Suriname

Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a small country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. Its capital and largest city is Paramaribo. Covering about 163,820 square kilometers, Suriname is the smallest independent country on the South American mainland by area and population, with a diverse population of roughly 600,000.

Suriname borders the Atlantic Ocean to the north and shares land borders with Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and French Guiana to the east. It is part of the Guianas region and contains vast tropical rainforests.

The official language is Dutch; Sranan Tongo is commonly used as a lingua franca, and other languages such as Hindustani, Javanese, and Indigenous languages are also spoken.

Suriname was a Dutch colony until its independence in 1975. A period of military rule followed from 1980 to 1987, after which civilian rule was restored and democracy gradually consolidated in the 1990s.

Politically, Suriname has a presidential representative democratic republic with a unicameral National Assembly of 51 seats. The President and Vice President are elected by the Assembly for five-year terms, and multiple parties participate in elections.

The economy is largely based on mining—especially gold and bauxite—timber, and to a lesser extent agriculture and services. It remains relatively small and heavily dependent on commodity prices, with inflation and public debt having been persistent challenges.

Suriname is a multiethnic society with communities of East Indian, Maroon, Afro-Surinamese, Indigenous, Javanese, and Chinese descent. Religious life is diverse, including Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and traditional beliefs. The historic inner city of Paramaribo and the Central Suriname Nature Reserve are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.