*Suriname, Geography Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between French Guiana and Guyana Map references: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 163,270 km2 land area: 161,470 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia Land boundaries: total 1,707 km, Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km Coastline: 386 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); claims area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne) Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps Natural resources: timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp, bauxite, iron ore, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 97% other: 3% Irrigated land: 590 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: mostly tropical rain forest *Suriname, People Population: 416,321 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.54% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 25.85 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -4.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 32.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.14 years male: 66.65 years female: 71.76 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.85 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese Ethnic divisions: 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% Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5% Languages: 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 Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% Labor force: 104,000 (1984) by occupation: NA *Suriname, Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of Suriname conventional short form: Suriname local long form: Republiek Suriname local short form: Suriname former: Netherlands Guiana Dutch Guiana Digraph: NS Type: republic Capital: Paramaribo Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands) Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987 Legal system: NA National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975) Political parties and leaders: The New Front (NF), leader NA, a coalition of four parties (NPS, VHP, KTPI, SPA); 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 DARBY; 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), Cipriano ALLENDY; Pendawa Lima, Marsha JAMIN; National Democratic Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS, chairman; National Republic Party (PNR), Robin RAVALES Other political or pressure groups: Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA), Ronnie BRUNSWIJK, Johan "Castro" WALLY; Union for Liberation and Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG; Saramaccaner Bosneger Angula Movement, Carlos MAASSI; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement, Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: President: 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) National Assembly: 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 *Suriname, Government Executive branch: president, vice president and prime minister, Cabinet of Ministers, Council of State; note - Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains significant power Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: 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) Member of: ACP, CARICOM (observer), ECLAC, FAO, GATT, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: 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 consulate general: Miami US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador John (Jack) P. LEONARD embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmonstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo telephone: [597] 472900, 477881, or 476459 FAX: [597] 410025 Flag: 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 *Suriname, Economy Overview: 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, a military coup in December 1990 reflected continued political instability and deterred investment and economic reform. High inflation, high unemployment, widespread black market activity, and hard currency shortfalls continue to mark the economy. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.35 billion (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: -2.5% (1991 est.) National product per capita: $3,300 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 26% (1991) Unemployment rate: 16.5% (1990) Budget: revenues $466 million; expenditures $716 million, including capital expenditures of $123 million (1989 est.) Exports: $417 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas partners: Norway 36%, Netherlands 28%, US 11%, Japan 7%, Brazil 5%, UK 5% (1989) Imports: $514 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods partners: US 41%, Netherlands 24%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Brazil 4% (1989) External debt: $138 million (1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -5.0% (1991 est.); accounts for 27% of GDP Electricity: 458,000 kW capacity; 2,018 million kWh produced, 4,920 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing, fishing Agriculture: 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 Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion Currency: 1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1 - 1.7850 (fixed rate until October 1992), 25.04 (January 1992) *Suriname, Economy Fiscal year: calendar year *Suriname, Communications Railroads: 166 km total; 86 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned, and 80 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; all single track Highways: 8,300 km total; 500 km paved; 5,400 km bauxite gravel, crushed stone, or improved earth; 2,400 km sand or clay Inland waterways: 1,200 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways Ports: Paramaribo, Moengo, Nicuw Nickerie Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,472 GRT/8,914 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 container Airports: total: 46 usable: 39 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3 Telecommunications: 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 *Suriname, Defense Forces Branches: National Army (including Navy which is company-size, small Air Force element), Civil Police Manpower availability: males age 15-49 111,716; fit for military service 66,429 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP