Yearbook 2000
Suriname. As a result of last year’s economic collapse and mounting criticism of President Jules Wijdenbosch, a new election was held for Parliament on May 25. The election was a huge success for the opposition Four-party Alliance New Front, led by former President Runaldo Ronald Venetiaan, who won 33 of 51 seats in the National Assembly, three times as many as the former dictator Desi Bouterses Millennium Combinatie. On August 12, Venetiaan assumed the post of Prime Minister.
As a first regional test of the so-called Pinochet precedent, the Netherlands Prosecutor in January brought charges against Bouterse for torture during his time as dictator in the 1980s.
- ABBREVIATIONFINDER: Offers three letter and two letter abbreviations for the country of Suriname. Also covers country profile such as geography, society and economy.
Country data
Area: 163,820 km2 (world ranking: 90)
Residents: 563,000
Population density: 3 per km2 (as of 2017, world ranking: 166)
Capital: Paramaribo
Official languages: Dutch
Gross domestic product: US $ 3.3 billion; Real growth: 0.1%
Gross national product (GNP, per resident and year): 6020 US$
Currency: 1 Suriname dollar (SRD) = 100 cents
Embassy
Alexander Gogelweg 2, NL-2517 The Hague
T +31 70 3650844,
Fax +31 70 3617445
E-Mail: ambassade.suriname@wxs.nl
Government
Head of State and Government: Desiré Delano BouterseMichael Ashwin Adhin, Exterior: Yildiz Pollack-Beighle
National holiday: 25.11.
Administrative structure
9 districts and capital district
State and form of government
Constitution of 1987
Presidential republic
Parliament: National Assembly (De Nationale Assemblée) with 51 members, election every 5 years
Election of the head of state. all 5 years by Parliament
Voting age 18 years
Population: Surinamese, last census in 2012. 541,638 residents
37% Indian, 31% of European-African (Creole), 15% Javanese, 10% of African (Maroons), 2% indigenous, 2% Chinese descent and other
Cities (with population): (As of 2012) Paramaribo 240,924 inh., Koewarasan 27,713, De Nieuwe Grond 26,161, Lelydorp 18,663, Houttuin 15,656, Kwatta 14,151, Nieuw Nickerie 13,842
Religions: 48% Christians, 22% Hindus, 14% Muslims; indigenous religions (as of 2006)
Languages: 40% Dutch, 32% Hindi, 15% Javanese and others as well as Sranang-Tongo, Saramaccan (Creole); English
Workers by economic sector: agriculture. 3%, industry 24%, business. 73% (2017)
Unemployment (in% of all labor force): no information
Inflation rate (in%): 2017: 22.0%
Foreign trade: Import: 1.3 billion US$ (2017); Export: US $ 2.1 billion (2017)
Population 2000
According to COUNTRYAAH, the population of Suriname in 2000 was 470,838, ranking number 167 in the world. The population growth rate was 1.280% yearly, and the population density was 3.0189 people per km2.
Economic conditions
Agricultural activity is based almost exclusively on the cultivation of rice, which covers more than three quarters of the cultivated land; the country also produces fair quantities of sugarcane and bananas as well, to an extent minor, coconuts, palm oil, citrus and legumes. However, the main resource of the primary sector is represented by the huge forestry heritage, rich in valuable species, but not yet adequately exploited. Breeding (cattle, pigs, sheep) is at modest levels, while the fishing of crustaceans, mostly exported, offers good income. The basis of the economy is however due to the bauxite mining activity, even if the Suriname has lost its important role at international level (in 2008 it was the 12th world producer); the main fields are located in Accaribo, Moengo and Paranam. The ore is partly exported and partly processed on site (alumina and aluminum production, which account for almost 65% of exports). The Suriname is also rich in deposits of iron, manganese, copper, nickel, to which are added discrete quantities of gold and oil. Apart from the metallurgical ones, the other industries are rather modest and include plants for the processing of agricultural and forest products (sugar refineries, breweries, rum distilleries, sawmills) and cement. Alongside the two traditional major sources of income, bauxite and forests, the production and trade of drugs have an increasing impact on the country’s economy. The country is in fact an important transit point for the trafficking of cocaine. Thanks to the mineral wealth, the trade balance has been substantially balanced in the last decade; main trading partners are the USA and the Netherlands, and, for exports, also Canada, the Belgium and Norway.
Inadequate is the network of road communications (4304 km, of which 25% asphalted), limited to the coastal strip, and railways (300 km). Port calls can be found in Paramaribo, Nieuw Nickerie, Albina. An international airport in Zanderij (Paramaribo).