Youth for Christ ministry in Suriname is still in the target stage. This means key contacts have been identified, and a ministry plan is being developed but ministry has not yet commenced.

About Suriname

Suriname

Introduction

First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and then settled by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected government - a four-party New Front coalition - returned to power in 1991 and has ruled since; the coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005.

Geography

Location

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
Geographic Coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W

Area

Total Area: 163,820 sq km Rank: 91
Land Area: 156,000 sq km
Water Area: 7,820 sq km
Comparison: slightly larger than Georgia
Land Boundaries: 1,703 km
Bordering Countries: Brazil 593 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Coastline: 386 km

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevations

Lowest Point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
Highest Point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Natural Resources

timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land Use

Arable land: 0.36%
Permanent Crops: 0.06%
Other: 99.58% (2005)
Irrigated Land: 510 sq km (2003)
Renewable Water Resources: 122 cu km (2003)
Total Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 0.67 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)
Freshwater Withdrawal Per Capita: 1,489 cu m/yr (2000)

Environment

Natural Hazards: NA
Environmental Issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities
Environmental Agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography Notes

smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

People

Population: 481,267 (July 2010 est.) Rank: 170

Age Structure

0-14 years: 27.1% (male 66,603/female 64,035)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 159,525/female 160,871)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 13,004/female 17,229) (2010 est.)
Median Age: 27.9 years

Population Growth

Growth Rate: 1.103% (2010 est.) Rank: 124
Birth Rate: 16.8 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 126
Death Rate: 5.51 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Rank: 175
Net Migration Rate: -0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 96

Urbanization

Urban Population: 75% of total population (2008)
Rate of Urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Life and Death

Infant Mortality Rate: 18.81 deaths/1,000 live births Rank: 106
Life Expectancy at Birth: 73.73 years Rank: 100
Fertility Rate: 1.97 children born/woman (2010 est.) Rank: 132

Health and Disease

HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate: 2.4% (2007 est.) Rank: 27
People living with HIV/AIDS: 6,800 (2007 est.) Rank: 116
HIV/AIDS Deaths: fewer than 500 (2003 est.) Rank: 93
Degree of Risk for Major Infectious Diseases: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: dengue fever, Mayaro virus, and malaria
Water Contact Diseases: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality and Culture

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%
Religion: Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, 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), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Education

Literacy (Meaning, age 15 and over can read and write): 89.6% Male: 92% Female: 87.2% (2004 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 12 years Male: 11 years Female: 13 years (2002)
Education expenditures: NA

Government

Country Name

Conventional Long Form: Republic of Suriname
Conventional Short Form: Suriname
Local Long Form: Republiek Suriname
Local Short Form: Suriname
Formerly: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
Government Type: constitutional democracy
Capital: Paramaribo Geographic Coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W

Administrative divisions

10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
Independence: 25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987; effective 30 October 1987
Legal system: based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of State: President Desire Delano BOUTERSE (since 12 August 2010); Vice President Robert AMEERALI (since 12 August 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of Government: President Desire Delano BOUTERSE (since 12 August 2010); Vice President Robert AMEERALI (since 12 August 2010)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger United People's Assembly (893 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms (no term limits); election last held on 19 July 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
Election Results: Desire Delano BOUTERSE elected president; percent of vote - Desire Delano BOUTERSE 70.6%, Chandrikapersad SATOKHI 25.5%, other 3.9%

Legislative Branch

unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 25 May 2010 (next to be held in May 2015)
Election Results: percent of vote by party - Mega Combination 45.1%, New Front 27.5%, A-Com 13.7%, People's Alliance 11.8%, DOE 1.9%; seats by party - Mega Combination 23, New Front 14, A-Com 7, People's Alliance 6, DOE 1

Judicial branch

Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court (justices are nominated for life); member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Politics

Political Parties and Leaders: Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Amazone Party of Suriname or APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN], Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); Democratic Union Suriname [leader NA]; General Interior Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; Mega Combination [leader NA]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; National Union [leader NA]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a coalition that includes A-Combination or A-Com, Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91, an independent, business-oriented party [Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname or NPS [Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ramdien SARDJOE], Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression, Justice, and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL [Raymond SAPOEN]); Permanent Prosperity Republic of Suriname [leader NA]; Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU [Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP [Surinder MUNGRA]; Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj PANDAY]
Political Pressure Groups and Leaders: Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE]; Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE]; Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]
International Organization Participation: ACP, AOSIS, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Flag Description: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); a large, yellow, five-pointed star is centered in the red band; red stands for progress and love; green symbolizes hope and fertility; white signifies peace, justice, and freedom; the star represents the unity of all ethnic groups; from its yellow light the nation draws strength to bear sacrifices patiently while working toward a golden future

Economy

Economy Overview: The economy is dominated by the mining industry, with exports of alumina, gold, and oil accounting for about 85% of exports and 25% of government revenues, making the economy highly vulnerable to mineral price volatility. In 2000, the government of Ronald VENETIAAN, returned to office and inherited an economy with inflation of over 100% and a growing fiscal deficit. He quickly implemented an austerity program, raised taxes, attempted to control spending, and tamed inflation. Economic growth reached about 6% in 2007 and 2008, owing to sizeable foreign investment in mining and oil. Suriname has received aid for projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors from Netherlands, Belgium, and the European Development Fund. The economy contracted in 2009, however, as investment waned and the country earned less from its commodity exports when global prices for most commodities fell. As trade picks up, Suriname's economic outlook for 2010 has improved, but the government's budget is likely to remain strained, with increased social spending in this election year. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition.

Gross Domestic Product

GDP (purchasing power parity): $4.57 billion (2009 est.) Rank: 163
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (2009 est.) Rank: 84
GDP - per capita (PPP): $9,500 (2009 est.) Rank: 110
GDP - Composition by Sector: Agriculture: 10.8% Industry: 24.4% Services: 64.8% (2005 est.)

Labor Force

Labor Force: 165,600 (2007) Rank: 176
Labor force - by occupation: Agriculture: 8% Industry: 14% Services: 78% (2004)
Unemployment Rate: 9.5% (2004) Rank: 113

Poverty

Population below poverty line: 70% (2002 est.)
total: 1
country comparison to the world: 154
by type: cargo 1 (2008)

Transnational Issues

International Disputes: area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Want to know more? Show Full Profile