Suriname

Suriname

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Republiek Suriname/Republic of Suriname Area 163,820 sq km/63,250 sq mi Capital Paramaribo Language Dutch (official), Spanish, Sranan (Creole), English, Hindi, Javanese, Chinese, various tribal languages Religion Christian 47%, Hindu 28%, Muslim 20% Time difference GMT -3.5 Major holidays 1 January, 25 February, 1 May, 1 July, 25 November, 25–26 December; variable: Good Friday, Easter Monday, end of Ramadan, Holi (March)


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Nieuw Nickerie, Moengo, Brokopondo, Nieuw Amsterdam, Albina, Groningen Physical features hilly and forested, with flat and narrow coastal plain; Suriname River Airports one international airport, one domestic airport and 35 airstrips; total passengers: 203,000 (2001 est) Railways total length: 301 km/187 mi (private freight railways) Roads total road network: 4,492 km/2,791 mi, of which 26% paved (2002 est); passenger cars: 199 per 1,000 people (2002 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Ronald Venetiaan from 2000 Head of government Jules Ajodhia from 2000 Political system emergent democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions ten districts Political parties New Front (NF), alliance of four left-of-centre parties: Party for National Unity and Solidarity (KTPI), Suriname National Party (NPS), Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Suriname Labour Party (SPA); National Democratic Party (NDP), left of centre; Democratic Alternative 1991 (DA '91), alliance of three left-of-centre parties Death penalty retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes but can be considered abolitionist in practice; date of last known execution 1982 Armed forces 1,800 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 0.7 (2004 est) Education spend (% GDP) 5.4 (1997 est) Health spend (% GDP) 3.6 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Suriname guilder GDP (US$) 1.3 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 4.5 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 1.1 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 4,800 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 14.8% (2006 est) Unemployment 17% (2004 est) Labour force 8% agriculture, 14% industry, 78% services (2004 est) Foreign debt (US$) 285 million (2004 est) Major trading partners USA, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, the Netherlands, Canada, France, Japan Resources petroleum, bauxite (one of the world's leading producers), iron ore, copper, manganese, nickel, platinum, gold, kaolin Industries bauxite refining and smelting, food processing, beverages, cigarettes, wood products, chemical products, cement Exports alumina, aluminium, gold, crude oil and refined products,shrimps and fish, wood and wood products. Principal market: Norway 29.8% (2005) Imports machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, mineral fuels and lubricants, investment goods, foodstuffs, textiles. Principal source: USA 26.5% (2005) Arable land 0.4% (2006 est) Agricultural products rice, citrus fruits, bananas, plantains, vegetables, coconuts, cassava, root crops, sugar cane; forest resources; commercial fishing


POPULATION

Population 452,000 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 3 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 77 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 30%, 15–59 61%, 60+ 9% (2005 est) Ethnic groups a wide ethnic composition, including Creoles (34%), East Indians (34%), Indonesians (15%), Africans (10%), American Indians (3%), Chinese (3%), European and others (2%) Life expectancy 67 (men); 73 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 39 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 6 Literacy rate 94% (men); 91% (women) (2001 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 4.5 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 3.7 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 1.9 (2005 est) AIDS deaths <500 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 98 (urban); 73 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 18.1 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 51.8 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 728 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 266 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 4.6 (2003 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 6.7 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

AD 1593 Visited and claimed by Spanish explorers; the name Suriname derived from the country's earliest inhabitants, the Surinen, who were driven out by other Amerindians in the 16th century. 1602 Dutch settlements established. 1651 British colony founded by settlers sent from Barbados. 1667 Became a Dutch colony, received in exchange for New Amsterdam (New York) by Treaty of Breda. 1682 Coffee and sugar cane plantations introduced, worked by imported African slaves. 1795–1802 and 1804–16 Under British rule. 1863 Slavery abolished and indentured labourers brought in from China, India, and Java. 1915 Bauxite discovered and gradually became main export. 1954 Achieved internal self-government as Dutch Guiana. 1958–69 Politics dominated by Johan Pengel, charismatic leader of mainly Creole Suriname National Party (NPS). 1975 Independence achieved, with Dr Johan Ferrier as president and Henck Arron (NPS) as prime minister; 40% of population emigrated to the Netherlands. 1980 Arron's government overthrown in army coup. Army replaced Ferrier with Dr Chin A Sen. 1982 Army, led by Lt Col Desi Bouterse, seized power, setting up Revolutionary People's Front; economic aid from the Netherlands and USA cut off after opposition leaders, charged with plotting a coup, were executed. 1985 Ban on political activities lifted. 1986 With aim of restoring constitutional order, Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA; mostly descendants of escaped slaves), began guerrilla war. 1987 New civilian constitution approved by 97% of electorate. 1989 Bouterse rejected peace accord reached by President Shankar (elected 1988) with SLA; vowed to continue fighting. Shankar ousted following year in coup organized by Bouterse. 1991 New Front opposition alliance won assembly majority. 1992 Peace accord reached with SLA. 1999 Dutch court tried and convicted Bouterse (in absentia) for drug smuggling. 2000 Ronald Venetiaan chosen as president again (was president 1991–96). Jules Ajodhia elected prime minister. 2004 Government replaced guilder with Suriname dollar to help restore confidence in economy. UN tribunal set up to resolve ongoing maritime border dispute with Guyana. 2005 President Venetiaan re-elected after his New Front coalition won narrow majority in parliamentary elections. 2006 Severe flooding left over 20,000 homeless. Government apologized to relatives of about 40 people killed in 1986 massacre carried out under military dictatorship.


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