The country of Suriname is the only former Dutch colony in South America. It is also the only country on the continent where Dutch is the official language. Suriname's diverse population and culture reflect the influence of the Dutch as well as that of Africans, Asians, and American Indians. The capital is Paramaribo. GeographyLying on the northern coast of South America, Suriname is bordered on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. To the east is French Guiana, to the south is Brazil, and to the west is Guyana. Suriname is one of the smallest countries in South America, covering an area of 63,251 square miles (163,820 square kilometers). The borders with French Guiana and Guyana are disputed. The land along Suriname's coast is a flat, swampy plain. South of the coastal plain is a hilly, mainly forested region. Farther south are forested mountain ranges, which cover about 80 percent of the country. The highest peak, at 4,035 feet (1,230 meters), is Juliana Top in the west. Suriname's major rivers flow northward into the Atlantic Ocean. Among them is the Courantyne, which forms part of the boundary with Guyana. The Maroni forms part of the border with French Guiana. The large W.J. van Blommestein Lake was created by building a dam on the Suriname River. Suriname lies just north of the equator and therefore has a humid, tropical climate. Temperatures are hot year-round. Rainfall is heaviest in the central mountains. Plants and animalsTropical rain forests cover most of Suriname. They are very rich in plant life, with more than 1,000 types of trees. The forests also are home to many animals, including monkeys, sloths, tapirs, deer, jaguars, and pumas. Parrots and vultures are among the country's hundreds of kinds of birds. People and cultureThe largest ethnic groups in Suriname are the Hindustanis and the Creoles. The Hindustanis, or East Indians, are descendants of laborers who came to Suriname from India in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Creoles are people of mixed European and African ancestry. Descendants of workers who came from the island of Java in Indonesia are the next largest group. The population of Suriname also includes many Maroons, or descendants of Africans brought to the country as slaves. They were called Bush Negroes by the Dutch. American Indians, Chinese, and Dutch form smaller groups. The languages and religions of Suriname reflect the country's ethnic diversity. Dutch is the official language, but English, Hindustani, Javanese, and American Indian languages are also spoken. Sranan is the main language of the Creole, and it is also widely used for communication between people who speak different first languages. The main religion is Christianity, which was brought to the country by Europeans. Hindus and Muslims are the other large religious groups. Almost all of Suriname's people live along the coast, especially in Paramaribo and the surrounding area. Small settlements of Maroons and American Indians make up almost the entire population of the interior. EconomyMining is key to the economy of Suriname. The country is one of the world's leading producers of bauxite, the material from which aluminum is made. Some bauxite is processed locally, but most of it is exported for processing in other countries. In the late 20th century large gold and oil deposits were discovered in Suriname. They attracted foreign mining companies to the country. Suriname's other valuable mineral deposits include nickel, tin, and platinum. Because of Suriname's many mountains and forests, only a small area in the coastal plain is suitable for farming. Rice is the main food crop, and some is exported. The other leading crops include sugarcane, bananas, plantains, coconuts, and oranges. Shrimp and fish caught off the coast are exported to North America. The forests are a great source of timber. Manufacturing in Suriname depends largely on the mining and agricultural industries. The main activities include aluminum production and food and timber processing. HistoryThe first people to live in what is now Suriname were probably the Surinen Indians. The country was named after this group. By the 16th century other American Indian groups had driven the Surinen out of the region. European exploration and settlementThe first European explorer to see the Suriname coast was Christopher Columbus in 1498. From that time on other Europeans sailed to the area. Spain claimed the region in 1593, but in the early 1600s the Dutch began to settle there. British settlers soon followed. In 1667 the Dutch and the British signed a treaty by which the Dutch gave up their colony of Nieuw Amsterdam (now New York) in return for Suriname. Dutch ruleThe Dutch called the new colony Dutch Guiana. They developed coffee and sugarcane plantations and brought slaves from Africa to tend the crops. The slaves were treated harshly. Many of them fled to the forests of the interior, where they were able to avoid being recaptured. They re-created their West African way of life and came to be known as the Bush Negroes. The Dutch abolished slavery in 1863. After that date the government brought workers from China, Java, and India to the colony to work the plantations. In the 20th century, however, production on the plantations dropped. By World War II (1939–45) bauxite had replaced agricultural products as the colony's main export. After the war the people of Suriname began demanding independence from The Netherlands. In 1954 the Dutch government granted the colony self-government. Suriname became a fully independent country in 1975. Political strugglesA group of military officers seized control of Suriname's government in 1980. By 1982 the people of Suriname had begun to protest against military rule. They wanted the return of an elected government. When the military killed some leaders of the protests, foreign countries stopped giving Suriname financial aid. In 1986 Bush Negro rebels began fighting to overthrow the government. In response to these difficulties, the military leaders agreed to hold elections. A civilian (non-military) government briefly ruled the country, but the military took over again in 1990. Continued pressure from other countries led the government to hold elections in 1991. After that date Suriname continued to have democratic elections on a regular basis. Population (2001 estimate), 434,000. |