The Spaniards first explored Suriname in the 16th century, and the English then settled it 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 Suriname 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 2010, when voters returned former military leader Desire BOUTERSE and his opposition coalition to power. President BOUTERSE ran unopposed in 2015 and was reelected. Opposition parties campaigned hard against BOUTERSE in the run-up to the 2020 elections, and a multi-party coalition led by Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI’s VHP and Ronnie Brunswijk’s ABOP was installed.Â
Geography
Location
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
Geographic coordinates
4 00 N, 56 00 W
Map references
South America
Area
total : 163,820 sq km
land: 156,000 sq km
water: 7,820 sq km
comparison ranking: total 92
Area – comparative
slightly larger than Georgia
Area comparison map:
Land boundaries
total: 1,907 km
border countries (3): Brazil 515 km; French Guiana 556 km; Guyana 836 km
Coastline
386 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Elevation
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
mean elevation: 246 m
Natural resources
timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore
Land use
agricultural land: 0.4% (2022 est.)
arable land: 0.3% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.1% (2022 est.)
forest: 94.5% (2022 est.)
other: 5% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
600 sq km (2020)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)
Population distribution
population is concentrated along the northern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated
Natural hazards
flooding
Geography – note
smallest independent country on the South American continent; mostly tropical rainforest; great diversity of flora and fauna; relatively small population, mostly along the coast
People and Society
Population
total: 646,758 (2024 est.)
male: 320,352
female: 326,406
comparison rankings: total 169; female 170; male 169
Nationality
noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese
Ethnic groups
Hindustani (also known locally as “East Indians”; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 27.4%, Maroon (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 21.7%, Creole (mixed White and Black) 15.7%, Javanese 13.7%, mixed 13.4%, other 7.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2012 est.)
Languages
Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is the native language of Creoles and much of the younger population), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
major-language sample(s):
Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
Religions
Protestant 23.6% (includes Evangelical 11.2%, Moravian 11.2%, Reformed 0.7%, Lutheran 0.5%), Hindu 22.3%, Roman Catholic 21.6%, Muslim 13.8%, other Christian 3.2%, Winti 1.8%, Jehovah’s Witness 1.2%, other 1.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 3.2% (2012 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 22.5% (male 73,864/female 71,573)
15-64 years: 70% (male 226,417/female 226,235)
65 years and over: 7.5% (2024 est.) (male 20,071/female 28,598)
2024 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 42.9 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 32.1 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 10.8 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 9.3 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 32 years (2024 est.)
male: 31 years
female: 32.9 years
comparison ranking: total 118
Population growth rate
1.07% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 89
Birth rate
14.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 110
Death rate
6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 129
Net migration rate
2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 46
Population distribution
population is concentrated along the northern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated
Urbanization
urban population: 66.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas – population
239,000 PARAMARIBO (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
96 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 71
Infant mortality rate
total: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 37.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 50
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.7 years (2024 est.)
male: 69 years
female: 76.7 years
comparison ranking: total population 159
Total fertility rate
1.89 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 122
Gross reproduction rate
0.91 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
39.1% (2018)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 99.5% of population
rural: 98.2% of population
total: 99.1% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.5% of population
rural: 1.8% of population
total: 0.9% of population (2020 est.)
Health expenditure
5.7% of GDP (2021)
13.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
1.36 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density
2.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: 98.5% of population
rural: 91.2% of population
total: 96% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1.5% of population
rural: 8.8% of population
total: 4% of population (2020 est.)
