Geography:

• Location:
  • A Republic Of North-Eastern South America, Bounded On The North By The Atlantic Ocean, On The East By French Guiana, On The South By Brazil, And On The West By Guyana.
• Area:
  • Total: 163,270 Sq Km
  • Land: 161,470 Sq Km
  • Water: 1,800 Sq Km
• Coastline:
  • 386 km
• Maritime Claims:
  • Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 NM
  • Territorial Sea: 12 NM
• Natural Resources:
  • Timber, Hydropower, Fish, Kaolin, Shrimp, Bauxite, Gold, And Small Amounts Of Nickel, Copper, Platinum, Iron Ore

People:

• Population: 435,449 (July 2003 est.)
• 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) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%
• 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), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Government:

• Country name:
  • conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
  • conventional short form: Suriname
  • former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
  • local long form: Republiek Suriname
• Government type: constitutional democracy
• Capital: Paramaribo
• Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
• International organization participation: ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Economy:

• Inflation rate (consumer prices): 17% (2002 est.)
• Industries: bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing
• Agriculture - products: paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp
• Exports: $445 million f.o.b. (2002)
• Exports - commodities: alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
• Imports: $300 million f.o.b. (2002)
• Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods
• Currency: Surinamese guilder (SRG)

National Policy:

• Marine Affairs Policy
• Marine Science & Research Policy
• Coastal Area Policy
• Environment Policy

Institutional Structure:

Fisheries Subdepartment

Cornelis Jongbauwstraat no.50 P.O.Box 438, Paramaribo, Suriname

Telephone: (597) 76741

Cable: MINAGR SURINAME

Telex: Via min. FF ALBUZASN 132

Hydraulic Research Division

P.O. Box 2110 Panamaribo, Suriname

Telephone: (597) 60322

National Focal Point for IOCARIBE

The Secretary General

Suriname National Commission for UNESCO

Ministry of Education and Community Developments 

Grote Combeweg 23

P. O. Box 3017, Paramaribo, Suriname

Tel: +597 47-15-35

Fax: +597 47-11-19

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