General
Information
|
Total Land Area: |
156,000 km2 |
|
Land boundaries: |
1,707 km |
|
Coastline: |
386 km |
|
Capital: |
Paramaribo |
|
Other Large
Cities: |
Nieuw-Nickerie,
Meerzorg,
Marienburg |
|
Official
Language: |
Dutch |
|
National
Currency Unit: |
Suriname Guilder
(SRG) |
|
National Day: |
November 25 |
Location and
Geography
Suriname, formerly
known as Dutch
Guiana, is one of
the smallest
countries in South
America and the only
Latin American
country whose
official language is
Dutch. Suriname lies
on South America’s
North-east coast and
is bordered by
Brazil in the South,
French Guiana in the
East and Guyana in
the West. Suriname’s
coastal area is
flat. The major
rivers flow to the
North towards the
Atlantic. Large
rivers and streams
bisect the country
from the South to
the North and
provide major
transportation
routes between the
coast and the
inland. Suriname
lies outside the
hurricane and
earthquake area.
Forests and
woodlands take up a
large portion of the
country which has a
tropical rainforest
climate, hot and
humid throughout the
year. Temperatures
inland are not
moderated by coastal
breezes and are
slightly higher.
Seasons are
distinguished only
by more or less
rain.
Demography
|
Population:
|
0.42 million
(2001) |
|
Crude Birth
Rate:
|
25 per thousand
people (1998) |
|
Crude Death
Rate:
|
7 per thousand
people (1998) |
|
Infant Mortality
Rate:
|
26 per thousand
(2001) |
|
Life Expectancy:
|
Male: 68 years,
Female: 73 years
(1999) |
|
Urban
Population:
|
50.0 percent
(1998) |
|
Adult Literacy:
|
94.00 percent
(2001) |
Economy
Economic activity is
relatively
diversified, but the
dominant sector is
the bauxite
industry. Suriname
is one of the
largest producers of
bauxite in the
world, all of which
is processed locally
into alumina and
aluminium. The other
main natural
resources of the
country are oil,
iron ore, hydropower
potential, timber,
fish and shrimp.
Although less than
one percent of
Suriname’s land is
arable, agriculture
is a major source of
employment. Rice,
palm oil, bananas,
timber, citrus,
tropical fruits,
vegetables and
seafood are the main
products. Suriname
has great timber
resources which are
yet to be fully
exploited.
Commercial fishing
and sugar production
are also
significant.
|
GDP at Current
Market Prices:
|
818 million US$
(1998) |
|
Per Capita GDP:
|
1995 US$ (1998) |
|
Share of Sectors
in GDP:
|
11.0%
Agriculture,
21.0% Industry,
68.0% Services,
(2001) |
|
Total Exports:
|
491 million US$
(2002) |
|
Total Imports:
|
604 million US$
(2002) |
|
Major Exports
Items: |
Alumina,
aluminum, crude
oil, lumber,
shrimp, fish and
bananas |
|
Major Imports
Items: |
Capital
equipment,
petroleum,
foodstuffs and
cotton |
|
Major Trading
Partners: |
US, Norway,
Netherlands,
China and France |
|
