01
Physical geography
Mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps.
Local timeParamaribo ·
South America · Card 012
Suriname
Suriname is a country in South America. Its capital is Paramaribo.
Find Suriname
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Paramaribo
- Languages
- Dutch & community languages
- Currency
- Surinamese dollar (SRD)
- Population
- 639,8502025 · World Bank
- Area
- 163,820 km²63,251.23 square miles
- Independence
- 1975from the Netherlands
Suriname in context
South America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Paramaribo; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Dutch is official. Sranan Tongo is widely used, alongside Sarnami, Javanese, Maroon and Indigenous languages.
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Location
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana.
Flag
Five horizontal bands of green (top, double-width), white, red (quadruple-width), white, and green (double-width); a five-pointed yellow star is centered on the red band
History & independence
Suriname’s Indigenous peoples and Maroon communities are important to its history. Dutch colonial rule developed a plantation economy based on slavery; after emancipation, indentured workers arrived from India and Java. Suriname became independent from the Netherlands in 1975 through a negotiated transition. A military coup followed in 1980, and subsequent years brought repression and internal conflict. Elected government returned in 1991 after another military intervention.
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Slavery is abolished under Dutch rule
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Suriname becomes independent
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A military coup replaces the civilian government
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Elected civilian government returns
Economy
Main activities
Gold mining, onshore petroleum, agriculture and services are important economic activities. Rice, bananas and timber contribute to production and trade. Bauxite and alumina were historically central but are no longer the dominant export base they once were. Offshore oil development may change the economy, but planned production is distinct from existing output.
Industry and production
Gold mining, onshore petroleum and refining, rice, timber and services. Bauxite and alumina are historically important industries.
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Thousands of people639.92025 · thousands of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 379,442 | 379.442 |
| 1980 | 375,377 | 375.377 |
| 1990 | 412,493 | 412.493 |
| 2000 | 476,643 | 476.643 |
| 2010 | 549,923 | 549.923 |
| 2020 | 612,317 | 612.317 |
| 2025 | 639,850 | 639.850 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars4.72025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2,670,873,906 | 2.671 |
| 1991 | 2,742,987,479 | 2.743 |
| 1992 | 2,753,959,429 | 2.754 |
| 1993 | 2,569,444,198 | 2.569 |
| 1994 | 2,656,805,273 | 2.657 |
| 1995 | 2,656,805,273 | 2.657 |
| 1996 | 2,683,373,358 | 2.683 |
| 1997 | 2,836,325,577 | 2.836 |
| 1998 | 2,901,561,112 | 2.902 |
| 1999 | 2,860,939,243 | 2.861 |
| 2000 | 2,921,018,935 | 2.921 |
| 2001 | 3,043,701,742 | 3.044 |
| 2002 | 3,128,925,412 | 3.129 |
| 2003 | 3,326,047,695 | 3.326 |
| 2004 | 3,608,761,755 | 3.609 |
| 2005 | 3,771,156,042 | 3.771 |
| 2006 | 3,989,639,611 | 3.990 |
| 2007 | 4,193,569,552 | 4.194 |
| 2008 | 4,367,326,198 | 4.367 |
| 2009 | 4,498,944,264 | 4.499 |
| 2010 | 4,731,486,826 | 4.731 |
| 2011 | 5,008,248,887 | 5.008 |
| 2012 | 5,142,988,298 | 5.143 |
| 2013 | 5,293,854,859 | 5.294 |
| 2014 | 5,307,380,819 | 5.307 |
| 2015 | 5,126,237,646 | 5.126 |
| 2016 | 4,874,454,256 | 4.874 |
| 2017 | 4,950,790,054 | 4.951 |
| 2018 | 5,195,768,566 | 5.196 |
| 2019 | 5,256,433,829 | 5.256 |
| 2020 | 4,416,708,447 | 4.417 |
| 2021 | 4,309,144,555 | 4.309 |
| 2022 | 4,412,832,155 | 4.413 |
| 2023 | 4,519,472,310 | 4.519 |
| 2024 | 4,597,250,508 | 4.597 |
| 2025 | 4,679,619,056 | 4.680 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.722High human developmentRank 114 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
20100.707
20200.714
20230.722
73.6 yearsLife expectancy at birth
8.4 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
A republic in which the National Assembly elects the President, normally requiring a two-thirds majority. If the required majority is not reached, a broader United People’s Assembly makes the choice. The President heads the executive and the National Assembly has one chamber.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Suriname.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which language is official in Suriname?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.