Expatriate Forums in Suriname

Changing Skylines

Soraya Somarathne — Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:41 am

Author: Soraya Somarathne

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:41 am

Dear All,

Parts of South America are beginning to see changing skylines - in some parts of China this is happening faster than you realise.

Please check out: www.spyshanghai.com

Since living and working in the architectural sector in Shanghai for the past 6 months, I've been keeping a blog covering Shanghai's changing skyline as well as some of the stuff I have been getting up to!

Hopefully you'll find some time to have a bit of a read!

Also, writers are wanted!

Thanks and all the best for 2007!

Soraya

SURINAME COUNTRY PROFILE / SURINAME COUNTRY GUIDE

Suriname Info — Mon Nov 20, 2006 4:52 am

Author: Suriname Info

Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 4:52 am

SURINAME COUNTRY PROFILE

Introduction

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.

Geography

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references: South America

Area:
total: 163,270 sq km
land: 161,470 sq km
water: 1,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,707 km
border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 0.37%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 99.57% (2001)

Irrigated land: 490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
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

People

Population: 438,144 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.6% (male 66,537/female 63,182)
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 144,285/female 136,942)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 12,092/female 15,106) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.13 years
male: 25.72 years
female: 26.58 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.25% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 18.39 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 7.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.57 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 27.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.96 years
male: 66.75 years
female: 71.27 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.34 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups:
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%

Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

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), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 95%
female: 91% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form: Suriname
local long form: Republiek Suriname
local short form: Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital: Paramaribo

Administrative divisions:
10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system: based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: 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
head of government: 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
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly
elections: 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 2000 (next to be held 25 May 2005)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 2 May 2000 (next to be held May 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NF 33, MC 10, DNP-2000 3, DA-91 2, PVF 2, PALU 1

Judicial branch: Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court (justices are nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders:
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]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE]; Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE]; Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

International organization participation:
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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES
chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878
consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US:
Chief of mission: Ambassador Marsha E. BARNES
embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address: Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington, DC, 20521-3390
telephone: [597] 472900
FAX: [597] 420800

Flag description: 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 centred in the red band

Economy

Economy - overview:
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.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.885 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 22%
services: 65% (2001 est.)

Labour force: 104,000 (2003)

Labour force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 17% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 23% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $400 million
expenditures: $440 million, including capital expenditures of $34 million (2003)

Agriculture - products: paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Industries: bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.984 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - consumption: 1.845 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 12,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: 1,370 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports: 1,644 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves: 99 million bbl (2004)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (2004)

Exports: $495 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities: alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners: Norway 31.1%, US 16%, Canada 13.2%, Belgium 10.8%, France 8.8%, Iceland 4.6% (2004)

Imports: $604 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners: US 28.2%, Netherlands 21.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 11.4%, Japan 7.2%, China 4.3% (2004)

Debt - external: $321 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million (1998)

Currency (code): Surinam dollar (SRD)

Exchange rates:
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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 79,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 168,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Internet country code: .sr

Internet hosts: 18 (2003)

Internet users: 20,000 (2002)

Transportation

Highways:
total: 4,492 km
paved: 1,168 km
unpaved: 3,324 km (2002)

Waterways: 1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2003)
Pipelines: oil 51 km (2004)

Ports and harbours: Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Airports: 46 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Military

Military branches: National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription

Military manpower - availability:
males age 18-49: 111,582 (2005 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 77,793 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $7.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
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

Illicit drugs:
growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

SURINAME PROFILE : Suriname Country Profile

Anonymous — Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:22 pm

Author: Anonymous

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:22 pm

SURINAME PROFILE : Suriname Country Profile

SURINAME

The Republic of Suriname, more commonly known as Suriname or Surinam, (formerly known as Netherlands Guiana and Dutch Guiana) is a country in northern South America, in 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 most southern parts of the borders with Guyana and French Guiana are disputed (upper Corantijn and Marowijne rivers—the map shows the Guyana and French Guiana versions of the border).

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.

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 re-established in 1988.

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, a 869-member institute consisting of the National Assembly and regional representatives.

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

Districts

Suriname is divided into ten districts:

Brokopondo
Commewijne
Coronie
Marowijne
Nickerie
Para
Paramaribo
Saramacca
Sipaliwini
Wanica

Geography

Suriname is the smallest independent country in South America. Situated on the Guiana Shield, the country can be divided into two main geographic regions. The northern, lowland coastal area (roughly above the line Albina-Paranam-Wageningen) has been cultivated, and most of the population lives here. The southern part consists of tropical rainforest and sparsely inhabited savanna along the border with Brazil, covering about 80% of Suriname's land surface.

There are two main mountain ranges in Suriname: the Bakhuil Mountains and the Van Asch Van Wijck Mountains. Julianatop is the highest mountain in the country at 1286 m above sea level. Other mountains include Tafelberg (1026 m), Mount Kasikasima (718 m), Goliathberg (358 m) and Voltzberg (240 m).

Lying near the equator, Suriname has a tropical climate, and temperatures do not vary a lot throughout the year. The year has two wet seasons, from December to early February and from late April to mid-August.

Located in the northeast portion of the country is the Professor Doctor Engineer W.J. van Blommestein Meer, one of the largest reservoir lakes in the world. It was created in 1964 by the Afobakka dam (Brokopondo project), built to provide hydro power for the bauxite industry (which consumes about 75% of the output) and for domestic consumption.

In the upper Coppename River watershed, the Central Suriname Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site cited for its unspoiled rainforest 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% of the country's land area are national parks.

Economy

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 sugar, and Suriname has some oil and gold reserves. About a quarter of the people work in the agricultural sector. The Surinamese economy is very dependent on other countries, with its main trade partners being the Netherlands, the United States and countries in the Caribbean.

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 and exchange rate depreciation.

Suriname joined Caricom in 1995.

Demographics

Suriname's population of 438,144 (July 2005 est.) is made up of several distinct ethnic groups. East Indians (known locally as Hindustanis) form the largest group at 37 % of the population. They are descendants of 19th century immigrants from India. The Creoles, mixed white and black, form about 31 %, while the Javanese ("imported" from the former Dutch East Indies) make up 15 %. Maroons (descendants of escaped African slaves) make up 10 % and are divided into five main groups: Aucans, Kwinti, Matawi, Paramaccans and Saramaccans. Amerindians form 3 % of the population (some say as low as 1 %), the main groups being the Akuriyo, Arawak, Carib, Tirío and Wayana. The remainder is formed by Chinese, Europeans, and Brazilian immigrant workers that have arrived in Suriname in recent times. A small Jewish community composed of several families, descendants of Sephardim who had earlier fled from Iberia to the Netherlands, also inhabit the country. They previously operated an autonomous region of Suriname called the "Jodensavanne".

Because of the great number of ethnic groups in the country, there is no one main religion. Most of the Hindustani are Hindu, but Islam and Christianity are also practised by them. Christianity is dominant among Creoles and Maroons.

Dutch is the official language of Suriname. The Surinamese also speak their own languages: Sranang Tongo (also known as Surinaams), Javanese, Indonesian, and others. Also, the original Carib and Arawak Amerindians of Suriname speak their own languages, as do the Maroons; Aucan (n'Djuga or Ndjukas) and Saramaccan. Additionally, English and Spanish are also widely used, especially at tourist-oriented facilities or shops.

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 2004 there were 321,000 Surinamese people living in the Netherlands, which is about 2% of the total population of the Netherlands.

Source : Wikipedia.com