Discover Fascinating Suriname Facts
Dive into the history, culture, and unique insights about Suriname.
Suriname
Background
π Suriname's story is like a treasure map of exploration and colonization! πΊοΈ It all began in the 16th century when brave Spaniards first sailed into its waters. π Fast forward to the mid-17th century, and guess who showed up? The English! They laid down roots during this time. π³ But the real turn in Suriname's history came in 1667 when it became a Dutch colony. π³π± It wasn't until 1975 that the brave people of Suriname gained their independence from the Netherlands. β What an amazing journey through time!
Year Suriname became a Dutch colony
1667
Year Suriname gained independence
1975
Exports - commodities
Suriname is rich in natural resources, and these are some of the key exports that shine the brightest! π In 2022, the country exported:
- Gold π°
- Refined Petroleum β½
- Excavation Machinery π§
- Wood π³
- Fish π
These commodities play a vital role in boosting Suriname's economy and making the country a significant player in the global market.
Exports - partners
π When it comes to Suriname's exports in 2022, Switzerland takes the lead as the top partner, accounting for a substantial 39% of total exports! π¨π Following closely behind is the UAE with 21%. π¦πͺ Belgium is next, contributing 10%. π Other notable partners include Guyana at 5% and Trinidad and Tobago at 4%. π Each percentage shows how much these countries rely on Suriname's products, making it an interesting global player in trading! π
Top Export Partner
Switzerland
Percentage of Exports to UAE
21%
Percentage of Exports to Belgium
10%
Percentage of Exports to Guyana
5%
Percentage of Exports to Trinidad and Tobago
4%
Exports Partners of Suriname in 2022
- Switzerland
- UAE
- Belgium
- Guyana
- Trinidad and Tobago
Capital
π The capital of Suriname is Paramaribo! It's an exciting city known for its rich history and diverse culture. Paramaribo is not just the political center, but also a hub of activity where people from different backgrounds come together. ποΈ
Imports - commodities
In Suriname, the country brings in a variety of exciting commodities! π Hereβs a look at what they import:
- Refined Petroleum
- Excavation Machinery
- Cars π
- Plastic Products β»οΈ
- Tobacco π
These imports help fuel the economy and contribute to daily life in Suriname. Each commodity has its place in the market, supporting both businesses and consumers. π
Climate
π΄ Suriname enjoys a tropical climate that is beautifully tempered by the trade winds! This means that the weather can be warm and inviting, with gentle breezes making it even more pleasant to explore this vibrant country. Perfect for those adventurous souls who love a hot and sunny atmosphere! π
Executive branch
Executive Branch of Suriname πΈπ·
In Suriname, the executive branch is led by **President Chandrikapersad
Legislative branch
π Suriname has a unicameral National Assembly, which means there's just one legislative body making the laws. π The National Assembly has a total of 51 seats! This structure helps in making decisions quickly and efficiently since there's no need to pass laws through two separate houses.
Total seats in National Assembly
51
Natural resources
π³ Suriname is blessed with a variety of natural resources! Hereβs what makes this South American country rich: timber π² for building, hydropower β‘ for energy, and fish π as a food source. The country also boasts kaolin πΊ for ceramics, delicious shrimp π€, and important minerals like bauxite ποΈ and gold π°. Additionally, Suriname has small amounts of nickel πͺ, copper π§ͺ, platinum π, and iron ore πͺ¨. With such resources, Suriname is truly a treasure chest of nature! β¨
Available Natural Resources
Timber, Hydropower, Fish, Kaolin, Shrimp, Bauxite, Gold, Nickel, Copper, Platinum, Iron Ore
Economic overview
π Suriname is an upper middle-income economy in South America, which means it has a good level of income compared to many countries. This nation has recently switched to a floating currency regime, which helps it adjust to economic changes more easily! π¦ Key exports include important items like aluminum goods, gold, and hydrocarbons. Suriname is working hard to recover economically with a new plan from the IMF aimed at economic recovery and fiscal sustainability. However, the country faces challenges, especially with the controversial hardwood industry, which has raised some eyebrows! π³β¨
Economic Classification
Upper Middle-Income
Key Exports
Aluminum goods, gold, hydrocarbons
Recovery Plan
IMF plan for economic recovery and fiscal sustainability
Controversial Sector
Hardwood industry
Government type
In Suriname, the government is a presidential republic! πΈπ· This means that the President is the leader of the country and has a significant amount of power. In a presidential republic, the President is elected independently of the legislature. This setup can create an exciting and dynamic political environment, where the President can introduce policies and drive changes directly! π
Government Type
Presidential Republic
Ethnic groups in Suriname
In Suriname, the ethnic makeup is quite colorful! π Let's dive into the different groups that make this country unique:
- Hindustani (East Indians): 27.4%
- Maroon: 21.7%
- Creole (mixed White and Black): 15.7%
- Javanese: 13.7%
- Mixed: 13.4%
- Other: 7.6%
- Unspecified: 0.6%
These percentages add up to make a rich tapestry of cultures and traditions! Isn't it amazing how diverse a country can be? πβ¨
Percentage of Hindustani
27.4%
Percentage of Maroon
21.7%
Percentage of Creole
15.7%
Percentage of Javanese
13.7%
Percentage of Mixed
13.4%
Percentage of Other
7.6%
Percentage of Unspecified
0.6%
