asikasima at 718 metres (2,356 ft), Goliathberg at 358 metres (1,175 ft) and Voltzberg at 240 metres (790 ft). Borders Main article: Borders of Suriname Suriname is situated between French Guiana to the east and Guyana to the west. The southern border is shared with Brazil and the northern border is the Atlantic coast. The southernmost borders with French Guiana and Guyana are disputed along the Marowijne and Corantijn rivers, respectively, while a part of the disputed maritime boundary with Guyana was arbitrated by a tribunal convened under the rules set out in Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on 20 September 2007.[7][8] Districts and resorts Main articles: Districts of Suriname and Resorts of Suriname Map of the districts of Suriname in alphabetical order. (Note the Guyana administered disputed territory in the south west is shown as part of Suriname.) Suriname is divided into ten districts: Brokopondo Commewijne Coronie Marowijne Nickerie Para Paramaribo Saramacca Sipaliwini Wanica Suriname is further subdivided into 62 resorts (ressorten). Climate Lying 2 to 5 degrees north of the equator, Suriname has a very hot tropical climate, and temperatures do not vary much throughout the year. Its average temperature ranges from 21 to 32 degrees Celsius. The year has two wet seasons, from April to August and from November to February. It also has two dry seasons, from August to November and February to April. Nature reserves In the upper Coppename River watershed, the Central Suriname Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site cited for its unspoiled forests biodiversity. There are many national parks in the country: Galibi National Reserve, Coppename Manding National Park and Wia Wia NR along the coast, Brownsberg NR, Raleighvallen/Voltzeberg NR, Tafelberg NR and Eilerts de Haan NP in the centre and the Sipaliwani NR on the Brazilian border. In all, 12.6% of the country's land area are national parks and lakes, according to the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.[9] History Main article: History of Suriname Colonial period Maroon village, Suriname River, 1955 Beginning in the 16th century, French, Spanish, and English explorers visited the area. A century later, plantation colonies were established by the Dutch and English along the many rivers in the fertile Guyana plains. The earliest documented colony in Guiana was along the Suriname River and called Marshall's Creek. The area was named after an Englishman.[6] Disputes arose between the Dutch and the English. In 1667, the Dutch decided to keep the nascent plantation colony of Suriname conquered from the English, resulting from the Treaty of Breda. The English were left with New Amsterdam, a small trading post in North America, which later became New York City. In 1683, the Society of Suriname was founded by the city of Amsterdam, the Van Aerssen van Sommelsdijck family, and the Dutch West India Company. The society was chartered to manage and defend the colony. The planters of the colony relied heavily on African slaves to cultivate the coffee, cocoa, sugar cane and cotton plantations along the rivers. Treatment of the slaves by their owners was notoriously bad,[10] and many slaves escaped the plantations. With the help of the native South Americans living in the adjoining rain forests, these runaway slaves established a new and unique culture that was highly successful in its own right. Known collectively in English as the Maroons, in French as the Nèg'Marrons and in Dutch as "Bosnegers" (literally meaning "forest negroes"), they actually established several independent tribes, among them the Saramaka, the Paramaka, the Ndyuka or Aukan, the Kwinti, the Aluku or Boni, and the Matawai. The Maroons would often raid the plantations to recruit new members, acquire women, weapons, food and supplies. These attacks were often deadly for the planters and their families, and after several unsuccessful campaigns against the Maroons, the European authorities signed several peace treaties with them in the 19th century, granting the Maroons sovereign status and trade rights. Abolition of slavery Javanese immigrants, brought as contract workers from the Dutch East Indies, picture taken between 1880–1900. Slavery was abolished by the Netherlands in Suriname in 1863, but the slaves in Suriname were not fully released until 1873, after a mandatory 10 year transition period during which time they were required to work on the plantations for minimal pay and without state sanctioned torture. As soon as they became truly free, the slaves largely abandoned the plantations where they had suffered for several generations, in favour of the city, Paramaribo. As a plantation colony, Suriname was still heavily dependent on manual labour, and to make up for the shortfall, the Dutch brought in contract labourers from the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia) and India (through an arrangement with the British). In addition, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, small numbers of mostly men were brought in from China and the Middle East. Although Suriname's population remains relatively small, because of this history it is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse countries in the world.