Obesity – adult prevalence rate
26.4% (2016)
comparison ranking: 41
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 6.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.87 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 62
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
6.7% (2018)
comparison ranking: 62
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
52.1% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 8.8% (2018)
women married by age 18: 36% (2018)
men married by age 18: 19.6% (2018)
Education expenditure
2.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
8.6% national budget (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 156
Literacy
total population: 95%
male: 96.5%
female: 93.4% (2021)
Environment
Environment – current issues
deforestation; pollution of inland waterways from small-scale mining activities
Environment – international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds
Land use
agricultural land: 0.4% (2022 est.)
arable land: 0.3% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.1% (2022 est.)
forest: 94.5% (2022 est.)
other: 5% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 66.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 12.17 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 1.74 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 2.28 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 78,620 tons (2010 est.)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 430 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
99 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form: Suriname
local long form: Republiek Suriname
local short form: Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
etymology: name may derive from the Surinen people who inhabited the area at the time of European contact
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Paramaribo
geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W
time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name comes from the Guaranà words para (water or river) and maribo (inhabitants)
Administrative divisions
10 districts (distrikten, singular – distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
Legal system
civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law
Constitution
history: previous 1975; latest ratified 30 September 1987, effective 30 October 1987
amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Chandrikapersad “Chan” SANTOKHI (since 16 July 2020)
head of government: President Chandrikapersad “Chan” SANTOKHI (since 16 July 2020)
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 13 July 2020 (next to be held in May 2025)
election results:
2020: Chandrikapersad “Chan” SANTOKHI elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote – NA
2015: Desire Delano BOUTERSE reelected president unopposed; National Assembly vote – NA
note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Legislative branch
legislature name: National Assembly (Nationale Assemblee)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 51 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 5/25/2025
percentage of women in chamber: 31.4%
expected date of next election: May 2030
Judicial branch
highest court(s): High Court of Justice of Suriname (consists of the court president, vice president, and 4 judges)
judge selection and term of office: court judges appointed by the national president in consultation with the National Assembly, the State Advisory Council, and the Order of Private Attorneys; judges serve for life
subordinate courts: cantonal courts
note: appeals beyond the High Court are referred to the Caribbean Court of Justice; human rights violations can be appealed to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights with judgments issued by the Inter-American Court on Human Rights
Political parties
Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP
Democratic Alternative ’91 or DA91
General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP
National Democratic Party or NDP
National Party of Suriname or NPS
Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE
Party for National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI
People’s Alliance (Pertjajah Luhur) or PL
Progressive Workers’ and Farmers’ Union or PALU
Progressive Reform Party or VHP
Reform and Renewal Movement or HVB
Surinamese Labor Party or SPA
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Jan Marten Willem SCHALKWIJK (since 19 April 2022)
chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 629-4302
FAX: [1] (202) 629-4769
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://surinameembassy.org/index.html
consulate(s) general: Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. FAUCHER (since 31 January 2023)
embassy: 165 Kristalstraat, Paramaribo
mailing address: 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington DC 20521-3390
telephone: [597] 556-700
FAX: [597] 551-524
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://sr.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACP, ACS, 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
Independence
25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday
Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Flag description
five horizontal bands of green (top, double-width), white, red (quadruple-width), white, and green (double-width); a five-pointed yellow star is centered in the red band; red stands for progress and love, green for hope and fertility, and white for peace, justice, and freedom; the star represents the unity of ethnic groups
National symbol(s)
royal palm, faya lobi (flower)
National colors
green, white, red, yellow
National anthem
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 heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Central Suriname Nature Reserve (n); Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (c); Jodensavanne Archaeological Site: Jodensavanne Settlement and Cassipora Creek Cemetery (c)
Economy
Economic overview
upper middle-income South American economy; new floating currency regime; key aluminum goods, gold, and hydrocarbon exporter; new IMF plan for economic recovery and fiscal sustainability; controversial hardwood industry
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$11.976 billion (2023 est.)
$11.68 billion (2022 est.)
$11.405 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 163
Real GDP growth rate
2.54% (2023 est.)
2.41% (2022 est.)
-2.44% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 123
Real GDP per capita
$19,000 (2023 est.)
$18,700 (2022 est.)
$18,500 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 103
GDP (official exchange rate)
$3.455 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
16.2% (2024 est.)
51.6% (2023 est.)
