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KEY FACTS
Suriname
Official name: Republiek Suriname
(Republic of Suriname)
Head of State: President Ronald
Venetiaan (NPS)
Head of government: President
Ronald Venetiaan
PARAMARIBO
Ruling party: Nieuwe Front voor
Democratie (NF) (New Front for
Democracy) coalition led by
Nationale Partij Suriname (NPS)
(National Party of Suriname)
(elected May 2000)
Nieuw Amsterdam
SURINAME
Nieuw
Nickerie
Paranam
Moengo
Albina
Kwakoegron
Matapi
Area: 163,265 square km
oran
ti
Official language: Dutch
Currency: Suriname dollar (Su$) =
100 cents
Exchange rate: Su$2.74 per US$
(Jun 2004) (on 1 Jan 2004,
guilders were converted to
Suriname dollars at Su$1.00 per
1,000 guilders)
GDP per capita: US$3,500 (2003)
FRENCH
GUIANA
SURINAME
R. C
Capital: Paramaribo (Parbo)
Prof. van
Blommesteinmeer
R. Coppename
jn
Population: 460,300 (2004)
Brokopondo
Cottica
R. Tapanahony
GUYANA
Kawatop
DISPUTED
TERRITORY
Alalapadu
GDP real growth: 3.80% (2003)
Labour force: 100,000 (2003)
Unemployment: 17.00% (2003)
BRAZIL
Inflation: 20.00% (2003)
0
Miles
100
0
Km
160
Oil production: 10,000 bpd (2003)
Balance of trade: US$145.00 million
(2003)
Foreign debt: US$321.00 million
(2003)
1438
COUNTRY PROFILE
Historical profile
1652 The British founded the first settlement but gave it to the Netherlands in a
swap for New Amsterdam, the settlement
at the mouth of the Hudson river that later
became New York. The territory became
known as Dutch Guiana.
1973 Henck Arron became prime minister, leading negotations for independence
from the Netherlands, the colonial power.
1975 Dutch Guiana gained independence and was re-named Suriname.
1980 A successful military coup was led
by Desi Bouterse.
1980–87 Bouterse ruled with a military
government.
1987–88 Parliamentary democracy was
returned with the November 1987 general
election and the election by the 51-seat
National Assembly of the president in January 1988. The National State Council,
which has an ill-defined ‘advisory’ role,
included members of the military. Henck
Arron became prime minister again, and
also vice president.
1990 The military resumed power under
Bouterse in December.
1991 A civilian government was elected
in May.
1999 The cabinet resigned after there
were protests over Suriname’s economic
problems.
2000 President Jules Albert Wijdenbosch
lost the elections, but was to remain in office until the Nieuwe Front voor
Democratie (NF) (New Front for Democracy) coalition agreed a candidate in August. Ronald Venetiaan was chosen by the
National Assembly as president.
2002 Hundreds of workers protested after
the government decided to close the
state-owned banana company, Surland.
2004 On 1 January, Suriname converted
its currency – guilders – to Suriname dollars (Su$) at a rate of Su$1.00 per l,000
guilders.
Political structure
Form of state
Parliamentary democratic republic
Suriname
The executive
To win the presidency, a party needs a
two-thirds majority in the Assembly. Failing that, the National Assembly, which
also contains local and regional councillors, elects the president by simple
majority.
National legislature
The republic has a unicameral 51-seat
National Assembly. Elections every five
years.
Last elections
25 May 2000 (parliamentary)
Results: NF 47.3 per cent of the vote, 32
seats; MC 15.1 per cent, 10 seats.
Next elections
By May 2005 (parliamentary)
Political parties
Ruling party
Nieuwe Front voor Democratie (NF) (New
Front for Democracy) coalition led by
Nationale Partij Suriname (NPS) (National
Party of Suriname) (elected May 2000)
Main opposition party
Millenium Combinatie (MC) (Millennium
Combination) (an alliance of Nationale
Democratische Partij (NDP) (National Democratic Party), Kerukanan Tulodo Pranatan
Ingit (KTPI) (Party for National Unity and Solidarity) and Democratisch Alternatief
(DA’91) (Democratic Alternative)).
