Suriname

Suriname^{[5] i}/ˈsɜrɨnɑːm/ (Dutch: Suriname, Dutch pronunciation: [ˌsyriˈnaːmə]; Sarnami: शर्नम् Sarnam, Sranan Tongo: Sranangron or Sranankondre), officially the Republic of Suriname (Dutch: Republiek Suriname, Dutch pronunciation: [ˌrepyˈblik ˌsyriˈnaːmə]), is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as Dutch Guiana. Suriname achieved independence from the Netherlands on 25 November 1975.

At just under 165,000 km² (64,000 sq mi) Suriname is the smallest sovereign state in South America (French Guyana comprises less territory, but is French territory). It has an estimated population of approximately 490,000, most of whom live on the country's north coast, where the capital Paramaribo is located.

Etymology

The name Suriname may derive from a Taino (Arawak-speaking) group called "Surinen" who first inhabited the region prior to European arrival.^[6]

Originally, the country was spelled Surinam by English settlers who founded the first colony at Marshall's Creek,^[7] along the Suriname River, and was part of a group of colonies known as Dutch Guiana. Surinam can still be found in English. A notable example of this is Suriname's own national airline, Surinam Airways. The older English name is reflected in the English pronunciation, /ˈsʊrɨnæm/ or /ˈsʊrɨnɑːm/. Sometimes the country is referred to as Surinam in English publications, but this is incorrect. In Dutch, the official language of Suriname, the pronunciation is [ˌsyriˈnaːmə], with the main stress on the third syllable and a lengthened 'ee' sound.

Geography

Suriname is the smallest independent country in South America. Situated on the Guiana Shield, it mostly lies between latitudes 1° and 6°N, and longitudes 54° and 58°W. The country can be divided into two main geographic regions. The northern, lowland coastal area (roughly above the line Albina-Paranam-Wageningen) has been cultivated, and most of the population lives here. The southern part consists of tropical rainforest and sparsely inhabited savanna along the border with Brazil, covering about 80% of Suriname's land surface.

There are two main mountain ranges: the Bakhuys Mountains and the Van Asch Van Wijck Mountains. Julianatop is the highest mountain in the country at 1,286 metres (4,219 ft) above sea level. Other mountains include Tafelberg at 1,026 metres (3,366 ft), Mount Kasikasima at 718 metres (2,356 ft), Goliathberg at 358 metres (1,175 ft) and Voltzberg at 240 metres (790 ft).

Borders

Suriname is situated between French Guiana to the east and Guyana to the west. The southern border is shared with Brazil and the northern border is the Atlantic coast. The southernmost borders with French Guiana and Guyana are disputed along the Marowijne and Corantijn rivers, respectively, while a part of the disputed maritime boundary with Guyana was arbitrated by a tribunal convened under the rules set out in Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on 20 September 2007.^[8][9]

Districts and resorts

Suriname is further subdivided into 62 resorts (ressorten).

Climate

Lying 2 to 5 degrees north of the equator, Suriname has a very hot tropical climate, and temperatures do not vary much throughout the year. Its average temperature ranges from 21 to 32 degrees Celsius. The year has two wet seasons, from April to August and from November to February. It also has two dry seasons, from August to November and February to April.

Nature reserves

In the upper Coppename River watershed, the Central Suriname Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site cited for its unspoiled rainforest biodiversity. There are many national parks in the country: Galibi National Reserve, Coppename Manding National Park and Wia Wia NR along the coast, Brownsberg NR, Raleighvallen/Voltzeberg NR, Tafelberg NR and Eilerts de Haan NP in the centre and the Sipaliwani NR on the Brazilian border. In all, 12.6% of the country's land area are national parks and lakes, according to the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.^[10]

History

Colonial period

Beginning in the 16th century, French, Spanish, and English explorers visited the area. A century later, plantation colonies were established by the Dutch and English along the many rivers in the fertile Guyana plains. The earliest documented colony in Guiana was along the Suriname River and called Marshall's Creek. The area was named after an Englishman.^[7] Disputes arose between the Dutch and the English. In 1667, the Dutch decided to keep the nascent plantation colony of Suriname conquered from the English, resulting from the Treaty of Breda. The English were left with New Amsterdam, a small trading post in North America, which later became New York City.