[citation needed] Dutch colonists, 1920. Most Europeans left after independence in 1975. On 23 November 1941, under an agreement with the Netherlands government-in-exile, the United States occupied Dutch Guiana to protect bauxite mines.[11] In 1954, the Dutch placed Suriname under a system of limited self-government, with the Netherlands retaining control of defense and foreign affairs. In 1973, the local government, led by the NPK (a largely Creole, meaning ethnically African or mixed African-European, party) started negotiations with the Dutch government leading towards full independence, which was granted on 25 November 1975. The severance package was very substantial, and a large part of Suriname's economy for the first decade following independence was fueled by foreign aid provided by the Dutch government. Independence The first President of the country was Johan Ferrier, the former governor, with Henck Arron (the then leader of the Nationale Partij Suriname (Suriname's National Party)) as Prime Minister. Nearly one third of the population of Suriname at that time emigrated to the Netherlands in the years leading up to independence, as many people feared that the new country would fare worse under independence than it did as an overseas colony of the Netherlands, what in fact had happened. Suriname's diaspora therefore includes more than a quarter of a million people of Suriname origin living in the Netherlands today, including several recent members of the Dutch national football team. December killings On 25 February 1980, a military coup overthrew the democratic government and declared a socialist republic.[1] On 8 December 1982, the military, then under the leadership of Dési Bouterse, rounded up several prominent citizens who were accused of plotting against the government. They were executed during the night, and the Netherlands quickly suspended all foreign aid to Suriname after this event. Bouterse is currently standing trial for the December murders of 1982[citation needed], when a number of his political opponents were assassinated, and he has been convicted in absentia in the Netherlands for drug smuggling. Elections were held in 1987 and a new constitution was adopted, which among other things allowed Bouterse to remain in charge of the army. Dissatisfied with the government, Bouterse summarily dismissed them in 1990, by telephone. This event became popularly known as "the telephone coup". Bouterse's power began to wane after the 1991 elections however, and an ongoing brutal civil war between the Suriname army and the Maroons that had begun in 1986, loyal to the rebel leader Ronnie Brunswijk, further weakened his position during the 1990s. Economical Suriname's democracy gained some strength after the turbulent 1990s, and its economy became more diversified and less dependent on Dutch financial assistance. Bauxite (aluminium ore) mining continues to be a strong revenue source, but the discovery and exploitation of oil and gold has added substantially to Suriname's economic independence. Agriculture, especially of rice and bananas, remains a strong component of the economy, and ecotourism is providing new economic opportunities. More than 80% of Suriname's land-mass consists of unspoiled rain forest, and with the establishment of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve in 1998, Suriname signalled its commitment to conservation of this precious resource. The Central Suriname Nature Reserve became a World Heritage Site in 2000. Violent riots broke out in Albina in 2009 between the local Maroon population and Brazilian gold diggers. In July 2010, Desi Bouterse was elected president despite charges against him for the 1982 killings, and despite having been convicted for drug smuggling in the Netherlands, and sentenced to 11 years. Economy Ministry of Finance Graphical depiction of Suriname's product exports in 28 color coded categories. The economy of Suriname is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Other main export products include rice, bananas and shrimp. Suriname has recently started exploiting some of its sizeable oil[12] and gold[13] reserves. About a quarter of the people work in the agricultural sector. The Surinamese economy is very dependent on commerce, its main trade partners being the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, and Caribbean countries.