Population
460,300 (2004)
Ethnic make-up
East Indian (37 per cent), Creole (31 per
cent), Javanese (15 per cent), Black (10
per cent), Indian (3 per cent), Chinese (2
per cent).
Religions
Hindu (25 per cent), Protestant (25 per
cent), Roman Catholic (23 per cent), Islam (20 per cent), traditional beliefs (5
per cent).
Education
Primary schooling begins at age 6 and
last until aged 12. An exam deteremines
the route either to a general lower secondary, or technical school. Advancement
at age 16, following further exams, leads
to either an academic, pre-university senior, or upper vocational, school.
Teaching may be delivered in either Dutch
or English.
Higher education is provided through either a Univerisity, Institute, Academy, or
Polytechnic College.
Literacy rate: 93 per cent adult rate.
Compulsory years: 7 to 12.
Enrolment rate: 92.18 per cent net primary; 2.93 per cent net secondary
enrolments.
Pupils per teacher: 17 in primary schools.
Health
The total spending on public health is under 10 per cent of GDP, of which government expenditure is about half.
Life expectancy: 69 years: male 66.8
years; female 71.8 years (2003).
Birth rate/Death rate: 19.4 births per
1,000 population; 6.8 deaths per 1,000
population (2003).
Infant mortality rate: 24.7 per 1,000
live births (2003)
Ronald Venetiaan’s government began
well. It increased taxes and attempted to
control spending, but a large pay rise for
civil servants threatened earlier gains in
stabilising the economy.
The Netherlands government agreed to
restart the aid flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development
financing.
Alcoa’s US$65 million expansion to its
Paranam alumina refinery, which is expected to be completed in 2005, will be a
boost to Suriname’s economy.
Economic prospects for the medium-term
depend on renewed commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and
to the introduction of structural reforms to
liberalise markets and promote
competition.
Main cities
Paramaribo (Parbo) (capital, estimated
population 217,300 in 2003), Lelydorp
(17,600), Nieuw Nickerie (13,300).
Languages spoken
Sranan Tongo (Creole) is the lingua
franca. English, Sarnami (Hindi), Javanese
and Chinese are also spoken.
Official language/s
Dutch
Media
Press
Principal dailies include De Ware Tijd and
periodicals include Advertentieblad van de
Republick Suriname, Bulletin C-47, CLO
Bulletin and USB Bulletin. Other local
newspapers are Parbo Daily and De West.
Broadcasting
Radio: Three government-run stations in
Paramaribo: Stichting Radio-Omroep Suriname (SRS), Radio Suriname International
(RSI) and Radio Boskopu. Private: Radio
Paramaribo, Radio Apintie, Radio Nickerie
(RANI), Radio Radhika and Sangeet Mala.
Television: Government-owned commercial TV service by STVS and ATV (mainly
Dutch and English).
Economy
The economy is dominated by the bauxite
industry, which accounts for more than 15
per cent of GDP and 70 per cent of export earnings.
External trade
Suriname is planning to create a Free Trade
Area (FTA) to prepare for competition in the
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) that
has been under negotiation since 1994.
The FTAA is scheduled to be finalised in
2004 and implemented in 2005.
Imports
Principal imports are raw materials and
semi-manufactures, refined petroleum
products, machinery and transport equipment. Imports totalled US$300 million in
2003.
Main sources: US (typically 35 per cent
of the total), The Netherlands (15 per
cent) and Trinidad and Tobago (12 per
cent).
Exports
Principal exports are bauxite, alumina,
aluminium, rice, bananas, wood, shrimps.
Exports totalled US$445 million in 2003.
Main destinations: US (typically 23 per
cent of the total), Norway (19 per cent)
and The Netherlands (10 per cent).