In 1683, the Society of Suriname was founded by the city of Amsterdam, the Van Aerssen van Sommelsdijck family, and the Dutch West India Company. The society was chartered to manage and defend the colony. The planters of the colony relied heavily on African slaves to cultivate the coffee, cocoa, sugar cane and cotton plantations along the rivers. Treatment of the slaves by their owners was notoriously bad,^[11] and many slaves escaped the plantations. With the help of the native South Americans living in the adjoining rain forests, these runaway slaves established a new and unique culture that was highly successful in its own right. Known collectively in English as the Maroons, in French as the Nèg'Marrons and in Dutch as "Bosnegers" (literally meaning "bush negroes"), they actually established several independent tribes, among them the Saramaka, the Paramaka, the Ndyuka or Aukan, the Kwinti, the Aluku or Boni, and the Matawai.

The Maroons would often raid the plantations to recruit new members, acquire women, weapons, food and supplies. These attacks were often deadly for the planters and their families, and after several unsuccessful campaigns against the Maroons, the European authorities signed several peace treaties with them in the 19th century, granting the Maroons sovereign status and trade rights.

Abolition of slavery

Slavery was abolished by the Netherlands in Suriname in 1863, but the slaves in Suriname were not fully released until 1873, after a mandatory 10 year transition period during which time they were required to work on the plantations for minimal pay and without state sanctioned torture. As soon as they became truly free, the slaves largely abandoned the plantations where they had suffered for several generations, in favour of the city, Paramaribo.

As a plantation colony, Suriname was still heavily dependent on manual labour, and to make up for the shortfall, the Dutch brought in contract labourers from the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia) and India (through an arrangement with the British). In addition, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, small numbers of mostly men were brought in from China and the Middle East. Although Suriname's population remains relatively small, because of this history it is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse countries in the world.

On 23 November 1941, under an agreement with the Netherlands government-in-exile, the United States occupied Dutch Guiana to protect bauxite mines.^[12] In 1954, the Dutch placed Suriname under a system of limited self-government, with the Netherlands retaining control of defense and foreign affairs. In 1973, the local government, led by the NPK (a largely Creole, meaning ethnically African or mixed African-European, party) started negotiations with the Dutch government leading towards full independence, which was granted on 25 November 1975. The severance package was very substantial, and a large part of Suriname's economy for the first decade following independence was fueled by foreign aid provided by the Dutch government.

Independence

The first President of the country was Johan Ferrier, the former governor, with Henck Arron (the then leader of the Nationale Partij Suriname (Suriname's National Party)) as Prime Minister. Nearly one third of the population of Suriname at that time emigrated to the Netherlands in the years leading up to independence, as many people feared that the new country would fare worse under independence than it did as an overseas colony of the Netherlands. Suriname's diaspora therefore includes more than a quarter of a million people of Suriname origin living in the Netherlands today, including several recent members of the Dutch national football team.

December Killings

On 25 February 1980, a military coup overthrew the democratic government and declared a socialist republic.^[1] On 8 December 1982, the military, then under the leadership of Dési Bouterse, rounded up several prominent citizens who were accused of plotting against the government. They were executed during the night, and the Netherlands quickly suspended all foreign aid to Suriname after this event. Bouterse is currently standing trial for the December murders of 1982, when a number of his political opponents were assassinated, and he has been convicted in absentia in the Netherlands for drug smuggling. Elections were held in 1987 and a new constitution was adopted, which among other things allowed Bouterse to remain in charge of the army. Dissatisfied with the government, Bouterse summarily dismissed them in 1990, by telephone. This event became popularly known as "the telephone coup". Bouterse's power began to wane after the 1991 elections however, and an ongoing brutal civil war between the Suriname army and the Maroons that had begun in 1986, loyal to the rebel leader Ronnie Brunswijk, further weakened his position during the 1990s.

Economical

Suriname's democracy gained some strength after the turbulent 1990s, and its economy became more diversified and less dependent on Dutch financial assistance. Bauxite (aluminium ore) mining continues to be a strong revenue source, but the discovery and exploitation of oil and gold has added substantially to Suriname's economic independence. Agriculture, especially of rice and bananas, remains a strong component of the economy, and ecotourism is providing new economic opportunities. More than 80% of Suriname's land-mass consists of unspoiled rain forest, and with the establishment of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve in 1998, Suriname signalled its commitment to conservation of this precious resource. The Central Suriname Nature Reserve became a World Heritage Site in 2000.

Violent riots broke out in Albina in 2009 between the local Maroon population and Brazilian gold diggers. In July 2010, Desi Bouterse was elected president despite charges against him for the 1982 killings, and despite having been convicted for drug smuggling in the Netherlands, and sentenced to 11 years.

