Name
The name may derive from the Surinen people, who inhabited the area at the time of European contact.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Suriname
4.14° N, 55.91° W
1,907 km of land border against just 386 km of coast — this country faces its neighbors far more than it faces the sea.
coastline 386 km · 118th/229 · land borders 1,907 km · 91st/230
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 581,363
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 163,820 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 144,935 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 4 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- SR · SUR
- GDP (nominal)
- $4.71 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $19,400
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Suriname 163,820 km²Nicaragua 130,370 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Suriname sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age32.3 years115th of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy72.7 years156th of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate1.87 children per woman120th of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population581,363172nd of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area163,820 km²92nd of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline386 km118th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Background
Spaniards first explored Suriname in the 16th century, and the English settled it in the mid-17th century. Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667, and with the abolition of African slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. The Netherlands granted the colony independence in 1975.
The civilian government was later replaced by a military regime, which soon declared Suriname a socialist republic. The regime continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected government, a four-party coalition, returned to power in 1991. The coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005 and ruled until 2010, when voters returned former military leader Desire Bouterse and his opposition coalition to power. President Bouterse ran unopposed in 2015 and was reelected. Opposition parties campaigned hard against Bouterse before the 2020 elections, and a multi-party coalition led by Chandrikapersad Santokhi’s VHP and Ronnie Brunswijk’s ABOP was installed.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Geography
Suriname occupies northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between French Guiana and Guyana. Its terrain consists mostly of rolling hills and a narrow coastal plain with swamps. The country is the smallest independent country on the South American continent. The country is mostly tropical rainforest, with great diversity of flora and fauna and a relatively small population mostly along the coast.
Timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, and gold are among its natural resources. It also has small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, and iron ore. Juliana Top is the country's highest point. The lowest point is an unnamed location in the coastal plain.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
People and society
Along the northern coastal strip, Suriname's population is concentrated, while the country's interior is sparsely populated. Hindustani, also known locally as East Indians, Maroon, Creole, Javanese, mixed people, and others live in Suriname. Hindustani ancestors emigrated from northern India, while Maroon ancestors were brought from Africa and escaped to the interior. Creole people are mixed White and Black.
Dutch is the official language; English is widely spoken, alongside Sranang Tongo, Caribbean Hindustani, and Javanese. Sranang Tongo, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is the native language of Creoles and much of the younger population. Religions include Protestant, Hindu, Roman Catholic, Muslim, other Christian, Winti, and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Government
A presidential republic governs Suriname. Its legal system is a civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law. The latest constitution was ratified 30 September 1987 and took effect 30 October 1987. Suriname gained independence on 25 November 1975 from the Netherlands. The national holiday is Independence Day, 25 November (1975).
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Flag and symbols
Five horizontal bands run from top to bottom: green (double-width), white, red (quadruple-width), white, and green (double-width), with a five-pointed yellow star centered on the red band. Red stands for progress and love, green for hope and fertility, and white for peace, justice, and freedom. The star represents the unity of ethnic groups. The national symbols are the royal palm and faya lobi (flower).
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $4.71 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $12.32 billion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $19,400
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +2.8%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 16.2%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 7.4%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $2.79 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $2.57 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 72.7 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 32.3 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 14.63 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 6.74 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 1.87 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- +1.04% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 66.4%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Languages
- Dutchofficial
- English
- Sranang Tongo
- Caribbean Hindustani
- Javanese
- Field “People and Society → Languages → Languages” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Religions
- Protestant23.6%includes Evangelical 11.2%, Moravian 11.2%, Reformed 0.7%, Lutheran 0.5%
- Hindu22.3%
- Roman Catholic21.6%
- Muslim13.8%
- Winti1.8%
- Jehovah's Witness1.2%
- other3.2%
- Field “People and Society → Religions” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 163,820 km²Land 156,000 km² · Water 7,820 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 386 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 1,907 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 246 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 1,230 m Juliana Top
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Natural geography 4
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Oceans 1
Mountain ranges 2
Plateaus 1
Largest cities 7
Population · Natural Earth
- Paramaribocapital254.2K
- Nieuw Nickerie16K
- Brokopondo8.3K
- Nieuw Amsterdam4.9K
- Groningen3.2K
- Onverwacht2.1K
- Totness1.7K