KEY INDICATORS
Population
Suriname
Unit
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
m
0.42
0.42
0.43
0.43
0.45
Gross domestic product
(GDP)
US$bn
GDP per capita
US$
0.52
0.51
0.75
0.89
1.50
1,240
1,214
1,786
2,104
3,500
GDP real growth
%
-3.7
2.9
5.9
2.7
3.8
Inflation
%
98.8
59.1
42.2
28.3
20.0
Exports (fob) (goods)
US$m
342.0
399.1
454.0
369.3
445.0
Imports (fob) (goods)
US$m
297.9
246.1
457.0
321.9
300.0
Balance of trade
US$m
44.1
153.0
-3.0
47.4
145.0
Current account
US$m
-29.1
32.3
-190.0
-131.0
–
Total reserves
minus gold
US$m
38.5
63.0
119.3
106.2
–
Foreign exchange
US$m
27.3
52.7
109.6
95.9
–
per US$
605.25
1,322.47
2,178.50
2,346.75
2,346.75
Exchange rate
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Nations of the World: A Political, Economic and Business Handbook
Agriculture
Farming
The agricultural sector typically contributes
10 per cent to GDP and employs 20 per
cent of the workforce.
Permanent crop and arable land accounts
for less than 0.5 per cent of total land
area, and is concentrated mostly along
the coastal plain. Self-sufficiency is nevertheless achieved in most basic foodstuffs.
The staple food crop and most important
agricultural export is rice, the farming of
which is highly mechanised. Suriname exports 40,000 tonnes of rice annually to
the EU. Other major crops include palm
oil, coconuts, bananas, sugar, citrus fruits
and coffee. Crop production in 2003 included: 195,000 metric tonnes (mt) rice,
4,300mt cassava, 9,000mt coconuts,
43,000mt bananas, 11,000mt plantains,
120,000mt sugar cane, 260mt groundnuts, 14,900mt citrus, 1,000mt tomatoes,
3,450mt watermelons, 69,284mt fruit in
total, 22,435mt vegetables in total. Livestock production included: 9,179mt meat
in total, 2,000mt beef, 1,450mt pigmeat,
60mt lamb and goat meat, 5,670mt
poultry, 2,500mt eggs, 8,500mt milk,
86mt honey.
Fishing
Commercial fishing, particularly for shellfish, is growing in importance and accounts for around 7 per cent of total
export earnings. The typical total fish
catch is over 19,000mt, plus over
7,700mt of other seafood, per annum.
Forestry
Around 80 per cent of Suriname is covered by forest, but only 2 per cent is commercially exploited as access is limited.
The timber industry is, however, an important sector of the economy. Production in
2002 included: 154,000 cubic metres
(cum) roundwood, 47,000cum
sawnwood, 43,500cum wood fuel.
Industry and manufacturing
The industrial sector contributes around
15 per cent to GDP and employs 20 per
cent of the workforce.
Industrial activities centre on the processing of agricultural produce (particularly
timber), bauxite mining and timber
processing.
Industrial production increased by 6.5 per
cent in 2003.
In 2003, Alcoa announced a US$65 million, 250,000 tonne expansion to its
Paranam alumina refinery, which will increase capacity by approximately 12 per
cent. It is expected to be completed by
mid-2005.
Tourism
Ecotourism is growing in importance in Suriname and has contributed to the permanent
protection of 1.62 million ha of tropical
1440
forests. Tourist arrivals increased by 4.36
per cent in 2003, compared to 2002.
Mining
The mining sector contributes around 12
per cent to GDP and employs 5 per cent
of the labour force. Suriname’s economy
is primarily based on the mining of bauxite and alumina production.
Suriname is one of the largest producers
of aluminium and bauxite in the world,
with bauxite reserves of 600 million
tonnes and production typically at four
million tonnes per year. The US typically
imports over 400,000 tonnes of alumina
per annum. The deposits in the major
mining areas, Moengo and Paranam, are
maturing and are expected to reach the
end of their life in 2006. Other reserves in
the east, west and north of Suriname are
expected to last until 2025.
Annual gold production is valued at US$25
million per annum, although 80 per cent of
this is in the informal sector and much of the
country’s gold output is smuggled away into
French Guiana. In Febuary 2004 Cambior,
the Canadian mining company, began
shipment of gold bars from their Rosebel
Gold mine. It is expected that 220,000
ounces of gold will be produced in the first
year valued at US$157 per ounce; the government will receive 2.2 per cent royalties
from the mine.