Economy

The economy of Suriname is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Other main export products include rice, bananas and shrimp. Suriname has recently started exploiting some of its sizeable oil^[13] and gold^[14] reserves. About a quarter of the people work in the agricultural sector. The Surinamese economy is very dependent on commerce, its main trade partners being the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, and Caribbean countries.

After assuming power in the fall of 1996, the Wijdenbosch government ended the structural adjustment program of the previous government, claiming it was unfair to the poorer elements of society. Tax revenues fell as old taxes lapsed and the government failed to implement new tax alternatives. By the end of 1997, the allocation of new Dutch development funds was frozen as Surinamese Government relations with the Netherlands deteriorated. Economic growth slowed in 1998, with decline in the mining, construction, and utility sectors. Rampant government expenditures, poor tax collection, a bloated civil service, and reduced foreign aid in 1999 contributed to the fiscal deficit, estimated at 11% of GDP. The government sought to cover this deficit through monetary expansion, which led to a dramatic increase in inflation.

• GDP (2010 est.): U.S. $4.794 billion.
• Annual growth rate real GDP (2010 est.): 3.5%.
• Per capita GDP (2010 est.): U.S. $9,900.
• Inflation (2007): 6.4%.
• Natural resources: Bauxite, gold, oil, iron ore, other minerals; forests; hydroelectric potential; fish and shrimp.
• Agriculture: Products—rice, bananas, timber, palm kernels, coconuts, peanuts, citrus fruits, and forest products.
• Industry: Types—alumina, oil, gold, fish, shrimp, lumber.
• Trade (2005):
  • Exports: $1.391 billion: alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas. Major consumers- Canada 35.47%, Belgium 14.92%, US 10.15%, UAE 9.87%, Norway 4.92%, Netherlands 4.7%, France 4.47% (2009)
  • Imports: $1.297 billion: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods. Major suppliers- US 30.79%, Netherlands 19.17%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.04%, China 6.8%, Japan 5.85% (2009)^[15]

Demographics

According to the 2004 census, Suriname has a population of 492,829 inhabitants.^[2] It is made up of several distinct ethnic groups.

• Amerindians, the original inhabitants of Suriname, form 3.7% of the population. The main groups being the Akuriyo, Arawak, Carib/Kaliña, Trío (Tiriyó), and Wayana. They live mainly in the districts of Paramaribo, Wanica, Maroni and Sipaliwini.^[16]
• Hindoestanen form the largest major group at 37% of the population. They are descendants of 19th-century contract workers from India. They are from the Indian states of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh, in Northern India, along the Nepali border.
• The Surinamese Creoles form the middle group 31% of the population. They are the mixed descendants of West African slaves and Europeans (mostly Dutch).
• The Javanese (descendants of contract workers from the former Dutch East Indies on the island of Java, Indonesia),^[17] form 15% of the population. mainly in Nickerie, Saramacca, Wanica, Paramaribo and Commewijne
• Surinamese Maroons (descendants of escaped West African slaves) make up 10% and are divided into five main groups: Ndyuka (Aucans), Kwinti, Matawai, Saramaccans and Paramaccans.
• Chinese, about 14,000 are descendants of the earliest 19th-century contract workers. The 1990s and early 21st century saw renewed immigration on a large scale. In the year 2011 there were over 40,000 Chinese in Suriname, including legal and illegal migrants.^[18]
• Boeroes (derived from boer, the Dutch word for "farmer") are descendants of Dutch 19th-century immigrant farmers. Most Boeroes left after independence in 1975.
• Jews, mainly descendants of Sephardic Jews and Ashkenazi Jews. In their history, Jodensavanne plays a major role. Many Jews are mixed with other populations.
• Lebanese, primarily Maronites, many from the town of Bcharre, Lebanon.
• Brazilians, many of them gold miners.^[19] Most of the nearly 40,000 Brazilians living in Suriname arrived during the past several years.^[20]

The vast majority of people (about 90%) live in Paramaribo or on the coast. There is also a significant Surinamese population in the Netherlands. In 2005 there were 328,300 Surinamese people living in the Netherlands, which is about 2% of the total population of the Netherlands, compared to 438,000 Surinamese in Suriname itself.

