Suriname

Republiek Suriname Republic of Suriname
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Justitia - Pietas - Fides  (Latin) "Justice - Piety - Loyalty"
Anthem: God zij met ons Suriname
Capital (and largest city)		Paramaribo 5°50′N, 55°10′W
Official languages		Dutch
Demonym		Surinamese
Government		Constitutional democracy
-	President	Ronald Venetiaan
Independence		from the Netherlands
-	Date	November 25 1975
Area
-	Total	163,820 km² (91st) 63,251 sq mi
-	Water (%)	1.1
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	449,888 (170th)
-	2004 census	487,024
-	Density	2.7/km² (223rd) 7.0/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$2.898 billion (160st)
-	Per capita	$5,683 (96th)
HDI (2003)		0.759 (medium) (89th)
Currency		Surinamese dollar (SRD)
Time zone		ART (UTC-3)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC-3)
Internet TLD		.sr
Calling code		+597

Suriname^[1], officially the Republic of Suriname, (often misspelled as Surinam, but rectified in most up-to-date dictionaries; in Sranan Tongo Sranan) is a country in northern South America. Suriname was formerly known as Nederlands Guyana, Netherlands Guiana or Dutch Guiana. Suriname is situated between French Guiana to the east and Guyana to the west. The southern border is shared with Brazil and the northern border is the Atlantic coast. The southernmost border with French Guiana is disputed along the Marowijne river; while the once-disputed boundary with Guyana was arbitrated by the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea on September 20, 2007. The country is the smallest sovereign state in terms of area and population in South America.

History

Main article: History of Suriname

The indigenous "Surinen," from whom the country's name derives, were the area's earliest known inhabitants. By the 16th century, however, the Surinen had been driven out by other native South American Indians, namely the Arawak and Carib tribes. European exploration of the area began in the 16th century by Dutch, French, Spanish and English explorers. In the 17th century, plantation colonies were established by the Dutch and English along the many rivers in the fertile Guyana plains. At the Treaty of Breda, in 1667, the Dutch decided to keep the nascent plantation colony of Suriname conquered from the British, while leaving the small trading post of Nieuw Amsterdam in North America, now New York City, in the hands of the British. The Dutch planters relied heavily on African slaves to cultivate the coffee, cocoa, sugar cane and cotton plantations along the rivers. Treatment of the slaves by their owners was notoriously bad, and many slaves escaped the plantations. With the help of the native South Americans living in the adjoining rain forests, these runaway slaves established a new and unique culture that was highly successful in its own right. Known collectively in English as the Maroons, and in Dutch as "Bosnegers," (literally meaning "Bush negroes"), they actually established several independent tribes, among them the Saramaka, the Paramaka, the Ndyuka or Aukan, the Kwinti, the Aluku or Boni and the Matawai. The Maroons would often raid the plantations to recruit new members, acquire women, weapons, food and supplies. These attacks were often deadly for the planters and their families, and after several unsuccessful campaigns against the Maroons, the European authorities signed several peace treaties with them in the 19th century, granting the Maroons sovereign status and trade rights. Slavery was abolished by the Netherlands in Suriname in 1863, but the slaves in Suriname were not fully released until 1873, after a mandatory 10 year transition period during which time they were required to work on the plantations for minimal pay and without state sanctioned torture. As soon as they became truly free, the slaves largely abandoned the plantations where they had suffered for several generations, in favor of the city, Paramaribo. As a plantation colony, Suriname was still heavily dependent on manual labor, and to make up for the shortfall, the Dutch brought in contract laborers from the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia) and India (through an arrangement with the British). In addition, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, small numbers of mostly men were brought in from China and the Middle East. Although Suriname's population remains relatively small, because of this history it is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse in the world. In 1954, the Dutch placed Suriname under a system of limited self-government, with the Netherlands retaining control of defense and foreign affairs. In 1973, the local government, led by the NPK (a largely Creole, meaning ethnically African or mixed African-European, party) started negotiations with the Dutch government leading towards full independence, which was granted on 25 November 1975. The severance package was very substantial, and a large part of Suriname's economy for the first decade following independence was fueled by foreign aid provided by the Dutch government. The first President of the country was Johan Ferrier, the former governor, with Henck Arron (leader of the Suriname National Party) as Prime Minister. Nearly one third of the population of Suriname at that time emigrated to the Netherlands in the years leading up to independence, as many people feared that the new country would fare worse under independence that it did as an overseas colony of the Netherlands. Suriname's diaspora therefore includes more than a quarter of one million people of Suriname origin living in the Netherlands today, including several recent members of the Dutch national football (soccer) team. On February 25, 1980, a military coup sidelined the democratic government, and with it began a period of economic and social hardship for the country. On 8 December 1982, the military, then under the leadership of Desi Bouterse, rounded up several prominent citizens who were accused of plotting against the government. They were allegedly tortured and certainly killed during the night, and the Netherlands quickly suspended all foreign aid to Suriname after this event. Desi Bouterse is scheduled to stand trial in Suriname in the fall of 2007 for his role in these killings. Elections were held in 1987 and a new constitution was adopted, which among other things allowed the dictator to remain in charge of the army. Dissatisfied with the then government, Bouterse summarily dismissed them in 1990, by telephone. This event became popularly known as "the telephone coup". Bouterse's power began to wane after the 1991 elections however, and a brutal civil war between the Suriname army and the Maroons loyal to Ronnie Brunswijk further weakened his position during the 1990s. Suriname's democracy gained some strength after the turbulent 1990s, and its economy became more diversified and less dependent on Dutch financial assistance. Bauxite (Aluminum ore) mining continues to be a strong revenue source, but the discovery and exploitation of oil and gold has added substantially to Suriname's economic independence. Agriculture, especially of rice and bananas, remains a strong component of the economy, and ecotourism is providing new economic opportunities. More than 80% of Suriname's land-mass consists of unspoiled rain forest, and with the establishment of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve in 1998, Suriname signaled its commitment to conservation of this precious resource. The Central Suriname Nature Reserve became a World Heritage Site in 2000.