Other commercially viable minerals include iron ore, copper, nickel, platinum
and kaolin.
Hydrocarbons
Increasing amounts of oil (around 10,000
barrels per day (bpd) in 2003) are extracted. By 2003, total oil reserves stood at
170 million barrels. Continued exploration
under way in the Saramacca oil region is
expected to double proven reserves to 350
million barrels. The country’s only oil refinery produces diesel, heavy vacuum gas oil,
fuel oil and bitumen.
Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname is a
government-owned company that has exclusive rights to explore and produce hydrocarbons alone or in conjunction with
other oil companies. Staatsolie aims to
develop the Tambaredjo oil field to produce 20,000bpd.
Suriname exports oil products mostly to
the Caribbean, including Trinidad,
Curaçao, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Barbados and Antigua.
In June 2004, a UN tribunal was empowered to settle a dispute over oil-rich territory
clamed by both Guyana and Suriname.
The disputed maritime area includes an
oil-rich concession granted to a Canadian
company.
Energy
Total installed electrical generating capacity is estimated at 415MW. Electricity
for the aluminium industry is supplied by
the Afobakka hydroelectric power station.
Suriname Aluminum Company (Suralco)
produces about 75MW of electricity for
the Suriname government, roughly 75 per
cent of the electricity needs of the capital
city of Paramaribo.
In June 2004, Suriname’s State Energy
Company signed a US$23.7 million deal
with the Trinidad-based Royal Bank of
Trinidad and Tobago to finance part of its
local electricity projects estimated to cost
US$100 million.
Banking and insurance
The government has equity stakes in six of
Suriname’s eight banks, including a 10
per cent stake in the largest bank, De
Surinaamse Bank. Domestic borrowing is
mostly undertaken by the government. The
highly indebted banking sector is in a
poor state and is in need of reform.
Central bank
Centrale Bank van Suriname
Main financial centre
Paramaribo.
Time
GMT minus three hours
Geography
Suriname is located on the northern part
of South America. It borders French Guiana to the east and Guyana to the west.
To the west, the Corantijn River forms the
border, which is disputed in its most
southerly reaches with Guyana. Two other
rivers, the Marowijn and Litani form the
border with French Guiana. Certain areas
of the eastern border are also under
dispute.
Climate
Tropical but cooled by trade winds. Rain
throughout the year but heaviest from November–January and from April–July. Average daily temperature remains fairly
constant throughout the year at 27 degrees Celsius (C); daily range from 22–35
degrees C from May–October; slightly
lower temperatures from November–April.
Entry requirements
Passports
Required by all and valid for six months
after arrival.
Visa
Required by all and must be obtained before travelling. All visitors must have
return/onward passage. Business visas require a letter from the employing
company explaining the purpose of visit,
and the details of all the contacts in Suriname plus an itinerary.
See www.surinameembassy.org for more
information and to download an application form.
Suriname
Currency advice/regulations
Foreign currency over US$10,000 should
be declared on arrival. Local currency import and export is limited to Su$1000.
Health (for visitors)
Mandatory precautions
Yellow fever vaccination certificate required if arriving from an infected area.
Advisable precautions
Yellow fever, typhoid and polio vaccinations. Malaria prophylaxis recommended
and water precautions should be taken.
Hotels
Paramaribo and Nieuw Nickerie have a
number of modern hotels but beds are
limited. Service charge of 10 per cent is
usual.
Public holidays
Fixed dates
1 Jan (New Year’s Day), 1 May (Labour
Day), 1 Jul (National Union Day), 25 Nov
(Independence Day), 25–26 Dec.
Variable dates
Phagwa (Mar), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Eid Al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
Working hours
Banking
Mon–Fri: 0800–1500.
Business
Mon–Fri: 0730–1630.
Government
Mon–Fri: 0700–1500.
Shops
Mon–Fri: 0700/0730–1630; Sat:
0730–1300.
Telecommunications
Telephone/fax
International direct dialling from Suriname
is available.
Mobile phones
Mobile telephone coverage is limited to
Paramaribo.