[which?] After assuming power in the fall of 1996, the Wijdenbosch government ended the structural adjustment program of the previous government, claiming it was unfair to the poorer elements of society. Tax revenues fell as old taxes lapsed and the government failed to implement new tax alternatives. By the end of 1997, the allocation of new Dutch development funds was frozen as Surinamese Government relations with the Netherlands deteriorated. Economic growth slowed in 1998, with decline in the mining, construction, and utility sectors. Rampant government expenditures, poor tax collection, a bloated civil service, and reduced foreign aid in 1999 contributed to the fiscal deficit, estimated at 11% of GDP. The government sought to cover this deficit through monetary expansion, which led to a dramatic increase in inflation. GDP (2010 est.): U.S. $4.794 billion. Annual growth rate real GDP (2010 est.): 3.5%. Per capita GDP (2010 est.): U.S. $9,900. Inflation (2007): 6.4%. Natural resources: Bauxite, gold, oil, iron ore, other minerals; forests; hydroelectric potential; fish and shrimp. Agriculture: Products—rice, bananas, timber, palm kernels, coconuts, peanuts, citrus fruits, and forest products. Industry: Types—alumina, oil, gold, fish, shrimp, lumber. Trade (2005): Exports: $1.391 billion: alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas. Major consumers- Canada 35.47%, Belgium 14.92%, US 10.15%, UAE 9.87%, Norway 4.92%, Netherlands 4.7%, France 4.47% (2009) Imports: $1.297 billion: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods. Major suppliers- US 30.79%, Netherlands 19.17%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.04%, China 6.8%, Japan 5.85% (2009)[14] Demographics This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2011) Main articles: Demographics of Suriname and Surinamese people The population of Suriname through time (in units of 1000). According to the 2004 census, Suriname has a population of 492,829 inhabitants.[2] It is made up of several distinct ethnic groups. Amerindians, the original inhabitants of Suriname, form 3.7% of the population. The main groups being the Akuriyo, Arawak, Carib/Kaliña, Trío (Tiriyó), and Wayana. They live mainly in the districts of Paramaribo, Wanica, Maroni and Sipaliwini.[15] Hindustani form the largest major group at 37% of the population. They are descendants of 19th-century contract workers from India. They are from the Indian states of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh, in Northern India, along the Nepali border. The Surinamese Creoles form the middle group 31% of the population. They are the mixed descendants of West African slaves and Europeans (mostly Dutch). The Javanese (descendants of contract workers from the former Dutch East Indies on the island of Java, Indonesia),[16] form 15% of the population. mainly in Nickerie, Saramacca, Wanica, Paramaribo and Commewijne Surinamese Maroons (descendants of escaped West African slaves) make up 10% and are divided into five main groups: Ndyuka (Aucans), Kwinti, Matawai, Saramaccans and Paramaccans. Chinese, about 14,000 are descendants of the earliest 19th-century contract workers. The 1990s and early 21st century saw renewed immigration on a large scale. In the year 2011 there were over 40,000 Chinese in Suriname, including legal and illegal migrants.[17] Whites, descendants of Dutch 19th-century immigrant farmers, Portuguese from Madeira and Lebanese (primarily Maronites) from the town of Bcharre, Lebanon. The descendants of Dutch immigrant farmers are known as "Boeroes" (derived from boer, the Dutch word for "farmer"). Most Boeroes left after independence in 1975. Jews, mainly descendants of Sephardic Jews and Ashkenazi Jews. In their history, Jodensavanne plays a major role. Many Jews are mixed with other populations. Brazilians, many of them gold miners.[18] Most of the nearly 40,000 Brazilians living in Suriname arrived during the past several years.[19] The vast majority of people (about 90%) live in Paramaribo or on the coast. There is also a significant Surinamese population in the Netherlands. In 2005 there were 328,300 Surinamese people living in the Netherlands, which is about 2% of the total population of the Netherlands, compared to 438,000 Surinamese in Suriname itself. Religion Main article: Religion in Suriname The predominant religion in the country is Christianity, both in the form of Roman Catholicism and various denominations of Protestantism, the Moravian Church being the oldest and largest. It is particularly dominant among Creoles and Maroons. The Creoles and to a lesser degree the Maroons, both descendants of enslaved Africans, converted to Christianity during the colonial period but may still retain their Afro-American religion called Winti. Most of the Indians are Hindu, but some practice Islam or Christianity. The Javanese practice either Islam or Christianity. Suriname's population is 13.5% Muslim, which is the highest percentage of Muslims of any country in the New World.