Suriname probably owes its name to the tribe of the Surines, who were expelled from this area by the Arawak, an indigenous people on the north coast of South America.
Location
Suriname is the smallest (163,820 km²) independent country in all of South America. Countries bordering Suriname are Guyana in the west, Brazil in the south and French Guyana in the east. In the north the country borders on the Atlantic Ocean, where most of the population lives.
Suriname consists of three regions and 10 districts. The coastal region includes the districts: Nickerie, Coronie, Saramacca, Commewijne, Marowijne, Wanica, Paramaribo (the last two are the smallest and at the same time the most populous and therefore the most densely populated). The region in the east consists of the districts: Para, Brokopondo and Sipaliwini. The Wilhelminagebirge covers the southwest. Here is the highest point in the country ( Julianatop 1,280 meters above sea level).
Time zone
The time difference between Suriname and Germany is -5 hours in winter as well as in summer. There is no change to winter or summer time in this time zone.
Geography
Behind a swampy coastal plain that is no more than 80 km wide, the land rises in stages and forms the Suriname plateau. The north on the Atlantic coast is the most populous region. The southern half of the country consists of three large mountain ranges, the Wilhelmina Mountains, the Eilerts de Haan Mountains and the tumuk humak mountains.
History
The area of today’s Suriname was the first to be settled by the Indians. The largest tribes were Arawak and Caribs, which settled on the coast and in the savannah. Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover the beautiful country in 1498. Later England and the Netherlands fought over the conquest and colony of Suriname. In the first half of the 18th century was the present-day area of Suriname under the name of Dutch Guiana known and flourished with agriculture (sugar cane, coffee, cotton and cocoa). Later it came back into the possession of Great Britain. At the Congress of Vienna it was decided that the English would keep what is now Guyana and give Suriname back to the Dutch. The Dutch abolished slavery in 1863, as the last European nation. In 1954, Suriname gained self-government and in 1975 they gained full independence.
Flora and fauna
Suriname has a great variety of flora and fauna. 80% of the area consists of rainforest, which has more than 1000 tree species. This jungle is part of the largest tropical Amazon rainforest. Among the rainforest residents are among the caiman, the jaguar, the sloth, the armadillo, the howler monkey, sea turtles, parrots and many more.
Business
At the time of colonization, Suriname was probably the most profitable plantation colony in the Netherlands, and sugar in particular was exported. Natural resources such as bauxite, mineral oil, gold, wood, rice, bananas and fish are exported. Visit sunglasseswill for South America Economy.
In 2011 Suriname was one of the few countries in the world to receive a positive assessment from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The outlook for the Surinamese economy is reported to be favorable. A solid economic foundation, low debt and cheap basic income have protected the country against the ongoing global economic crisis. The economy is growing mainly thanks to the increased export of raw materials and local construction activities.
Memberships
Suriname has been a member of the international organization Caribbean Community (Caricom) since 1995.
Population
493,000 people live in Suriname. Nine tenths of the population live in the towns and villages of the coastal plain. About 250,000 of them in the capital Paramaribo . The ethnic origin of the population is very heterogeneous, which is also reflected in religious affiliation and mother tongues. The largest groups of the population are: Hindustans (of Indian origin), Africans, Creoles (former non-refugee, black African slaves) and Maroons(which are descendants of the refugee slaves who hid in the rainforest and thus formed tribal associations) and many different smaller minorities.
Religion
The population consists of Hindus 27.4%, Protestants 25.2%, Catholics 22.8% and Muslims 19.6%.
Language
The official language is Dutch. The local language is Sranan Tongo. However, many speak and understand English. It is interesting that there are another 25 languages and dialects (Javanese, Creole languages, Saramaccans, Aukaans, various indigenous languages, etc.) that are spoken by the locals.
Food and drink
The food is very diverse: Indian, Indonesian, Chinese, Creole. The local population eats a lot of Bami and Nasi Goreng.
Money / Currency
The Suriname Dollar is the currency that was introduced in 2004. In the capital, you can pay with a credit card or withdraw money from the machine.
Entry
To enter Suriname, travelers need a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the trip. For a tourist stay of less than 90 days, an e-visa must be applied for online before entering the country.
Medical advice
You can get the latest information from your family doctor or on the website of the Center for Travel Medicine (CRM).
Current
The voltage in Suriname, as in Germany, is 220 volts. A plug adapter enables our technical devices to be used. EU plugs with 2 round pins are widely used.
Security / drugs
Compared to other South American countries Suriname is much less dangerous, but increases especially in the cities the crime to. Tourists are very rarely affected. In the capital Paramaribo, the security situation has improved relatively, as special security forces are now deployed. In the interior, there is hardly any crime. The biggest problem is drug export crime. Drug controls take place when you leave the country, so enough time should be allowed for. If you travel with caution and observe the following points, many problems can be avoided:
- Do not carry any valuables or money with you
- Avoid lonely areas and alleys
- Do not offer any resistance in the event of a robbery
- Take trips inland with a recognized travel agency
- Do not accept drinks or food from strangers
