1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
142,709 km2; negligible amount of arable land, meadows and pastures, 76% forest, 8% unused but potentially productive, 16% built-on area, wasteland, and other Land boundaries: 1,561 km WATER
Coastline
386 km
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
12 nm (economic including fishing 200 nm)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
37% Hindustani (East Indian), 31% Creole (Negro and mixed), 15.3% Javanese, 10.3% Bush Negro, 2.6% Amerindian, 1.7% Chinese, 1.0% Europeans, 1.7% other and unknown
Labor force
129,000; unemployment 2.6% (1978)
Language
Dutch official; English widely spoken; Sranan Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki) is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population, and is lingua franca among others; Hindi; Javanese
Literacy
80%
Nationality
noun—Surinamer(s); adjective—Surinamese
Organized labor
approx. 33% of labor force
Population
356,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate -1.5%
Religion
Hindu, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Moravian, other
Government
Branches
new government announced on 1 April 1982—Policy Center makes policy and decisions; Council of Ministers implements decisions; President is a ceremonial figurehead
Capital
Paramaribo
Communists
(all small groups) Democratic Peoples Front; Communist Party of Suriname (KPS); People's Party (VP), Ruben Lie Pauw Sam; Revolutionary People's Party (RVP), Edward Narrendorp
Elections
no elections planned Political parties and leaders: Revolutionary Front (December 1981) official party established by Lt. Col. Daysi Bouterse; regular party activity officially suspended, although some continue low-level functioning; National Party of Suriname (NPS), Henck Arron; Nationalist Republic Party (PNR), Edward Bruma (principal leftist party); Progressive Reform Party (VHP), J. Lachmon; Pendawa Lima, S. Somohardjo; Javanese Farmers' Party (KTPI), Willy Soemita; Progressive Suriname People's Party (PSV), Emile Wijntuin; Reformed Progressive Party (HPP), Pannalal Parmessar Voting strength (1977): NPK 22 seats, Opposition United Democratic Parties Combination (VDP) 17 seats
Government leaders
Lt. Col. Daysi BOUTERSE, Army Commander and strongman; Acting President Lachmipersad Frederick RAMDAT-MISIER
Legal system
transitional constitution in effect
Member of
EC (associate), ECLA, FAO, GATT, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ILO, IMCO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAS, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
National holiday
Independence Day, 25 November
Official name
Republic of Suriname
Political subdivisions
9 districts before 1980 coup, each headed by District Commissioner responsible to Minister of District Government and Decentralization except for Paramaribo, whose commissioner is responsible to Minister of Home Affairs, not functioning at present; 100 "People's Committees" installed at local level
Suffrage
suspended
Type
military-civilian rule
Economy
Agriculture
main crops—rice, sugarcane, bananas; self-sufficient in major staple (rice)
Aid
economic—bilateral commitments including Ex-Im (FY70-80) from US, $1.9 million, (1970-79) from other Western countries, $945.0 million; no military aid
Budget
revenue, $273 million; expenditure, $319 million (1980 est.) Monetary conversion rate: 1 Suriname guilder (S. fl.)=US$0.560
Electric power
410,000 kW capacity (1981); 1.6 billion kWh produced (1981), 3,500 kWh per capita
Exports
$514 million (f.o.b., 1980 est.); alumina, bauxite, aluminum, rice, wood and wood products
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$822 million (1978); $2,370 per capita (1979); real growth rate 4% (1978)
Imports
$501 million (c.i.f., 1980 est.); capital equipment, petroleum, iron and steel, cotton, flour, meat, dairy products
Major industries
bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing
Major trade partners
exports—41% US, 33% EC, 12% other European countries; imports—31% US, 33% EC, 16% Caribbean countries (1977)
Communications
Airfields
29 total, 28 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
2 major transport aircraft, leased in
Highways
8,780 km total; 2,210 km paved, 1,990 km gravel, 2,400 km improved earth, 2,180 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways
4,500 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging from 4.2 m to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways while native canoes navigate upper reaches
Ports
1 major (Paramaribo), 6 minor
Railroads
166 km total; 86 km meter gauge (1.00 m) (government owned) and 80 km narrow gauge (industrial lines); all single track
Telecommunications
international facilities good; domestic radio-relay system; 21,300 telephones (6.1 per 100 popl.); 6 AM, 2 FM, and 6 TV stations; 2 Atlantic satellite stations
Military and Security
Military manpower
males 15-49, 63,000; 40,000 fit for military service