Administrative divisions

Main articles: Districts of Suriname and Resorts of Suriname

Suriname is further subdivided into 62 resorts (ressorten).

Geography

Main article: Geography of Suriname

A map of Suriname with the disputed area (with Guyana) included

Map of Suriname.

Tailor's shop, Paramaribo, 1955.

The Suriname River, near the city of Paramaribo

Suriname is the smallest independent country in South America. Situated on the Guiana Shield, the country can be divided into two main geographic regions. The northern, lowland coastal area (roughly above the line Albina-Paranam-Wageningen) has been cultivated, and most of the population lives here. The southern part consists of tropical rainforest and sparsely inhabited savanna along the border with Brazil, covering about 80% of Suriname's land surface. There are two main mountain ranges in Suriname: the Bakhuys Mountains and the Van Asch Van Wijck Mountains. Julianatop is the highest mountain in the country at 1,286 metres (4,219 ft) above sea level. Other mountains include Tafelberg (1,026 m; 3,366 ft), Mount Kasikasima (718 m; 2,356 ft), Goliathberg (358 m; 1,174 ft) and Voltzberg (240 m; 787 ft). Lying near the equator, Suriname has a tropical climate, and temperatures do not vary a lot throughout the year. The year has two wet seasons, from December to early February and from late April to mid-August. Located in the northeast portion of the country is the Brokopondo Reservoir, one of the largest reservoir lakes in the world. It was created in 1964 by the Afobakka dam (the Brokopondo Project), built to provide hydropower for the bauxite industry (which consumes about 75% of the output) and for domestic consumption. In the upper Coppename River watershed, the Central Suriname Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site cited for its unspoiled rainforest biodiversity. There are many national parks in the country: Galibi National Reserve, Coppename Manding National Park and Wia Wia NR along the coast, Brownsberg NR, Raleighvallen/Voltzeberg NR, Tafelberg NR and Eilerts de Haan NP in the centre and the Sipaliwani NR on the Brazilian border. In all, 12% of the country's land area are national parks and lakes.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Suriname