Religion

The predominant religion in the country is Christianity, both in the form of Roman Catholicism and various denominations of Protestantism, the Moravian Church being the oldest and largest. It is particularly dominant among Creoles and Maroons. The Creoles and to a lesser degree the Maroons, both descendants of enslaved Africans, converted to Christianity during the colonial period but may still retain their Afro-American religion called Winti. Most of the Indians are Hindu, but some practice Islam or Christianity. The Javanese practice either Islam or Christianity. Suriname's population is 13.5% Muslim, which is the highest percentage of Muslims of any country in the New World.^[21]

Languages

Dutch is the sole official language,^[1] and is the language of education, government, business and the media. Over 60 percent of the population speak it as a mother tongue,^[22] and most of the rest speak it as a second language. In 2004, Suriname became an associate member of the Dutch Language Union.^[23] It is the only Dutch, and one of the two non Romance-speaking countries in South America (the other is Guyana, formerly British Guiana).

In Paramaribo, Dutch is the main home language in two-thirds of households.^[24] The recognition of "Surinaams-Nederlands" ("Surinamese Dutch") as a national dialect equal to "Nederlands-Nederlands" ("Dutch Dutch") and "Vlaams-Nederlands" ("Flemish Dutch") was expressed in 2009 by the publication of the Woordenboek Surinaams Nederlands (Surinamese Dutch Dictionary).^[25] Only in the interior of Suriname is Dutch seldom used.

Sranan Tongo, a local creole language originally spoken by the creole population group, is the most widely used language in the streets and often interchangeably with Dutch depending on the formality of the setting.^[26]

Surinamese Hindi or Sarnami, a dialect of Bhojpuri, is the third-most used language, spoken by the descendants of South Asian contract workers from then British India. Javanese is used by the descendants of Javanese contract workers. The Maroon languages, somewhat intelligible with Sranan Tongo, include Saramaka, Paramakan, Ndyuka (also called Aukan), Kwinti and Matawai. Amerindian languages, spoken by Amerindians, include Carib and Arawak. Hakka and Cantonese are spoken by the descendants of the Chinese contract (koelie, coolie) workers. Mandarin is spoken by some few recent Chinese immigrants. English, Spanish and Portuguese are also used. Spanish and Portuguese are spoken by Latin American residents and their descendants and sometimes also taught in schools.

The public discourse about Suriname's languages is a part of an ongoing debate about the country's national identity.^[26] While Dutch is perceived as a remnant of colonialism by some,^[26] the use of the popular Sranan became associated with nationalist politics after its public use by former dictator Dési Bouterse in the 1980s,^[26] and groups descended from escaped slaves might resent it.^[26] Some propose to change the national language to English, so as to improve links to the Caribbean and North America, or to Spanish, as a nod to Suriname's location in South America, although it has no Spanish-speaking neighbours.^[26]

Health

Fertility rate was at 2.6 births per woman.^[27] Public expenditure was at 3.6% of the GDP in 2004, whereas private expenditure was at 4.2%.^[27] There were 45 physicians per 100,000 in the early 2000s.^[27] Infant mortality was at 30 per 1,000 live births.^[27] Male life expectancy at birth was at 66.4 years, whereas female life expectancy at birth was at 73 years.^[27]

Transport

Suriname and neighboring Guyana are the only two countries on the (in-land) American continent that drive on the left. In Guyana, this practice is inherited from United Kingdom colonial authorities. The reason for the left hand drive in Suriname is explained by several sources. It is thought that this is because the first cars imported were from England, but this is yet undocumented. In addition, this view does not make statements on traffic before the automobile era. Another explanation is that the Netherlands, at the time of colonization of Suriname, used the left-hand side of the road for traffic,^[28] or that Suriname was first colonized by the English.^[29] Although the Netherlands converted to driving to the right at the end of the 18th century^[29][30]), Suriname did not. Writers Peter Kincaid and Ian Watson suggest that in territories such as Suriname, with no connecting roads to neighbour countries, there is no external pressure to either change or to maintain the status quo on driving sides.

Politics

The Republic of Suriname is a constitutional, democratically representational republic based on the 1987 constitution. The legislative branch of government consists of a 51-member unicameral National Assembly, simultaneously and popularly elected for a five-year term.

During the recently held elections on Tuesday 25 May 2010 the "Megacombinatie" won 23 of the National Assembly seats followed by "Nationale Front" with 20 seats. A much smaller but important for the collaboration went to the 'A-combinatie" and to the "Volksalliantie". Currently negotiations are going on in and between parties regarding the formation of the coalition for the coming five years.

