Suriname Introduction

Suriname, formerly the colony of Netherlands Guiana or Dutch Guiana, is a country in Northern South America. It has a North Atlantic Ocean coastline in the north and is surrounded by French Guiana to the east, Brazil to the south and Guyana to the west. It is the smallest independent country on South American continent. The relatively small population lives mostly along the coast.

Suriname Weather

Suriname's position - just to the north of the Equator - results in tropical weather conditions, with hot and humid days, moderately cooled by trade winds.

There are two rainy seasons, with rather heavy afternoon showers, (December - January) and the longer rainy season (April to July).

The average daily high temperature in Paramaribo is near 85° F, with higher average temps in the low 90s (September - November). Average lows remains in the mid 70s throughout the year.

Suriname Attractions

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Suriname History

Though Dutch traders had established several colonies in the Guyanas region before around 1600, the Dutch did not gain full control of what is now Suriname until the Treaty of Breda, which marked end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. The Netherlands traded Manhattan, in the current state of New York, for Suriname.

In 1883 native people of Suriname were taken to Amsterdam and placed in human zoos for the International Colonial and Export Exhibition, held behind the Rijksmuseum.

After becoming an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1954, independence was granted in 1975. A military regime led by Dési Bouterse ruled the country in the 1980s, until democracy was restored.

Suriname Politics

Suriname is a democracy based on the 1987 constitution. The government's legislative branch is the National Assembly, consisting of 51 members. These members are elected every five years.

The National Assembly elects the head of the executive branch, the president, by a two-third majority. If no candidate achieves such a majority, the president is elected by the People's Assembly, an 869-member institute consisting of the National Assembly and regional representatives.

Suriname is a full & participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).