Key Facts

  • Suriname is on the northeastern coast of South America, bordered by Guyana, Brazil, and French Guiana.

  • Suriname uses the Surinamese dollar (SRD) as its official currency.

  • Suriname is religiously diverse, with significant communities practicing Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam, among other faiths.

  • Its capital and largest city is Paramaribo.

  • Dutch is the official language, making Suriname the only Dutch-speaking country in South America.

  • Suriname has a population of roughly 600,000 people.

  • It is the smallest independent country in South America by land area.

  • Suriname is highly multicultural, with influences from South Asian, African, Javanese, Indigenous, Chinese, and European communities.

  • Much of the country is covered by tropical rainforest, which is part of the Amazonian ecosystem and contains exceptional biodiversity.

  • Suriname gained independence from the Netherlands on November 25, 1975.

Did You Know That Suriname

  • Suriname is one of the most forested countries in the world, with more than 90% of its land covered by forest?

  • Suriname is home to Brownsberg Nature Park, where you can find waterfalls, tropical wildlife, and spectacular rainforest views?

  • Suriname has a unique dish called pom, a popular baked dish made with grated pomtajer root and chicken?

  • Suriname celebrates Holi Phagwa, a colorful Hindu festival where people throw brightly colored powder at each other?

  • Paramaribo's historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its distinctive wooden colonial architecture?

  • Suriname has one of the world's largest populations of sea turtles nesting along its Atlantic coast, including the giant leatherback turtle?

  • Suriname is located just north of the equator, giving it a warm, tropical climate throughout the year?

  • Suriname's rivers are extremely important for transportation because large parts of the interior have few roads?