The President of Suriname, who is elected for a five-year term by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly or, failing that, by a majority of the People's Assembly, heads the executive branch. If at least two-thirds of the National Assembly cannot agree to vote for one presidential candidate, a People's Assembly is formed from all National Assembly delegates and regional and municipal representatives who were elected by popular vote in the most recent national election. As head of government, the president appoints a 16-minister cabinet. A vice president, normally elected at the same time as the president, needs a simple majority in the National Assembly or People's Assembly to be elected for a 5-year term. There is no constitutional provision for removal or replacement of the president unless he resigns.

The judiciary is headed by the Court of Justice (Supreme Court). This court supervises the magistrate courts. Members are appointed for life by the president in consultation with the National Assembly, the State Advisory Council and the National Order of Private Attorneys. In April 2005, the regional Caribbean Court of Justice, based in Trinidad, was inaugurated. As the final court of appeal, it was intended to replace the London-based Privy Council.

The country is divided into 10 administrative districts, each headed by a district commissioner appointed by the president. The commissioner is similar to the governor of a United States-type state, but is appointed and removed by the president.

Culture

Owing to the country's multicultural heritage, Suriname celebrates a variety of distinct ethnic and religious festivals.

National celebrations

1 January - New Year's Eve
3 February - Chinese New Year
30 March (varies) - Holi-Phagwa
24 April - first Easter Day
25 April - second Easter Day
1 May - Labour Day
5 June - Immigration of the Indians (Hindoestanen)
1 July - Keti Koti, Emancipation Day (end of slavery)
8 August - Immigration of the Javanese
9 August - Day of the indigenous people
25 November - Independence Day
25 December - Christmas
26 December - Second Christmas Day

There are also several Hindu and Islamic national holidays like Divali (deepavali), Phagwa and Eid ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-adha. These holidays do not have specific dates on the Gregorian calendar as they are based on the Hindu and Islamic calendars, respectively.

There are several holidays which are unique to Suriname. These include the Indian (Hindoestaanse), Javanese and Chinese arrival days. They celebrate the arrival of the first ships with their respective immigrants.

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve in Suriname is called Oud jaar, or "old year". It is during this period that the Surinamese population goes to the city's commercial district to watch "demonstrational fireworks". The bigger stores invest in these firecrackers and display them out in the streets. Every year the length of them is compared, and high praises are given for the company that has imported the largest ribbon.

These celebrations start at 10 in the morning and finish the next day. The day is usually filled with laughter, dance, music, and drinking. When the night starts, the big street parties are already at full capacity. The most popular fiesta is the one that is held at café 't Vat in the main tourist district. The parties there stop between 10 and 11 at night, after which people go home to light their pagaras (red-firecracker-ribbons) at midnight. After 12, the parties continue and the streets fill again until daybreak.

Sports

The Suriname Olympic Committee is the national governing body for sports in Suriname. The SOC was established in 1959 and now has 17 members. Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Chess, Cycling, Judo, Karate, Shooting, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwando, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, and Wrestling.

Other somewhat popular sports in Suriname are baseball and softball, beach soccer and beach volley, boating, body building and power lifting, bridge, cricket, draughts, fishing, golf, horseback riding, snooker and billiards, squash, auto and motor sports.

One of the major sports in Suriname is football. Some of the greatest football players to represent the Netherlands, such as Fabian de Freitas, Pierre van Hooijdonk, Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, Patrick Kluivert, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Aron Winter, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Stanley Menzo, Ryan Babel, Ken Monkou, Edson Braafheid, Boy Waterman, Regi Blinker, Fabian Wilnis and Eljero Elia are of Surinamese descent. Davids in particular has written of his passionate pride in his Surinamese heritage and his love of attending football matches there.

There are a number of local heroes in other sports as well, like Primraj Binda, best known as the athlete who dominated the local 10 km (6.2 mi) for nearly a decade, Steven Vismale also for the triathlon and another notable track athlete from Suriname was Tommy Asinga. The most famous international athlete from Suriname is Letitia Vriesde.

Letitia Vriesde She won a silver medal at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 1995 behind Ana Quirot. This was in addition to the bronze medal she had already achieved earlier that year at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics. These medals were the first to be won by a South American female athlete in world championship competition. She also won a bronze medal at the 2001 world outdoor championships, but has never managed to reach an Olympic final. At the 1992 Summer Olympics she set a record of sorts by recording the fastest ever non-qualifying time in an 800 metre semi final. She has also won many medals at the Pan-American Games and Central American Games. Winning 5 CACSO gold medals in 1990 (Mexico City 1500 m), 1993 (Ponce 800 m & 1500 m), 1998 (Maracaibo 800 m) & 2002 (El Salvador 800 m). One Pan Am Games gold medal in 1999 Winnipeg, Canada. However, she was disqualified and stripped of another gold medal after the 2003 Pan-American Games after testing positive for excessive caffeine levels. She was not banned however and went on to compete at that year's World Championships.