[20] Languages Indian immigrants from British India. Butcher market in Paramaribo with signs written in Dutch Dutch is the sole official language,[1] and is the language of education, government, business and the media. Over 60 percent of the population speak it as a mother tongue,[21] and most of the rest speak it as a second language. In 2004, Suriname became an associate member of the Dutch Language Union.[22] It is the only Dutch, and one of the two non Romance-speaking countries in South America (the other is Guyana, formerly British Guiana, where English is the official language). In Paramaribo, Dutch is the main home language in two-thirds of households.[23] The recognition of "Surinaams-Nederlands" ("Surinamese Dutch") as a national dialect equal to "Nederlands-Nederlands" ("Dutch Dutch") and "Vlaams-Nederlands" ("Flemish Dutch") was expressed in 2009 by the publication of the Woordenboek Surinaams Nederlands (Surinamese Dutch Dictionary).[24] Only in the interior of Suriname is Dutch seldom used. Sranan Tongo, a local creole language originally spoken by the creole population group, is the most widely used language in the streets and often interchangeably with Dutch depending on the formality of the setting.[25] Surinamese Hindi or Sarnami, a dialect of Bhojpuri, is the third-most used language, spoken by the descendants of South Asian contract workers from then British India. Javanese is used by the descendants of Javanese contract workers. The Maroon languages, somewhat intelligible with Sranan Tongo, include Saramaka, Paramakan, Ndyuka (also called Aukan), Kwinti and Matawai. Amerindian languages, spoken by Amerindians, include Carib and Arawak. Hakka and Cantonese are spoken by the descendants of the Chinese contract (koelie, coolie) workers. Mandarin is spoken by some few recent Chinese immigrants. English, Spanish and Portuguese are also used. Spanish and Portuguese are spoken by Latin American residents and their descendants and sometimes also taught in schools. The public discourse about Suriname's languages is a part of an ongoing debate about the country's national identity.[25] While Dutch is perceived as a remnant of colonialism by some,[25] the use of the popular Sranan became associated with nationalist politics after its public use by former dictator Dési Bouterse in the 1980s,[25] and groups descended from escaped slaves might resent it.[25] Some propose to change the national language to English, so as to improve links to the Caribbean and North America, or to Spanish, as a nod to Suriname's location in South America, although it has no Spanish-speaking neighbours.[25] Health Fertility rate was at 2.6 births per woman.[26] Public expenditure was at 3.6% of the GDP in 2004, whereas private expenditure was at 4.2%.[26] There were 45 physicians per 100,000 in the early 2000s.[26] Infant mortality was at 30 per 1,000 live births.[26] Male life expectancy at birth was at 66.4 years, whereas female life expectancy at birth was at 73 years.[26] Transport See also: Transport in Suriname and East-West Link (Suriname) Suriname and neighboring Guyana are the only two countries on the (in-land) American continent that drive on the left. In Guyana, this practice is inherited from United Kingdom colonial authorities. The reason for the left hand drive in Suriname is explained by several sources. It is thought that this is because the first cars imported were from England, but this is yet undocumented. In addition, this view does not make statements on traffic before the automobile era. Another explanation is that the Netherlands, at the time of colonization of Suriname, used the left-hand side of the road for traffic,[27] or that Suriname was first colonized by the English.[28] Although the Netherlands converted to driving to the right at the end of the 18th century[28][29]), Suriname did not. Writers Peter Kincaid and Ian Watson suggest that in territories such as Suriname, with no connecting roads to neighbour countries, there is no external pressure to either change or to maintain the status quo on driving sides. Largest cities view talk edit view talk edit Largest cities or towns of Suriname http://www.geonames.org/SR/largest-cities-in-suriname.html Rank City name District Pop. 1 Paramaribo Paramaribo 223 757 2 Lelydorp Wanica 18 223 3 Nieuw Nickerie Nickerie 13 143 4 Moengo Marowijne 7 074 5 Nieuw Amsterdam Commewijne 4 935 6 Mariënburg Commewijne 4 427 7 Wageningen Nickerie 4 145 8 Albina Marowijne 3 985 9 Groningen Saramacca 3 216 10 Brownsweg Brokopondo 2 696 Politics Main article: Politics of Suriname The Presidential Palace The National Assembly The Court of Justice. The Republic of Suriname is a constitutional, democratically representational republic based on the 1987 constitution. The legislative branch of government consists of a 51-member unicameral National Assembly, simultaneously and popularly elected for a five-year term. During the recently held elections on Tuesday 25 May 2010 the "Mega