Ethnic Composition of Suriname (2012)
- Hindustani
- Maroon
- Creole
- Javanese
- Mixed
- Other
- Unspecified
Religions
In Suriname, the spiritual landscape is beautifully diverse! π Let's take a look at the different religions that people practice:
- Protestant: 23.6%
- Evangelical: 11.2%
- Moravian: 11.2%
- Reformed: 0.7%
- Lutheran: 0.5% - Hindu: 22.3%
- Roman Catholic: 21.6%
- Muslim: 13.8%
- Other Christian: 3.2%
- Winti: 1.8%
- Jehovah's Witness: 1.2%
- Other: 1.7%
- None: 7.5%
- Unspecified: 3.2%
This data shows that Protestantism is the most practiced religion in Suriname, followed closely by Hinduism and Roman Catholicism. Interesting, right? π€
Let's visualize this colorful array of beliefs with a pie chart! π¨
Largest religion in Suriname
Protestant (23.6%)
Second largest religion in Suriname
Hindu (22.3%)
Percentage of Muslims
13.8%
Percentage of people with no religion
7.5%
Proportion of Evangelical within Protestantism
11.2%
Winti followers percentage
1.8%
Religious Distribution in Suriname
- Protestant
- Hindu
- Roman Catholic
- Muslim
- Other Christian
- Winti
- Jehovah's Witness
- Other
- None
- Unspecified
Languages
π Languages Spoken in Suriname πΈπ·
Suriname is a vibrant country with a rich tapestry of languages! Here are the main languages you can hear:
- Dutch is the official language of Suriname. π£οΈ
- English is widely spoken, bridging cultures and people. π
- Sranang Tongo is the native language of Creoles and is spoken by much of the younger population, also known as Taki-Taki. π€
- Caribbean Hindustani adds to the linguistic mix, being a dialect of Hindi. π
- Lastly, Javanese is another language that is part of Suriname's unique cultural identity. π±
This linguistic diversity is just one of the many things that makes Suriname special! π₯³
Official Language
Dutch
Widely Spoken Language
English
Native Language for Creoles
Sranang Tongo
Dialect of Hindi
Caribbean Hindustani
Other Language
Javanese
Imports - partners
π Suriname's import partners showcase a diverse range of countries. Here's a breakdown of where Suriname gets its goods from in 2022:
- πΊπΈ United States: 25%
- π¨π³ China: 15%
- π³π± Netherlands: 13%
- πΉπΉ Trinidad and Tobago: 6%
- π―π΅ Japan: 3%
Did you know? The United States is the largest partner, contributing a whopping 25% of Suriname's imports! π₯³
Largest Import Partner
United States - 25%
Second Largest Import Partner
China - 15%
Third Largest Import Partner
Netherlands - 13%
Smallest Import Partner
Japan - 3%
Suriname's Import Partners (2022)
- United States
- China
- Netherlands
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Japan
Population
π Suriname's Population π
As of now, Suriname has a total population of 646,758! That's a lot of people living in this small but vibrant country! π
Each person adds to Suriname's unique culture and heritage, making it a special place to live and visit! Let's learn more about the people who call Suriname home!
Total Population of Suriname
646,758
Area
Suriname is a land of contrasts! πΊοΈ The total area of this beautiful country is 163,820 sq km. Out of that, 156,000 sq km is land, while 7,820 sq km is water. Thatβs quite a bit of both land to explore and water to enjoy! πποΈ
Total Area of Suriname
163820 sq km
Land Area
156000 sq km
Water Area
7820 sq km
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
π Let's dive into the Real GDP of Suriname! GDP stands for Gross Domestic Product, and it shows how much money a country makes. We have some exciting numbers from the last three years! π
- In 2021, Suriname's GDP was $11.308 billion!
- Then in 2022, it went up a bit to $11.583 billion! π
- And guess what? In 2023, it climbed even higher to $11.824 billion! π
These numbers show that Suriname's economy is growingβyay! π Let's take a closer look at this growth with a bar chart that displays these wonderful figures.
Real GDP in 2021
$11.308 billion
Real GDP in 2022
$11.583 billion
Real GDP in 2023
$11.824 billion
Suriname Real GDP Growth (2021-2023)
- y
Real GDP per capita
In Suriname, the economy is showing growth over the past few years! π Check out the Real GDP per capita estimates:
- 2021: $18,400
- 2022: $18,700
- 2023: $19,000
As you can see, Suriname's GDP per capita has been steadily increasing, which is great news for the country's economic journey! ππ°
Real GDP per Capita in Suriname (2021-2023)
- y
Imports
π Suriname's import journey has been quite interesting! Let's take a look at the numbers over the last few years:
- In 2021, Suriname's imports were $1.876 billion.
- By 2022, that number grew to $2.342 billion.
- And in 2023, imports are estimated to reach $2.218 billion!
This upward trend shows how Suriname is engaging more with the global market! πβ¨
Estimated Imports in 2023
$2.218 billion
Imports Growth from 2021 to 2022
$0.466 billion
Imports from 2021 to 2023
$0.342 billion
Suriname Imports Over the Years
- y
Exports
π Suriname's export values have shown a steady trend over the past few years! Here's a quick look at the export statistics:
- 2021: $2.299 billion
- 2022: $2.6 billion
- 2023: $2.534 billion
Despite a little dip in 2023, the overall trend over the years shows Suriname as a significant player in exports! Let's visualize this data π.
Total Exports in 2023
$2.534 billion
Total Exports in 2022
$2.6 billion
Total Exports in 2021
$2.299 billion
Suriname's Exports Over Three Years
- y
Population growth rate
π In Suriname, the population is expected to grow at a rate of 1.07% in 2024! This means that more people will call this beautiful country home, bringing along their unique cultures and vibrant communities. Can't wait to see how this growth shapes the future of Suriname! π
Projected Population Growth Rate (2024)
1.07%