Swimmer Anthony Nesty is the only Olympic medallist for Suriname. He won the Gold Medal in the 1988 Summer Olympics at Seoul, South Korea. His winning time at the 100-meter butterfly; he finished the event in 53.00 seconds, was an Olympic Record at that time. In 1987, he won the gold medal in the 100-metre butterfly and the bronze medal in the 200-metre butterfly at the Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana. These victories established the foundation that would lead to his success at the Seoul Olympics. He was unbeaten in the 100-metre butterfly event for three years. Nesty won gold medals in the 100-metre butterfly at the Goodwill Games in 1990 and the FINA World Championships in 1991. At the 1991 Pan-American Games in Havana, Cuba, he again won a gold medal in 100-metre butterfly and a silver in the 200-metre butterfly. He attempted to defend his 1988 Olympic gold medal in the 100-metre butterfly at the Summer Olympics in Barcelona in 1992, but finished with a third-place Olympic bronze. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, he now lives in Gainesville, Florida, and is a coach of the University of Florida, mainly coaching distance swimmers. The Indoor Stadium in Paramaribo is named after him.

Badminton is a small, but most successful and fairly popular sport in Suriname. The National Badminton Association, the Surinaamse Badminton Bond (SBB), was founded on November 16, 1958. The first individual National champions, back in 1965 the late Romeo Ebeciljo Caster and the late Lilian Bendter were most famous in their days. Together with Trinidad, Guyana and Jamaica Suriname founded the Caribbean Regional Badminton Confederation, known as Carebaco in 1972. Suriname hosted the Carebaco Games 6 times. In 1973, 1978, 1984, 1988, 1999 & 2007. Players from Suriname have won numerous titles at these Carebaco Games, both in the individual as well as in the team event. In the early years Suriname gained more titles with the adults, in later years more with the juniors. Ro Caster was also the first Carebaco Caribbean men's singles Champion in 1972 & 1973. Roel Sjauw Mook & Otmar "Arti" Kersout became Carebaco Caribbean men's doubles champions in 1974, 1975 & 1976. The ladies Diana Uiterloo & Loes Sjauw Mook won the ladies doubles at the Carebaco Games 1978. In the same year Mike van Daal won the juniors most outstanding player throphy for the first time. In 1980 Hedwig de La Fuente & John Sno won the Carebaco boys doubles juniors title. In 1982 Hedwig de La Fuente gained the juniors triple crown for Suriname. (Boys singles, doubles with Steve Nobibux & mixed with Sherida Ramzan). In 1983 Steve Nobibux also won the Carebaco juniors mixed with Joan Jong Pian Kie. In 1984 Mike van Daal won the men's singles & men's doubles Carebaco title with brother Clyde van Daal. Carmen Partoredjo won the girls doubles with Audrey Pawironadi & mixed doubles with Steve Nobibux in the juniors event. In 1985 Mike van Daal won the Carebaco triple crown (Doubles with John Sno & mixed doubles with Sherida Ramzan). In the same year the Surinamese juniors won a Carebaco clean sweep with team & individual golds. Marlon Djojodiwongso won the boys singles & mixed doubles with Audrey Pawironadi. Audrey captured the Carebaco juniors triple championship with a singles & doubles victory with Donna Amatkarijo also. Oscar Brandon & Milton Djojodiwongso won the Carebaco boys doubles title for Suriname. In 1986 the juniors retained their team title and almost retained the clean sweep individual. Marlon Djojodiwongso won the boys singles & boys doubles with Fayaz Nazir. Fayaz Nazir also won the mixed doubles with Audrey Pawironadi, who on her turn also won the girls singles in 1986. After these years the Carebaco success of Suriname continued especially with the junior badminton players.

