]! ^! 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 rule through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991. 
]" ^" Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana ^# 4 00 N, 56 00 W ^$ South America ^% `! 163,270 sq km `" 161,470 sq km `# 1,800 sq km ^& slightly larger than Georgia ^' `! 1,707 km `U Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km ^( 386 km ^) `$ 12 nm `I 200 nm ^* tropical; moderated by trade winds ^+ mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps ^, `% unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m `& Juliana Top 1,230 m ^- timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore ^. `' 0.37% `( 0.06% `) 99.57% (2001) ^/ 490 sq km (1998 est.) ^0 NA ^1 deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities _J `K Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands `L none of the selected agreements ^2 smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast 
]# ^3 438,144 (July 2005 est.) ^4 `* 29.6% (male 66,537/female 63,182) `+ 64.2% (male 144,285/female 136,942) `, 6.2% (male 12,092/female 15,106) (2005 est.) ^5 `! 26.13 years `- 25.72 years `. 26.58 years (2005 est.) ^6 0.25% (2005 est.) ^7 18.39 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^8 7.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^9 -8.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^: `/ 1.05 male(s)/female `0 1.05 male(s)/female `+ 1.05 male(s)/female `, 0.8 male(s)/female `1 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.) ^; `! 23.57 deaths/1,000 live births `- 27.57 deaths/1,000 live births `. 19.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) ^< `1 68.96 years `- 66.75 years `. 71.27 years (2005 est.) ^= 2.34 children born/woman (2005 est.) ^> 1.7% (2001 est.) ^? 5,200 (2001 est.) ^@ less than 500 (2003 est.) ^A `2 Surinamer(s) `3 Surinamese ^B Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2% ^C Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5% ^D 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), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese ^E `M age 15 and over can read and write `1 88% `- 92.3% `. 84.1% (2000 est.) 
]$ ^F `4 Republic of Suriname `5 Suriname `V Republiek Suriname `W Suriname `X Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana ^H constitutional democracy ^I Paramaribo ^J 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica ^K 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands) ^L Independence Day, 25 November (1975) ^M ratified 30 September 1987 ^N based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory ^O 18 years of age; universal ^P `6 President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government `7 President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government `8 Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly `9 president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger People's United Assembly (869 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms; election last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held 25 May 2010) ^Q unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) `9 last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held May 2010) `: percent of vote by party - NF 41.2%, NDP 23.1%, VVV 14.5%, A-Com 7.3%, A1 6.2%, other 5.9%; seats by party - NF 23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A1 3 ^R Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court (justices are nominated for life) ^S A-Combinatie (coalition of Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP [Caprino ALENDY], General Interior Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK], Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU [Jim HOK], Seeka [Paul ABENA]); Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 [Winston JESSURUN], Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a coalition includes National Party Suriname or NPS (Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ram SARDJOE], Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Marten Schalkwijk]; People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression, Justice, and Perserverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL [Raymond SAPOEN]); Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj PANDAY] ^T Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE]; Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE]; Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD] ^U ACP, Caricom, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ^V `N Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES `O Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 `P [1] (202) 244-7488 `Q [1] (202) 244-5878 `R Miami ^W `N Ambassador Marsha E. BARNES `Z Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo `[ Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington, DC, 20521-3390 `P [597] 472900 `Q [597] 420800 ^X five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band 
]% ^Y The economy is dominated by the alumina industry, which accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN has begun an austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending. While - in 2002 - President VENETIAAN agreed to a large pay raise for civil servants, threatening his earlier gains in stabilizing the economy, he has not repeated this promise in the run-up to the May 2005 elections. The Dutch Government has agreed to restart the aid flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development financing, but plans to phase out funds over the next five years. The short-term economic outlook depends on the government's ability to control inflation and on the development of projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors. Prospects for local onshore oil production are good, as a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company (Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with Repsol and Mearsk. ^Z $1.885 billion (2004 est.) ^[ 4.2% (2004 est.) ^\ purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2004 est.) ^] `; 13% `< 22% `= 65% (2001 est.) ^^ 104,000 (2003) ^_ agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% ^` 17% (2000) ^a 70% (2002 est.) _! `> NA% `? NA% _" 23% (2003 est.) _# `@ $400 million `A $440 million, including capital expenditures of $34 million (2003) _$ paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp _% bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing _& 6.5% (1994 est.) _' 1.984 billion kWh (2002) _( 1.845 billion kWh (2002) _) 0 kWh (2002) _* 0 kWh (2002) _+ 12,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) _, 14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) _- 1,370 bbl/day (2003) _. 1,644 bbl/day (2003) _R 99 million bbl (2004) _W 0 cu m (2004) _/ $495 million f.o.b. (2002) _0 alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas _1 Norway 29.3%, US 15.1%, Canada 12.5%, Belgium 10.2%, France 8.4%, UAE 6.1%, Iceland 4.3% (2004) _2 $604 million f.o.b. (2002) _3 capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods _4 US 26.2%, Netherlands 19.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.5%, Japan 6.6%, China 4.6%, Brazil 4.2% (2004) _5 $321 million (2002 est.) _6 Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million (1998) _7 Surinam dollar (SRD) _8 Surinamese dollars per US dollar - 2.7336 (2004), Surinamese guilders per US dollar - 2.6013 (2003), 2.3468 (2002), 2.1785 (2001), 1.3225 (2000) note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; in January 2004, the government introduced the Surinamese dollar as replacement for the guilder, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket _9 calendar year 
]& _: 79,800 (2003) _; 168,100 (2003) _< `B international facilities are good `C microwave radio relay network `D country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) _= AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998) _> 3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000) _? .sr _@ 18 (2003) _A 20,000 (2002) 
]' _B `! 4,492 km `E 1,168 km `F 3,324 km (2002) _b 1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2003) _[ oil 51 km (2004) _C Paramaribo _K `! 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2005) _D 46 (2004 est.) _E `! 5 `] 1 `T 4 (2004 est.) _L `! 41 `^ 1 `_ 5 `T 35 (2004 est.) 
]( _F National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements) _M 18 years of age (est.); no conscription _] males age 18-49: 111,582 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 77,793 (2005 est.) _N $7.5 million (2003) _O 0.7% (2003) 
]) _H area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOS arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters _I growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing 