Welcome

Welcome to Suriname

The Republic of Suriname, in the middle of the three Guyana’s, is situated at the north-eastern coast of South-America, between 2 and 6 degrees northern latitude, and 54 and 58 degrees western longitude. It borders in the north on the Atlantic Ocean, in the west on Guyana, in the east on French Guyana and in the south on Brazil. The nation’s territory covers an area of 163,820 sq. km and has about 492,829 inhabitants. The name Suriname has probably been derives from Surinen, a former Amerindian tribe in the area. Suriname also used to be called Dutch-Guyana. Suriname has a multiracial population with a diversity of cultural expressions. The original inhabitants are the Amerindians. The ethnic variety finds its origin in the colonial period, in which the Negroes were imported from Africa as slaves, the Hindustanis, Javanese and Chinese as indentured laborers, while Lebanese, Jews and Europeans settled down as well. Because of the integration between the various types developed, the so called “melting pot”.

Just as diverse as the composition of the population is, so too are the spoken languages in the territory. In Suriname not less than fifteen native languages are spoken. The official language is Dutch, while all Surinamers can communicate with one another through the use of the lingua franca, Sranantongo. Other languages are: Hindi, Javanese, Chinese, English, and about nine other tribal languages of the indigenous and the Bushnegroes. Suriname is a parliamentary democracy and has an elected president heading the government.  (Source: Paramaribo Guide)

CIPORE Focal Point Office

Angelie Yorks
Ministry of Natural Resources
Mr. Dr. J.C. de Mirandastreet # 11 – 15
Tel.: (597) 410160
Fax:  (597) 472911
E-mail: nhbirm@sr.net