About Suriname

Explore this Suriname map to learn everything you want to know about this country. Learn about Suriname location on the world map, official symbol, flag, geography, climate, postal/area/zip codes, time zones, etc. Check out Suriname history, significant states, provinces/districts, & cities, most popular travel destinations and attractions, the capital city’s location, facts and trivia, and many more.

Once a Dutch colony, Suriname is the smallest independent South American nation. The country is often commonly referred as “Surinam” and “Sarnang” was once called “Netherlands Guiana” or “Dutch Guiana”.

The country of Suriname is an ethnic medley that is steeped in history. It also reflects its colonial past as most

of the citizens of the country are imports from Africa, India and Indonesia, who were brought in as slaves and bonded laborers. However, the original people of the country were the Arawaks and the Caribs.

Physical Map of Suriname

the country of Suriname is divided into 10 districts. The country has two different type of landscape: highlands in the form of hills and mountains, and plains and swamps in the coasts. The north of Suriname houses the lowlands, swamps and the coastal plains, while the southern and western regions of the country are covered with savannah plains and rainforests. The mountains and hills are located in the middle of the country dividing the terrain into two. Of the mountains, the De Hann and Van Asch Van Wijck are the most important. Suriname also houses one of the world’s largest reservoir lakes – the WJ van Bloomenstein Lake. The other water bodies of significance in the country are Gran River, Coppename River, Marowijne River, Lucie River, Corantyne River and Saramacca River.

Location of Suriname

located north of the Equator in the continent of South America, the country of Suriname is located in the north of the continent. Suriname also lies in the western hemisphere. This tiny country is encased by one water body and three political land masses: the Atlantic Ocean in the north, French Guiana to the east, Brazil to the south and Guyana to the west.

Climate of Suriname

the country of Suriname boasts of a tropical climate. However, regular sweep of the trade winds temper the heat and humidity. The country has two rainy spells in the year; one between December and January and the other between April and July. While September is the warmest month, January remains the coolest.

Flora and Fauna of Suriname

the tiny country of Suriname plays host to a varied flora and fauna life. Blanketed by rainforests, some of the plants to be found in the country are of medicinal importance. Apart from the broad-leaved rainforest variety, there are also several types of lichens, weeds and mosses to be found. Flowers too grow in plenty in Suriname. Some of the most abundant varieties are water lilies, hibiscus, orchids, bougainvillea and oleanders. The general animal fauna of the country comprises of monkeys, tapir, jaguars, wild pig, manatees, deer, ocelots and sloth. In the reptile category, there is the caiman and the boa constrictor and other snakes. Apart from these, iguanas and turtles also form an integral part of the list as they are endangered species. The avian fauna in Suriname has some 650 and more species of birds calling the land their home. Some of them are scarlet ibis, harpy eagle, egret, Amazon parrot, toucan, seedfinch, cock of the rock, macaw, swallow-tailed kite, ruddy ground-dove, spotted sandpiper, cattle egret, pied water tyrant, white-tailed trogon and greater yellow-headed vulture. In the aquatic category too there are plenty of species both in the rivers in the country as well as in the Atlantic Ocean that borders it. There are also several rare and endangered species of animals and reptiles in Suriname. These mammals and reptiles are the fin whale, giant armadillo, giant otter, Sei whale, bush dog, American manatee, Carriker’s round-eared bat, giant anteater, Guianan bonneted bat, Schultz’s round-eared bat and sperm whale.

People of Suriname

the population of Suriname is a mixed lot. It can almost be said that there are very few races that you will not find in the country. The original people of the country were the Awaraks and the Caribs. Later when the Dutch colonized the country, other Europeans filtered in. with slavery being a rampant practice, the colonizers imported African slaves. Later bonded laborers from India, Indonesia and China were also brought in. With the achievement of freedom, all the residents of Suriname settled down in the country to make up the diverse and assorted populace that now makes up the country. So, basically, there is to be found Hindustanis, Creole, Javanese, ‘Maroons’ (or Africans), Amerindians, Chinese, Europeans and others.

Arts, Culture and Music of Suriname

Art : traditional art of Surinam includes woodcarvings by the Maroon tribe, trays and gourds that are painted and carved, bows and arrows by the Amerindians, hammocks made of cotton, weaving of wicker baskets and other items, ceramic objects, jewellery crafted from Gold and silver, bamboo handicrafts by the Javanese, batik, imported Chinese jade-wares, Chinese and Indian silks, glass wares, hand-crafted dolls, embroidery, tapestry and other wall decors .
Culture : the mingling of several ethnic groups under a circumstance has led to the evolution of a new mixed culture. as a result of this commingling the country of Suriname has an assorted culture that combines African with European and American with Indian, and finally all of them with the original Awarak and Carib Indians.
Music : the country’s most famous music is the “Kaseko”. The word originates from the expression “casser le corps”, meaning ‘Break the body’. It started with the practice of slavery and is a dance involving very rapid movement of the limbs. Moreover, it is also a fusion dance and music, merging African, European and American music. The music is based on drums; the one most popularly used is the “Skratji”.The other instruments accompanying it are the saxophone, trumpet and trombone.

Then there is also another type of music called the Indo-Surinamese music which was born after the Indians landed on the Shores of the country. With it were introduced instruments that are typical of India like the “Dhantal”, “Dholak”, “Tabla”, “Tassa”, “Sitar” and “Harmonium”. Creole folk music is another distinctive genre that involves the “call-response” type of singing in either solo or in chorus.

Flag of Suriname

the country of Suriname has a flag that is extremely representative of its heritage. The rectangular flag is dominated by four colors: red, white, green and Gold. Except Gold, all the other colors appear in horizontal stripes. The red stripe that appears in the middle is broader-thrice the width of the green stripe-that all the other stripes. It lies bordered between two white stripes which are half the size of the green stripe. The green stripe lies beside the white stripe and so appears at the top and the bottom of the flag. The red stripe has a big Gold five-point star exactly in the middle of the flag. The color white stands for justice and freedom; red and green for the two political parties that existed pre-independence; while the star in Gold is a symbol of hope and unity.

Economy of Suriname

the economy of Surinam is dependent in a big way on the mining and export of bauxite. The other natural mineral resources in the country are Gold, nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore and crude oil. The other natural resources in Suriname are hydropower, kaolin, timber, fish and shrimp. The chief agricultural produce in the country includes such crops as paddy rice, plantains, bananas, coconuts, palm kernels and peanuts. Of all these commodities, a lot of them, such as crude oil, rice and bananas are exported as raw materials. While there are other commodities like alumina, lumber, shrimp and fish that are processed before export and hence are important industries.