Electricity supply
110/127V and/or 220V AC, 60 cycles
Getting there
Air
National airline: Surinam Airways (SLM).
International airport/s:
Paramaribo-Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport (PMB), 45km from city;
duty-free, bank, restaurant, post office. A
coach meets all arrivals; buses and taxis
also available (journey time 45 minutes).
Airport tax: There is an airport facility
charge of US$10 for passengers on international flights; not applicable to 24-hour
transit passengers.
Surface
Road: Coastal roads link Paramaribo with
borders of Guyana (at Nieuw Nickerie)
and French Guiana (at Albina). Some bus
services operate from Cayenne, French
Guiana, to Paramaribo, but they tend to
be slow and irregular.
Water: Regular car ferry services run from
French Guiana and Guyana.
Main port/s: Paramaribo.
Getting about
National transport
Most infrastructure has been on the country’s narrow coastal plain, with links to the
interior weak. Much of the sparsely-populated country is accessible only by air or
river.
Air: Domestic flights to towns in the interior are operated from Paramaribo (Zorg
en Hoop airfield) by Surinam Airways.
They also provide services from
Paramaribo to the Nieuw Nickerie district,
and maintain a charter service.
Road: Coastal towns are linked by road
from Nieuw Nickerie, through
Paramaribo, to Albina.
Two new bridges over the Coppename
and Suriname rivers, opened in 1999 and
2000, link the east and west of the
country.
Buses: Paramaribo and most towns have a
local bus service. Bus routes link coastal
towns but service is irregular and tends to
be crowded.
Water: When visiting the interior and
some coastal areas, river transport may
be the least expensive and often most efficient option. Services are centred on
Paramaribo; enquire locally for further
details.
City transport
Taxis: Fares by negotiation in advance of
journey; tipping is not usual.
Car hire
Available in Paramaribo through main hotels and Tourist Information Office,
Waterkant 8, Paramaribo. International
driving licences accepted.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Business directory
The addresses listed below are a selection
only. While World of Information makes
every endeavour to check these addresses, we cannot guarantee that
changes have not been made, especially
to telephone numbers and area codes.
We would welcome any corrections.
Telephone area codes
The international dialling code (IDD) for
Suriname is +597 followed by subscriber’s number.
Chambers of Commerce
Suriname Chamber of Commerce & Industry, PO Box 139, Mr JC de Miranda
Straat, Paramaribo (tel: 473-527; fax:
470-802; e-mail: [email protected]).
Banking
De Surinaamse Bank NV, Henck
Arronstraat 26-30, Paramaribo (tel:
471-100; fax: 477-835).
Finabank NV, Dr. S. Redmondstraat
55-61, Paramaribo.
Hakrinbank NV, Dr S. Redmondstraat
11-13, Paramaribo (tel: 477-722; fax:
472-066).
Landbouwbank NV, Lim A Postraat
28-30, Paramaribo (tel: 475-945,
475-101; fax: 410-821).
Nationale Ontwikkelingsbank (NOB),
Coppenamelaan 160-162, Paramaribo
(tel: 465-000; fax: 497-192).
RBTT Bank (Suriname), Kerkplein 1
Paramaribo (tel: 471-555; fax: 411-325).
Surinaamse Postspaarbank (SPSB),
Knuffelsgracht 11-13, Paramaribo (tel:
472-256; fax: 472-952).
Surinaamse Volkscrediet Bank (VCB),
Steenbakkerijstraat 2, Paramaribo (tel:
472-616; fax: 472-616).
Central bank
Centrale Bank van Suriname, PO Box
1080, Waterkant 16-20, Paramaribo (tel:
473-741; fax: 476-444; e-mail:
[email protected]).
Travel information
Surinam Airways, PO Box 2029,
Coppenamestraat 136, Paramaribo (tel:
465-700; fax: 491-213).
Ministry of tourism
Ministry of Transport, Communication and
Tourism, Prins Hendrikstraat 26-28,
Paramaribo (tel: 420-422; fax: 420-425).