In 1990 Suriname participated for the first time at the Pan American Junior Badminton Championships in Guatemala City. In the girls doubles U-19 Suriname won silver with Letitia Wongsodimedjo & the late Thalitia Sjauw Mook. In 2002 Mitchel Wongsodikromo & Virgil Soeroredjo also won silver for Suriname at the Pan Am Juniors U-19 boys doubles event in the USA after they won gold in the year 2000 in the U-17 boys doubles event in Cuba already. The junior team of Suriname won a Pan Am bronze medal in 2002 in Orange County, USA for the first time. Both players won a bronze medal in men's singles at the 2002 CACSO Games in El Salvador. In 2010 the badminton team of Suriname gained a bronze medal at the Odesur South American Games for the team event championships and also for the individual mixed doubles event (Mitchel Wongsodikromo & Crystal Leefmans). Also in 2010 Virgil Soeroredjo & Mitchel Wongsodikromo won a bronze medal for Suriname in the men's doubles event at the CACSO Games of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

Nowadays the SBB yearly organizes the Suriname International Badminton Open event in Paramaribo. This is a prize money badminton tournament part of the Badminton World Federation calendar sanctioned as an Olympic Qualifying and World Ranking event. The Suriname International 2010 and 2011 editions both had a total prize money purse of US$ 5000,-

Oscar Brandon, the most successful badminton player of Suriname till now, participated in 1996 at the Atlanta Summer Olympics. In his career Oscar Brandon won a fourth place semi-final in men's singles at the 1990 CACSO Games in Mexico City. He was also winner of the men's singles at the Suriname International 1998, runner-up of the Argentina International in 1998 and winner of the mixed doubles at the Brazil São Paulo Cup & Argentina International in 1998 with Adrienn Kocsis from Peru. In 1998 he was declared winner of the Pan American Badminton Circuit. In 2009 he was runner-up in the men's doubles at the Suriname International with partner Rahul Rampersad from Trinidad & Tobago. Nowadays Brandon is a coach, technical director of the SBB and Chef de Mission for the Suriname Olympic Committee at multi-sport events like the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Multiple K-1 champion and legend, Ernesto Hoost, was born in Suriname. Rayen Simson, another legendary multiple world champion kickboxer, was also born in Suriname.Remy Bonjasky also a multiple K-1 champion is also from Surinamese descent. MMA and Kickboxing champions Melvin Manhoef, Gilbert Yvel were born in Suriname or from Surinamese descent. Retired female kickboxer Ilonka Elmont was also born in Suriname. Another notable up and comer kickboxer and K-1 fighter, Tyrone Spong, was born in Suriname. Ginty Vrede, a former Muay Thai Heavy Weight Champion who died in 2008 aged 22, was born in Suriname.

Education

Education in Suriname is compulsory until the age of 12,^[31] and the nation had a net primary enrollment rate of 94% in 2004.^[27] Literacy is very common, particularly among males.^[27] The main university in the country is the Anton de Kom University of Suriname.

Media

A popular newspaper is De Ware Tijd. Suriname has twenty four radio stations, two broadcast through the Internet (Apintie and Radio10). There are six television sources: STVS, RBN, ABC, ATV, Mustika, and Garuda). Also listened to is mArt, a broadcaster from Amsterdam founded by people from Suriname. Kondreman is one of the popular cartoons in Suriname.

Tourism

Royal Torarica, was opened in the night district of Paramaribo on the Suriname River. The hotel industry is important to Suriname's economy. The rental of apartments, or the rent-a-house phenomenon, is also popular in Suriname.

Most tourists visit Suriname for the outstanding biodiversity of the pristine Amazonian rain forests in the south of the country, which are noted for their flora and fauna. The Central Suriname Nature Reserve is the biggest and one of the most popular reserves, along with the Brownsberg Nature Park which overlooks the Brokopondo Reservoir, the latter being one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Tonka Island in the reservoir is home to a rustic eco-tourism project run by the Saramaccaner Maroons. Pangi wraps and bowls made of calabashes are the two main products manufactured by maroons for tourists. The maroons have learned that colorful and ornate pangis are the most popular with tourists.^[32]

There are also many waterfalls throughout the country. Raleighvallen, or Raleigh Falls, is a 56,000-hectare (140,000-acre) nature reserve on the Coppename River, rich in bird life. Also are the Blanche Marie Falls on the Nickerie River and the Wonotobo Falls. Tafelberg Mountain in the centre of the country is surrounded by its own reserve- the Tafelberg Nature Reserve- around the source of the Saramacca River, as is the Voltzberg Nature Reserve further north on the Coppename River at Raleighvallen. In the interior are many Maroon and Amerindian villages many of which have their own reserves, generally open to visitors.

Suriname is one of the few countries in the world where at least one of each biome that the state possesses has been declared a wildlife reserve. Around 30% of the total land area of Suriname is protected by law as reserves.