The economy of Suriname is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Other main export products include rice and bananas. Suriname has recently started exploiting some of its sizeable oil^[2] and gold^[3] reserves. About a quarter of the people work in the agricultural sector. The Surinamese economy is very dependent on other countries, with its main trade partners being the Netherlands, the United States and countries in the Caribbean. After assuming power in the fall of 1996, the Wijdenbosch government ended the structural adjustment program of the previous government, claiming it was unfair to the poorer elements of society. Tax revenues fell as old taxes lapsed and the government failed to implement new tax alternatives. By the end of 1997, the allocation of new Dutch development funds was frozen as Surinamese Government relations with the Netherlands deteriorated. Economic growth slowed in 1998, with decline in the mining, construction, and utility sectors. Rampant government expenditures, poor tax collection, a bloated civil service, and reduced foreign aid in 1999 contributed to the fiscal deficit, estimated at 11% of GDP. The government sought to cover this deficit through monetary expansion, which led to a dramatic increase in inflation. GDP (2006 est.): U.S. $2.11 billion. Annual growth rate real GDP (2006 est.): 5.8%. Per capita GDP (2006 est.): U.S. $4,000. Inflation (2006): 5.6%. Natural resources: Bauxite, gold, oil, iron ore, other minerals; forests; hydroelectric potential; fish and shrimp. Agriculture: Products--rice, bananas, timber, and citrus fruits. Industry: Types--alumina, oil, gold, fish, shrimp, lumber. Trade (2005): Exports--U.S. $929.1 million: alumina, gold, crude oil, wood and wood products, rice, bananas, fish, and shrimp. Major markets--Norway (23.9%), U.S. (16.8%), Canada (16.4%), France (8.1%), Iceland (2.9%). Imports--$1.1 billion: capital equipment, petroleum, iron and steel products, agricultural products, and consumer goods. Major suppliers--U.S. (24.4%), Netherlands (14.5%), Trinidad and Tobago (10.5%), Japan (4.3%), China (5.4%), Brazil (3.6%).

Politics

Main article: Politics of Suriname

The Republic of Suriname is a constitutional democracy based on the 1987 constitution.

The legislative branch of government consists of a 51-member unicameral National Assembly, simultaneously and popularly elected for a five-year term. The president, who is elected for a five-year term by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly or, failing that, by a majority of the People's Assembly, heads the executive branch. If at least two-thirds of the National Assembly cannot agree to vote for one presidential candidate, a People's Assembly is formed from all National Assembly delegates and regional and municipal representatives who were elected by popular vote in the most recent national election. As head of government, the president appoints a 16-minister cabinet. There is no constitutional provision for removal or replacement of the president unless he resigns. The judiciary is headed by the Court of Justice (Supreme Court). This court supervises the magistrate courts. Members are appointed for life by the president in consultation with the National Assembly, the State Advisory Council and the National Order of Private Attorneys. In April 2005, the regional Caribbean Court of Justice, based in Trinidad, was inaugurated. As the final court of appeal, it was intended to replace the London-based Privy Council. The country is divided into 10 administrative districts, each headed by a district commissioner appointed by the president. The commissioner is similar to the governor of a United States-type state but is appointed and removed by the president.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Suriname

The population growth of Suriname. Note the y-axis is the number inhabitants in thousands.

Suriname's population of 438,144 (July 2005 estimate) is made up of several distinct ethnic groups.

• East Indians (known locally as Hindoestanen) form the largest group at 37% of the population. They are descendants of nineteenth-century contract workers from India. They are from the Indian states of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh, in Northern India, along the Nepalese border.
• The Creoles form about 31% of the population. They are the descendants of West African slaves, some mixed with Dutch, other whites, Sephardi Jews and other ethnic groups.
• The Javanese (descendents of contract workers from the former Dutch East Indies on the island of Java, Indonesia) make up 15%.
• Maroons (descendants of escaped West African slaves) make up 10% and are divided into five main groups: Aucans, Kwinti, Matawai, Paramaccans and Saramaccans.
• Amerindians form 3% of the population (some say as low as 1%), the main groups being the Akuriyo, Arawak, Carib/Kaliña, Trío and Wayana.
• Chinese are mainly descendants of the earliest nineteenth-century contract workers.
• Boeroes (derived from boer, the Dutch word for farmer) are descendants of Dutch nineteenth-century immigrant farmers.
• Jews, both Sephardic and East European.

