Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
20 (2022 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
125,000 (2022 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
2 state-owned TV stations; 1 state-owned radio station; multiple private radio and TV stations (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.sr
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
87.40% (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
20 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
129,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
142 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
902,000 (2024 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
rice, sugarcane, oranges, vegetables, chicken, cassava, plantains, pineapples, eggs, citrus fruits (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$1.648 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$863 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$196.0 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$416.3 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$786.4 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$160.5 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
$69.2 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$118.7 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$448.3 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
$259.8 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
$176.2 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
$76.321 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
$148.118 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
$9.306 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2022
$4.195 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2023
$2.645 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
33.1806 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
3.3000 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
3.3000 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
3.4167 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
6.2286 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
7.4877 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
7.4625 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
7.4580 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
9.3095 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
18.2387 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
24.7092 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
36.7759 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
33.1806 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
gold, fish, refined petroleum, wood, tobacco (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$2.6 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$2.533 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$2.793 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
7.5% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
39.9% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
48.3% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$21,801 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.714 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$13.831 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
39.2 (2022 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%
30.1% (2022 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
2.2% (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, ships, excavation machinery, trucks, tobacco (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$1.678 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$2.342 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$2.203 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$2.571 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
2.1% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
6.89% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
55.41% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
22.00% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
34.89% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
59.12% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
52.45% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
51.59% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
16.23% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
255,500 (2024 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
17.60% (2022 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
75.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$9.550 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$9.622 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$8.508 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$10.430 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$11.977 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$10.377 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$11.405 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$11.68 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$11.976 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$12.316 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
-3.41% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
-4.91% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
1.57% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
4.95% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
1.17% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-15.98% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
-2.44% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
2.41% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
2.42% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
2.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$16,598 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$16,544 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$14,475 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$17,568 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$19,772 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$16,947 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$18,458 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$20,079 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$21,110 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$7.0 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$8.8 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$6.7 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$124.0 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$147.6 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
3.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
4.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
3.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$330.2 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$381.1 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$424.6 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$580.8 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$647.9 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$584.9 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$992.3 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$1.195 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$1.346 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$1.632 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
7.75% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
8.97% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
8.71% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
7.97% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
7.70% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
7.62% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
35.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
16.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
24.2% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
2 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - rural areas
98%
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
99% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - urban areas
100%
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
57.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
42% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
1.896 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
537,000 kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
245.206 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
60.896 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
6.967 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
7.173 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
89 million barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
17,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
14,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
2.507 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
2.521 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds
Environment: Environmental issues
deforestation; pollution of inland waterways from small-scale mining activities
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
0.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
91.7% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
7.9% (2023 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
12.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
99 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
431.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
135.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
49.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
65.76% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
78,600 tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
16.9% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly larger than Georgia
Geography: Area: land
156,000 sq km
Geography: Area: water
7,820 sq km
Geography: Coastline
386 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Juliana Top 1,230 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
246 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
4 00 N, 56 00 W
Geography: Geography - note
smallest independent country on the South American continent; mostly tropical rainforest; great diversity of flora and fauna; relatively small population, mostly along the coast
Geography: Irrigated land
600 sq km (2020)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
Brazil 515 km; French Guiana 556 km; Guyana 836 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
1,907 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
0.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
91.7% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
7.9% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage
Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)
Geography: Map references
South America
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
flooding
Geography: Population distribution
population is concentrated along the northern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated
Geography: Terrain
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Government: Administrative divisions
10 districts ( distrikten , singular - distrikt ); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
Government: Capital: etymology
the name comes from the Guaraní words para (water or river) and maribo (inhabitants)
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
5 50 N, 55 10 W
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Suriname
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Government: Constitution: amendment process
proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership
Government: Constitution: history
previous 1975; latest ratified 30 September 1987, effective 30 October 1987
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Suriname
Government: Country name: etymology
name may derive from the Surinen people who inhabited the area at the time of European contact
Government: Country name: former
Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
