Suriname: Facts and Figures - Facts and Figures

Official name

Republic of Suriname

Capital

Paramaribo

Area

163,265 sq km

63,037 sq mi

Administrative divisions (population)

Brokopondo

7,554 (1992 estimate)

Commewijne

22,822 (1992 estimate)

Coronie

3,151 (1992 estimate)

Marowijne

18,339 (1992 estimate)

Nickerie

37,200 (1992 estimate)

Para

13,693 (1992 estimate)

Paramaribo

240,000 (1992 estimate)

Saramacca

12,320 (1992 estimate)

Sipaliwini

26,458 (1992 estimate)

Wanica

69,114 (1992 estimate)

Largest cities (population)

Paramaribo

294,000 (2000 estimate)

Population

470,784 (2007 estimate)

Population growth rate

1.10 per cent (2007 estimate)

Population density

2.9 persons per sq km (2007 estimate)

7.5 persons per sq mi (2007 estimate)

Urbanization

Per cent urban

77 per cent (2005 estimate)

Per cent rural

23 per cent (2005 estimate)

Life expectancy

Total

73.2 years (2007 estimate)

Female

76.1 years (2007 estimate)

Male

70.5 years (2007 estimate)

Infant mortality rate

20 deaths per 1,000 live births (2007 estimate)

Literacy rate

Total

94.2 per cent (2000)

Female

92.6 per cent (2000)

Male

95.9 per cent (2000)

Ethnic divisions

Hindustani (descendants of immigrants from northern India)

37 per cent

Creole (mixed European and African)

31 per cent

Indonesian

15 per cent

Maroon (descendants of escaped slaves)

10 per cent

Native American

3 per cent

Chinese

2 per cent

Other

2 per cent

Languages

Dutch (official), Caribbean Hindustani, Guyanese Creole English, Sranan (Surinamese), Caribbean Javanese, Saramaccan

Religions

Hindu, Protestant (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic, Muslim, Confucianist, Jewish, indigenous

Type of government

Republic

Independence

November 25, 1975 (from Netherlands)

Constitution

September 30, 1987

Voting rights

Universal at age 18

Gross domestic product (GDP) (US$)

1,342 million (2005)

GDP per capita (US$)

2,986.50 (2005)

GDP by economic sector

GDP, agriculture

10.8 per cent (2005)

GDP, industry

24.4 per cent (2005)

GDP, services

64.8 per cent (2005)

National budget (US$)

Total revenue

300 million (1994 estimate)

Total expenditure

700 million (1994 estimate)

Monetary unit

1 Suriname dollar consisting of 100 cents

Exports

Alumina, aluminium, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Imports

Capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Major trading partners for exports

Norway, Netherlands, United States, Japan, Brazil, United Kingdom

Major trading partners for imports

United States, Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil

Industries

Bauxite mining, alumina and aluminium production, logging, food processing, fishing

Agriculture

Principal products: rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, peanuts, beef, chicken; shrimp and forestry products of increasing importance; self-sufficient in most foods

Natural resources

Timber, hydroelectric power potential, fish, shrimp, bauxite, iron ore, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold

Basic Facts and People sections

Area data are from the statistical bureaus of individual countries. Population, population growth rate, and population projections are from the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center, International Data Base (IDB) (www.census.gov). Urban and rural population data are from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), FAOSTAT database (www.fao.org). Largest cities population data and political divisions data are from the statistical bureaus of individual countries. Ethnic divisions and religion data are largely from the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook and from various country censuses and reports. Language data are largely from the Ethnologue, Languages of the World, Summer Institute of Linguistics International (www.sil.org).

Health and Education section

Life expectancy and infant mortality data are from the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center, International database (IDB) (www.census.gov). Population per physician and population per hospital bed data are from the World Health Organization (WHO) (www.who.int). Education data are from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) database (www.unesco.org).

Government section

Government, independence, legislature, constitution, highest court, and voting qualifications data are largely from various government Web sites, the latest Europa World Yearbook, and the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook. The armed forces data are from Military Balance.

Economy section

Gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, GDP by economic sectors, employment, and national budget data are from the World Bank database (www.worldbank.org). Monetary unit, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, exports, imports, and major trade partner information is from the latest Europa World Yearbook and various International Monetary Fund (IMF) publications.

Energy, Communication, and Transportation section

Electricity information is from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) database (www.eia.doe.gov). Radio, telephone, television, and newspaper information is from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) database (www.unesco.org). Internet hosts, motor vehicles, and road data are from the World Bank database (www.worldbank.org).

Note

Figures may not total 100 per cent due to rounding.