Because of the great number of ethnic groups in the country, there is no main religion. Christianity, both in the form of Roman Catholicism and variations of Protestantism, is dominant among Creoles and Maroons. Most of the Hindustani are Hindu, but they also practice Islam and Christianity. The Javanese also practice both Islam and Christianity. At 20% of the population, Suriname has the largest Muslim community by percentage in the New World.^[4] Despite the religious diversity, the makeup of Suriname's population is very similar to that of neighboring Guyana, with the exception of the Indonesian population (which Guyana lacks). French Guiana, as part of France, does not collect ethnic statistics. The vast majority of people (about 90%) live in Paramaribo or on the coast. There is also a significant Surinamese population in the Netherlands. In 2005 there were 328,300 Surinamese people living in the Netherlands, which is about 2% of the total population of the Netherlands (compared to 438,144 in Suriname).

Languages

• Dutch is the official language of Suriname. It is used mainly in education, law, media and sometimes in daily life. It is the mother tongue of 60% of the people in Suriname.
• Sranan Tongo serves as the lingua franca, initially the native speech of the Creoles. Sranan Tongo is an English language based creole language (due to over twenty years of British presence) with a large influence from Dutch and several other languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, West African languages and several indigenous languages.
• Sarnami Hindi is the third largest language of the nation. Sarnami Hindustani is a form of Bihari, which is a dialect of modern India's Hindi language. It is spoken by the descendants of British Asian contract workers.
• Javanese is spoken by the descendants of Javanese contract workers.
• Maroon languages are somewhat intelligible with Sranan Tongo. Some are based on Portuguese rather than English. Maroon languages include Saramaka, Paramakan, Ndyuka and Aukan, Kwinti and Matawai.
• Amerindian languages are spoken by the Amerindians of Suriname. These languages include Carib and Arawak.
• Hakka Chinese and Cantonese is spoken by the descendants of the Chinese contract workers.
• Mandarin is spoken by more recent Chinese immigrants.
• Additionally, English and, to a lesser extent, Spanish are also used, especially at tourist-oriented facilities or shops.

Culture

Main articles: Roman Catholicism in Suriname, Music of Suriname, Hinduism in South America, and Islam in Suriname

Waterfront houses in Paramaribo, 1955.

Due to the mix of population groups, Surinamese culture is very diverse. Ethnicity/race: East Indians (Hindustanis) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, “Bush Negroes” (also known as Maroons) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Miscellaneous

• Suriname (referred to as 'Surinam') is the setting for the largest part of Aphra Behn's classic novella, Oroonoko.
• The 1962 film The Spiral Road, directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Rock Hudson, was filmed in Suriname (then Dutch Guiana).
• Chapter 19 of Voltaire's classic Candide is set in Suriname.
• Some of the greatest football players to represent the Netherlands, such as Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, Patrick Kluivert, Clarence Seedorf, Aron Winter, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Stanley Menzo, and Edgar Davids are of Surinamese descent. Davids in particular has written of his passionate pride in his Surinamese heritage and his love of attending soccer matches there. There are a number of local heroes in other sports as well, like Primraj Binda, best known as the athlete who dominated the 10 km for nearly a decade, Steven Vismale and Letitia Vriesde. Another notable track athlete from Suriname was Tommy Asinga.
• A European mercenary by the name of Karl Penta organised a successful campaign to destabilise the military regime that ruled Suriname under the dictator, Dési Bouterse.
• Anthony Nesty is the only person to win a medal (for swimming) for Suriname at the Olympics. Originally from Trinidad, not Suriname, he now lives in Miami, Florida, USA.
• In the film The Silence of the Lambs Suriname is mentioned as the source of a shipment of Death's-head Hawkmoth.
• Suriname is featured in the TV series E-Ring.
• Golden Globe and Emmy winning American actor Jimmy Smits (born in New York City in 1955) was born of a Surinamese father, Cornelis Smits, who immigrated from Dutch Guiana
• Mistakenly referred to as being "a country in Africa" by host Mike Rowe on his popular Discovery Channel show Dirty Jobs, and a country in Asia in the film The Silence of the Lambs
• In the popular TV show Father Ted, Bishop Brennan suggests that he is going to send Ted to an "island off the coast of Suriname" where two tribes "have been knocking the shit out of each other since 1907"

See also

• Boy Scouts van Suriname
• Foreign relations of Suriname
• List of cities in Suriname
• Military of Suriname
• Transport in Suriname
• Corantijn Basin - archaeological site