Other attractions include plantations such as Laarwijk, which is situated along the Suriname River. This plantation can only be reached by boat via Domburg, in the north central Wanica District of Suriname.

Landmarks

The Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge is a bridge over the river Suriname between Paramaribo and Meerzorg in the Commewijne district. The bridge was built during the tenure of President Jules Albert Wijdenbosch (1996–2000) and was completed in 2000. The bridge is 52 metres (171 ft) high, and 1,504 metres (4,934 ft) long. It connects Paramaribo with Commewijne, a connection which previously could only be made by ferry. The purpose of the bridge was to facilitate and promote the development of the eastern part of Suriname. The bridge consists of two lanes and is not accessible to pedestrians.

The Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul is 114 years old. Before it became a cathedral it was a theatre. The theatre was built in 1809 and burned down in 1820. The construction of the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral started on January, 13, 1883.

Suriname is one of the few countries in the world where a synagogue is located next to a mosque.^[33] The two buildings are located next to each other in the centre of Paramaribo and have been known to share a parking facility during their respective religious rites, should they happen to coincide with one another.

Airlines

Departures

• Blue Wing Airlines
• Caribbean Commuter Airways (Caricom Airways)
• Gumair
• Surinam Airways

Arrivals

• Caribbean Airlines (Trinidad & Tobago)
• Insel Air (Curaçao)
• KLM (Netherlands)
• Meta Linhas Aéreas (Brazil)
• Surinam Airways (Aruba, Brazil (Belem), Netherlands, Miami)

Notable natives

• Jules Ajodhia (b.1945), politician, poet, playwright. Served as Justice Minister (1988–1990) and twice as Vice President (1991–1996, 2000–2005).
• Bram Behr (1951–1982), communist, journalist, propagandist.
• Desire Bouterse (b.1945), 9th and current President.
• Ronnie Brunswijk (b.1962), politician and founder of the rebel group Jungle Commando.
• Fred Derby (1939–2001), politician and trade unionist.
• Johan Ferrier (1910–2010), first President of Suriname (1975–1980).
• Otto Huiswoud (1893–1961), charter member of the Communist Party of America.
• Harry Kisoensingh (1954–2008), educator and chairman of the Union For Progressive Suriname.
• Lou Lichtveld (1903–1996), politician, poet, playwright.
• Jan Ernst Matzeliger (1852–1889), inventor of shoe manufacturing machinery.
• Johan Adolf Pengel, (1916–1970), politician, Prime Minister (1963–1969), namesake of Suriname's primary international airport.
• Pretaapnarian Radhakishun (1954–2001), politician, Prime Minister (1986–1987).
• Ram Sardjoe (b.1935), politician, Vice President (2005–2010).
• Paul Somohardjo (b.1943), politician, current Speaker of the National Assembly.
• Farida van den Stoom (b.1974), actress and model.
• Ronald Venetiaan (b.1936), mathematician, politician, 6th and 8th President.
• Jules Wijdenbosch (b.1941), politician, served as Prime Minister (1987–1988), Vice President (1991) and President (1996–2000).

See also

• Outline of Suriname
  
• Index of Suriname-related articles
  
• List of place names of Dutch origin
• South America Life Quality Rankings

Further reading

• Box, Ben, Footprint Focus Guide: Guyana, Guyane & Suriname, (Footprint Travel Guides, 2011)
• Dew, Edward M., The Trouble in Suriname, 1975-93, (Greenwood Press, 1994)
• Gimlette, John, Wild Coast: Travels on South America's Untamed Edge (Profile Books, 2011)
• McCarthy Sr., Terrence J., A Journey into Another World: Sojourn in Suriname, (Wheatmark Inc., 2010)
• Westoll, Adam, Surinam, (Old Street Publishing, 2009)

References

External links

• Suriname entry at The World Factbook
• Travel information for the independent traveller
• Suriname at UCB Libraries GovPubs
• Dictionaries of Suriname languages
• Suriname at the Open Directory Project
• Suriname, an external wiki
• Wikimedia Atlas of Suriname
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
• History of the Suriname Jewish Community
• Free Local Classifieds Ads in the Republic of Suriname
• Suriname Tourism Network
• Surinam News
• Travel to Surinam (Video)
• Culturu.com - Suriname webportal
• Suriname travel guide from Wikitravel
• - Free advice about tours in suriname

Website President and National Assembly

• Website of the President of the Republic of Suriname
• Website of the Government of the Republic of Suriname
• Website of the National Assembly of the Republic of Suriname

Related information