Suriname
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesCountry name - conventional long form : Republic of Suriname
Country name - conventional short form : Suriname
Country name - local long form : Republiek Suriname
Country name - local short form : Suriname
Country name - former : Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
Government type : constitutional democracy
Capital - name : Paramaribo
Capital - time difference : UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
National holiday : Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Population : 475,996 (July 2008 est.)
Nationality - noun : Surinamer(s)
Nationality - adjective : Surinamese
Languages : Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
Currency (code) : Surinam dollar (SRD)
Currency code : SRG
Major infectious diseases - degree of risk : high
Suriname is located Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana. The climate is tropical; moderated by trade winds. The terrain is mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps.
Background
This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.Background : First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and then settled by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared 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 New Front coalition - returned to power in 1991 and has ruled since; the coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005.
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