52.4% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 195
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 7.5% (2023 est.)
industry: 39.9% (2023 est.)
services: 48.3% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 160; industry 25; agriculture 93
GDP – composition, by end use
household consumption: 27.6% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 11.7% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 52.5% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 26.5% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 68.9% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -60.6% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
rice, sugarcane, oranges, vegetables, chicken, cassava, plantains, pineapples, eggs, citrus fruits (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
gold mining, oil, lumber, food processing, fishing
Industrial production growth rate
2.07% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 114
Labor force
255,500 (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 172
Unemployment rate
7.3% (2024 est.)
7.6% (2023 est.)
8.2% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 134
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 24.2% (2024 est.)
male: 16.9% (2024 est.)
female: 35.9% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 41
Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income
39.2 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: 46
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.2% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 30.1% (2022 est.)
Remittances
4.25% of GDP (2023 est.)
3.91% of GDP (2022 est.)
4.75% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $863 million (2019 est.)
expenditures: $1.648 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt
69.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 59
Taxes and other revenues
16.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 123
Current account balance
$9.166 million (2024 est.)
$147.978 million (2023 est.)
$76.321 million (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 84
Exports
$2.793 billion (2024 est.)
$2.533 billion (2023 est.)
$2.6 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 158
Exports – partners
Switzerland 49%, UAE 28%, Guyana 5%, USA 4%, France 3% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
gold, fish, refined petroleum, wood, tobacco (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$2.571 billion (2024 est.)
$2.203 billion (2023 est.)
$2.342 billion (2022 est.)
note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 167
Imports – partners
USA 22%, China 12%, Netherlands 11%, Trinidad & Tobago 9%, Guyana 8% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
refined petroleum, ships, excavation machinery, trucks, tobacco (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.53 billion (2024 est.)
$1.346 billion (2023 est.)
$1.195 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
comparison ranking: 138
Debt – external
$2.645 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 89
Exchange rates
Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
33.181 (2024 est.)
36.776 (2023 est.)
24.709 (2022 est.)
18.239 (2021 est.)
9.31 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 99% (2022 est.)
electrification – urban areas: 100%
electrification – rural areas: 98%
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 537,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 1.896 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 245.206 million kWh (2023 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 69; consumption 150; installed generating capacity 149
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 57.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 42% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
imports: 2 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 89 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 7.173 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 6.967 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
2.521 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 2.507 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 14,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 156
Energy consumption per capita
60.896 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: 82
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 129,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 129
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 989,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 150 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 164
Broadcast media
2 state-owned TV stations; 1 state-owned radio station; multiple private radio and TV stations (2019)
Internet country code
.sr
Internet users
percent of population: 78% (2023 est.)
Broadband – fixed subscriptions
total: 125,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total 127
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
PZ
Airports
55 (2025)
comparison ranking: 84
Heliports
1 (2025)
comparison ranking: 148
Merchant marine
total: 13 (2023)
by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 3, other 5
comparison ranking: total 154
Ports
total ports: 4 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 1
very small: 3
ports with oil terminals: 3
key ports: Moengo, Nieuw Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Suriname National Army (Nationaal Leger or NL); Army (Landmacht), Navy (Marine); Air Force (Luchtmacht), Military Police (Korps Militaire Politie)
Ministry of Justice and Police: Suriname Police Force (Korps Politie Suriname or KPS) (2025)
Military expenditures
1.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2018 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
1.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
1.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 2,000 National Army (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Suriname Army has a limited inventory comprised of a mix of older weapons and equipment, largely originating from such suppliers as Brazil, the Netherlands, and India; France also provides material assistance (2024)
Military service age and obligation
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2024)
Military – note
the National Leger is responsible for defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Suriname against foreign aggression; other special tasks include border control and supporting domestic security as required; the military police, for example, have direct responsibility for immigration control at the country’s ports of entry, and the military assists the police in combating crime, particularly narco-trafficking, including joint military and police patrols, as well as joint special security teams; in addition, the military provides aid and assistance during times of natural emergencies and participates in socio-economic development projects (2025)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
a transit country for South American cocaine en route to Europe; illicit drugs are smuggled in cargo containers, commercial and private air transport and human couriers