Government: Country name: local long form
Republiek Suriname
Government: Country name: local short form
Suriname
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Robert J. FAUCHER (since 31 January 2023)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
caparamar@state.gov https://sr.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
165 Kristalstraat, Paramaribo
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[597] 551-524
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington DC 20521-3390
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[597] 556-700
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Jan Marten Willem SCHALKWIJK (since 19 April 2022)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Miami
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
amb.vs@gov.sr https://surinameembassy.org/index.html
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 629-4769
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 629-4302
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
President Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS (since 16 July 2025)
Government: Executive branch: election results
2025: Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA 2020: Chandrikapersad "Chan" SANTOKHI elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA 2015: Desire Delano BOUTERSE reelected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly; president and vice president serve a 5-year term (no term limits)
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
2030
Government: Executive branch: head of government
President Jennifer GEERLINGS-SIMONS (since 16 July 2025)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
6 July 2025
Government: Flag
description: 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 meaning: 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
Government: International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Government: International organization participation
ACP, ACS, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
High Court of Justice of Suriname (consists of the court president, vice president, and 4 judges)
Government: Judicial branch: judge selection and term of office
court judges appointed by the national president in consultation with the National Assembly, the State Advisory Council, and the Order of Private Attorneys; judges serve for life
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
cantonal courts
Government: Legal system
civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law
Government: Legislative branch: electoral system
proportional representation
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
May 2030
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
unicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
National Assembly (Nationale Assemblee)
Government: Legislative branch: most recent election date
5/25/2025
Government: Legislative branch: number of seats
51 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch: parties elected and seats per party
National Democratic Party (NDP) (18); Progressive Reform Party (VHP) (17); National Party of Suriname (NPS) (6); General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP) (6); Other (4)
Government: Legislative branch: percentage of women in chamber
31.4%
Government: Legislative branch: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch: term in office
5 years
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 1959; originally adapted from a Sunday-school song written in 1893; contains lyrics in both Dutch and Sranang Tongo
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Cornelis Atses HOEKSTRA and Henry DE ZIEL/Johannes Corstianus DE PUY
Government: National color(s)
green, white, red, yellow
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Central Suriname Nature Reserve (n); Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (c); Jodensavanne Archaeological Site: Jodensavanne Settlement and Cassipora Creek Cemetery (c)
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Government: National symbol(s)
royal palm, faya lobi (flower)
Government: Political parties
Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP Democratic Alternative '91 or DA91 General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP National Democratic Party or NDP National Party of Suriname or NPS Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE Party for National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI People's Alliance (Pertjajah Luhur) or PL Progressive Workers' and Farmers' Union or PALU Progressive Reform Party or VHP Reform and Renewal Movement or HVB Surinamese Labor Party or SPA
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Introduction: Background
The Spaniards first explored Suriname in the 16th century, and the English then settled it in the mid-17th century. Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of African slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. The Netherlands granted the colony independence in 1975. Five years later, the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared Suriname a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally 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 in the run-up to the 2020 elections, and a multi-party coalition led by Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI’s VHP and Ronnie Brunswijk’s ABOP was installed.
Military and Security: Military - note
the National Leger is responsible for defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Suriname against foreign aggression; other special tasks include border control and supporting domestic security as required; the military police, for example, have direct responsibility for immigration control at the country’s ports of entry, and the military assists the police in combating crime, particularly narco-trafficking, including joint military and police patrols, as well as joint special security teams; in addition, the military provides aid and assistance during times of natural emergencies and participates in socio-economic development projects (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
Suriname National Army (Nationaal Leger or NL); Army (Landmacht), Navy (Marine); Air Force (Luchtmacht), Military Police (Korps Militaire Politie) Ministry of Justice and Police: Suriname Police Force (Korps Politie Suriname or KPS) (2026)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 2,000 National Army (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Suriname Army has a limited inventory of older or secondhand armaments originating from such suppliers as Brazil, France, the Netherlands, and India (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
1.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
1.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
1.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
1.1% of GDP (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
1.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
22.5% (male 73,864/female 71,573)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
70% (male 226,417/female 226,235)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
7.5% (2024 est.) (male 20,071/female 28,598)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
3.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
2.87 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
6.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
14.63 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Child marriage: men married by age 18
19.6% (2018)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 15
8.8% (2018)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 18
36% (2018)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
6.7% (2018 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
5.41% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
52.2% (2018 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
6.74 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
11.2 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
8.9 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
43 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
31.8 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 96.6% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 98% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
2.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
8.6% national budget (2024 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
2.87% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 27.4%, Maroon (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 21.7%, Creole (mixed White and Black) 15.7%, Javanese 13.7%, mixed 13.4%, other 7.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2012 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.9 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
5.7% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
13.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
1.60% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
2.9 beds/1,000 population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
21 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
37.6 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
29.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is the native language of Creoles and much of the younger population), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
People and Society: Languages: major-language sample(s)
Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
77.0 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
70.6 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: total population
92.87% (2012 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
239,000 PARAMARIBO (capital) (2018)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
84 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
32.9 years
People and Society: Median age: male
31 years
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Surinamese
People and Society: Net migration rate
2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
26.4% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
1.36 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
People and Society: Population
634,431 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
population is concentrated along the northern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.88% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
329,858
People and Society: Population: male
323,747
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 91.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 96.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 8.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
11 years (2021 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
10 years (2021 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
11 years (2021 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.03 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.7 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.07 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
2.23 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
65.76% (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
3,241 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
55 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
PZ
Transportation: Heliports
1 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
general cargo 5, oil tanker 3, other 5
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
13 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Moengo, Nieuw Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
0
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
3
Transportation: Ports: small
1
Transportation: Ports: total ports
4 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
3
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.