Portal:Suriname
The Suriname portal
Suriname (/ˈsʊərɪnæm, -nɑːm/ SOOR-ih-NAM, -NAHM, Dutch: [syːriˈnaːmə] ), officially the Republic of Suriname (Dutch: Republiek Suriname [reːpyˌblik ˌsyːriˈnaːmə]), is a country in northern South America, sometimes considered part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. Situated slightly north of the equator, over 90% of its territory is covered by rainforests, the highest proportion of forest cover in the world. Suriname is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, and Brazil to the south. It is the smallest country in South America by both population and territory, with around 612,985 inhabitants in an area of approximately 163,820 square kilometers (63,251 square miles).0 The capital and largest city is Paramaribo, which is home to roughly half the population. Suriname was inhabited as early as the fourth millennium BC by various indigenous peoples, including the Arawaks, Caribs, and Wayana. Europeans arrived in the 16th century, with the Dutch establishing control over much of the country's current territory by the late 17th century. During the Dutch colonial period, Suriname was a lucrative source of sugar. Its plantation economy was initially driven by African slave labour; with the abolition of slavery in 1863, indentured servants were brought from Asia, predominantly from British India and the Dutch East Indies. In 1954, Suriname became a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. On 25 November 1975, it became independent following negotiations with the Dutch government. Suriname continues to maintain close diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties with the Netherlands. Suriname's culture and society strongly reflect the legacy of Dutch colonial rule. It is the only sovereign nation outside Europe where Dutch is the official and prevailing language of government, business, media, and education. An estimated 60% of the population speaks Dutch as a native language. Sranan Tongo, an English-based creole language, is a widely used lingua franca. Most Surinamese are descendants of slaves and labourers brought from Africa and Asia by the Dutch. Suriname is highly diverse, with no ethnic group forming a majority; proportionally, its Muslim and Hindu populations are some of the largest in the Americas. Most people live along the northern coast, centered around Paramaribo, making Suriname one of the least densely populated countries on Earth. Suriname is a developing country with a medium level of human development; its economy is heavily dependent on its abundant natural resources, namely bauxite, gold, petroleum, and agricultural products. Suriname is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the United Nations, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. (Full article...) Selected article -
Wageningen is a community resort and an agricultural place in the Republic of Suriname and located in the coastal area of West Suriname in the Nickerie District, at the harbour of the Nickerie River across the right estuary of the Maratakka River. The town was known as the rice centre of Suriname, Wageningen has been founded in 1949 and named after the Dutch city of Wageningen. (Full article...)
General imagesThe following are images from various Suriname-related articles on Wikipedia.
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Cynthia Henri McLeod (née Ferrier; born 4 October 1936) is a Surinamese novelist known for her historic novels and whose debut novel instantly made her one of the most prominent authors of Suriname. (Full article...)
Selected picture![]() Bailey bridge over the Coppename River
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- Basic Party for Renewal and Democracy
- Democracy and Development through Unity
- Democratic Alternative '91
- Democratic National Platform 2000
- Democrats of the 21st Century
- Meeting Point 2000
- Party for National Unity and Solidarity
- Political Wing of the FAL
- Progressive Workers' and Farmers' Union
- Seeka
- Surinamese Labour Party
- Union of Progressive Surinamese