hot temperatures. There are four seasons, two dry seasons from August to November and February to April as well as two wet seasons from April to August and November to February, although none of the seasons are completely wet or dry. Average annual rainfall in Paramaribo is 87 inches and average temperature ranges are approx. 26°C throughout the year |
| Time | GMT/UTC-3 hours |
| National Days | November 25 - Independence Day |
| Visas | British visitors require visas to enter Suriname. They must be obtained in advance. Visa information can be obtained from the Suriname Consulate in Amsterdam; (Tel: +11 31 206 426 137; Fax: +11 31 206 465 311). Virtually all other visitors require a visa also |
| British Embassy | Embassy Details |
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