The most interesting facts about Suriname include corrupt officials, an enormous rainforest and some truly bizarre wildlife.
Fast facts
Official name: Republic of Suriname
Capital city: Paramaribo
Population: 609,569
Area: 163,820 sq km
Major languages: Dutch, English, Sranang Tongo, Caribbean Hindustani, Javanese
Time zone: UTC-3 (Suriname Time)
(Source: CIA World Fact Book)
Interesting facts about Suriname
1. Suriname was initially inhabited by Native Americans peoples including the Arawak, the Carib and the Surinen – from whom the country’s name descends.
(Source: Britannica)
2. In 1498, Christopher Columbus was the first European to sight the coast of Suriname.
(Source: Britannica)
3. In 1593 Spanish explorers visited the region and named it Suriname after the Surinen people.
(source: BBC News)
4. The British once controlled parts of Suriname but in 1667 they swapped their share with the Netherlands in exchange for New Amsterdam – which would become New York City.
(Source: BBC News)
5. The country was once known as Dutch Guiana. In 1954 it was given full autonomy and in 1975 the country finally became entirely independent.
(Source: New York Times, BBC News)
6. The Surinamese flag was adopted in 1975. In the centre is a yellow star that symbolises the unity of the country, its golden future and the spirit of sacrifice required to achieve that goal. Behind the star are stripes: green denotes the country’s jungles and agricultural land, white represents justice and freedom and the red embodies the progressive spirit of the young country.
(Source: Britannica)
7. From 1975 onwards, Suriname suffered from a number of destabilising coups and a civil war. Since the 1990s the country has stabilised and returned to civilian rule.
(Source: BBC News)
8. Desi Bouterse led Suriname through the 1980s as head of a military government. He regained office in 2010 through elections and was then re-elected in 2015
(Source: BBC News)
9. In 1999, Bouterse was convicted by a Dutch court for cocaine trafficking and sentenced to 11 years in prison. Since then he has avoided visiting countries that have extradition treaties with the Netherlands.
(Source: The Guardian)
10. In 2019, Bouterse was convicted by a Surinamese court of executing 15 political opponents in 1982. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
(Source: The Guardian)
11. Around four-fifths (80%) of the country is tropical rainforest.
(Source: Britannica)
12. Suriname is the smallest independent country in South America. French Guiana is smaller but it is an overseas department of France.
(Source: CIA World Fact Book)
13. The main export of Suriname is gold. At $1.81 billion it accounts for 67% of the country’s total exports.
(Source: OEC)
14. Suriname has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Central Suriname Nature Reserve and the Historic Inner City of Paramaribo.
(Source: UNESCO)
15. The Central Suriname Nature Reserve, at 16,000 sq km, covers around 11% of Suriname’s land area and is home to over 5,000 plant species and 400 bird species.
(Source: UNESCO)
16. During a 2013 expedition to Suriname, biologists discovered 60 new species including six frogs, one snake and eleven fish.
(Source: The Telegraph, The Guardian)
17. Until the mid-19th century, slaves imported from West Africa constituted the majority of the population of Suriname.
(Source: Britannica)
18. Slavery was abolished in Suriname in 1863. To supplement the labour force, workers from India and the Indonesian island of Java were recruited to replace former slaves.
(Source: Britannica)
19. Piracy continues to be an issue in the waters off Suriname. In 2018, at least 12 fishermen were killed off its coast during an attack.
(Source: Reuters)
20. In 1989, 176 people were killed when Surinam Airways Flight 764 crashed in Paramaribo. 15 Surinamese-Dutch footballers, part of a team known as the ‘Colourful 11’, also died.
(Source: The Guardian)