References

1. ^ ISO 3166
2. ^ (English) Rigzone Staatsolie Launches Tender for 3 Offshore Blocks
3. ^ (English) Cambior Development of the Gross Rosebel Mine in Suriname
4. ^ Muslim Minorities in the West: Visible and Invisible By Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, Jane I. Smith, pg 271

External links

• CIA World Factbook entry on Suriname
• Suriname at the Open Directory Project
• Districts of Suriname at Statoids
• (Dutch) Cabinet of the president of the republic Suriname
• Lot's of fun Information about Suriname - Undefine SURINAME
• Suriname's Official Business Search Engine - SEARCH SURINAME
• Encyclopaedia Britannica - Suriname Country Page
• (Dutch) The Suriname National Assembly
• Suriname information on globalEDGE
• Suriname's Central Bank
• Dictionaries in some of Suriname's languages
• Andre Mosis, Kingbotho, researcher, percussionist
• Details on the various groups of Maroons or "Bush Negros" in Suriname
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
• (Dutch)Centrale Bureau Burgerzaken
• Central Suriname Nature Reserve
• Central STINASU - Foundation for Nature Conservation in Suriname
• Constitution of Suriname
• Suriname is at coordinates 6°N 55°E / 6, 55Coordinates: 6°N 55°E / 6, 55

Geographic locale

•  • e Countries of South America Countries and territories also in or commonly reckoned elsewhere in the Americas shown in italics Sovereign states Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Guyana · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago · Uruguay · Venezuela Dependencies Aruba (Netherlands) · Falkland Islands (UK) · French Guiana (France) · Netherlands Antilles (Netherlands) · South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK)

International membership

•  • e Member states and observers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Members Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Azerbaijan · Bahrain · Bangladesh · Benin · Burkina Faso · Brunei · Cameroon · Chad · Comoros · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt · Gabon · Gambia · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Jordan · Kuwait · Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan · Lebanon · Libya · Maldives · Malaysia · Mali · Mauritania · Morocco · Mozambique · Niger · Nigeria · Oman · Pakistan · Palestine · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Sierra Leone · Somalia · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Turkey · Tunisia · Togo · Turkmenistan · Uganda · Uzbekistan · United Arab Emirates · Yemen Observers Countries and territories Bosnia and Herzegovina · Central African Republic · Russia · Thailand · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (only recognised by Turkey) Muslim communities Moro National Liberation Front International organizations Economic Cooperation Organization · African Union · Arab League · Non-Aligned Movement · United Nations  •  • e Union of South American Nations  (Unasur · Unasul) Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Guyana · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Uruguay · Venezuela  •  • e Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Members Antigua and Barbuda · Bahamas1 · Barbados · Belize · Dominica · Grenada · Guyana · Haiti1 · Jamaica · Montserrat2 · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago Associate members Anguilla · Bermuda · Cayman Islands · British Virgin Islands · Turks and Caicos Islands Observers Aruba · Colombia · Dominican Republic · Mexico · Netherlands Antilles · Puerto Rico · Venezuela 1 Member of the Community but not of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).   2 British overseas territory awaiting entrustment to join the CSME.  •  • e Organization of American States (OAS) Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil · Canada · Chile · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Grenada · Guatemala · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · St. Kitts and Nevis · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago · United States · Uruguay · Venezuela  •  • e Dutch Language Union (Nederlandse Taalunie, NTU) Flemish Community (Belgium) · Netherlands · Suriname

•  • e Austronesian-speaking countries and territories

•  • e Formosan Taiwan  •  • e Malayo-Polynesian  American Samoa  Brunei  Burma  Cambodia  Christmas Island  Cocos (Keeling) Islands  Cook Islands  Easter Island  East Timor  Fiji  French Polynesia  Guam  Hainan Island  Hawaii  Indonesia  Kiribati  Madagascar  Malaysia  Marshall Islands  FS Micronesia  Nauru  New Caledonia  New Zealand  Niue  Northern Mariana Islands  Orchid Island  Palau  Papua New Guinea  Patani  Philippines  Samoa  Singapore  Solomon Islands  Suriname  Tokelau  Tonga  Tuvalu  Vanuatu  Vietnam  Wallis and Futuna