National tourist organisation offices
Surinam Tourism Foundation, Dr JF
Nassylaan 2, Paramaribo; PO Box 656,
Paramaribo (tel: 410-357; fax: 477-786;
email: [email protected] (marketing department) or [email protected] (secretary’s division); internet: www.sr.net/users/stsur).
Ministries
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry
and Fisheries, Cultuurtuinlaan,
Paramaribo (tel: 474-177; fax: 470-301).
Ministry of Defence, Kwattaweg 29,
Paramaribo (tel: 474-244; fax: 420-055).
Ministry of Economic Affairs, Kleine
Waterstraat 4, Paramaribo (tel: 75-080).
Ministry of Education, Dr. F. Kaffiludistraat
117-123, Paramaribo (tel: 498-383; fax:
495-083).
Ministry of Finance,
Onafhandelijkheidsplein 3, Paramaribo
(tel: 472-619; fax: 476-314).
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gravenstraat
6-8, Paramaribo (tel: 471-209; fax:
410-851).
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Nations of the World: A Political, Economic and Business Handbook
Ministry of Justice and Police,
Gravenstraat 1, Paramaribo (tel:
473-033; fax: 412-109).
fax: 202-244-5878; e-mail:
[email protected]).
President of the Republic of Suriname,
Onafhankelijkheidsplein, Paramaribo (tel:
472-841; fax: 475-266).
Vereniging Surinaams Bedrijfsleven (Suriname Trade and Industry Association),
Prins Hendrikstraat 18, PO Box 111,
Paramaribo (tel: 475-286/7; fax:
472-287).
Vice President and Council of Ministers,
Dr. S. Redmondstraat, 1e Etage,
Paramaribo (tel: 474-805; fax: 472-917).
Internet sites
De Ware Tijd (English bulletin available):
http://www.dwt.net
Ministry of Planning and International
Co-operation, Dr. S Redmondstraat 118,
Paramaribo (tel: 473-628; fax: 421-056).
Other useful addresses
Algemene Aannemers Vereniging (AAV),
Gravenstraat 73, Paramaribo (tel:
478-419; fax: 474-531).
Economic Commission for Latin America
and the Caribbean: http://www.eclac.cl
Ministry of Public Health, Gravenstraat
64, Paramaribo (tel: 474-841; fax:
410-702).
Associatie van Surinaarns Bedrijfsleven
(V.S.B.), Domineestraat 33 boven,
Paramaribo (tel: 476-585; fax: 421-160).
Organisation of American States:
http://www.oas.org
Ministry of Public Works, Verlengde
Coppenamestraat 167, Paramaribo (tel:
462-500; fax: 464-901).
Orde van Raadgavende
Ingenieursbureaus in Suriname (ORIS),
P.O. Box 1864, van Roosmalenstraat no.
30, Paramaribo (tel: 472-275, 474-381;
fax: 474-408).
Ministry of Internal Affairs,
Onafhankelijkheidsplein 2, Paramaribo
(tel: 476-461; fax: 421-170).
Ministry of Labour, Wagenwegstraat 22,
Paramaribo (tel: 477-045; fax: 410-465).
Ministry of Natural Resources, Mr. Dr.
J.C. de Mirandastraat 13-15, Paramaribo
(tel: 473-420; fax: 472-911).
Ministry of Regional Development, Van
Rooseveltkade 2, Paramaribo (tel:
471-574).
Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing,
Waterkant 30-32, Paramaribo (tel:
472-610; fax: 470-516).
Ministry of Trade and Industry, Nieuwe
Haven, Paramaribo (tel: 479-886; fax:
477-602).
1442
Ministry of Transportation, Communications and Tourism, Prins Hendrikstraat
26-28, Paramaribo (tel: 420-422; fax:
470-425).
Stichting Planbureau Suriname, PO Box
172, Dr S. Redmondstraat 110,
Paramaribo (tel: 473-146).
Suriname Embassy (USA), Suite 108,
4301 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20008 (tel: 202-244-7488;
Inter-American Development Bank:
http://www.iadb.org
Latin World: http://www.latinworld.com
Latin Trade Online:
http://www.latintrade.com
Republic of Suriname homepage:
http://www.sr.net.srnet/InfoSurinam