2024 Edition Primary

Background

The Spaniards first explored Suriname in the 16th century, and the English then settled it in the mid-17th century. Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of African slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. The Netherlands granted the colony independence in 1975. Five years later, the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared Suriname a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected government -- a four-party coalition -- returned to power in 1991. The coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005 and ruled until 2010, when voters returned former military leader Desire BOUTERSE and his opposition coalition to power. President BOUTERSE ran unopposed in 2015 and was reelected. Opposition parties campaigned hard against BOUTERSE in the run-up to the 2020 elections, and a multi-party coalition led by Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI’s VHP and Ronnie Brunswijk’s ABOP was installed. 

Area

land

156,000 sq km

total

163,820 sq km

water

7,820 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Georgia

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds

Coastline

386 km

Elevation

highest point

Juliana Top 1,230 m

lowest point

unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m

mean elevation

246 m

Geographic coordinates

4 00 N, 56 00 W

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

Irrigated land

600 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Brazil 515 km; French Guiana 556 km; Guyana 836 km

total

1,907 km

Land use

agricultural land

0.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.1% (2018 est.)

forest

94.6% (2018 est.)

other

4.9% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

flooding

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

population concentrated along the nothern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated

Terrain

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Age structure

0-14 years

22.5% (male 73,864/female 71,573)

15-64 years

70% (male 226,417/female 226,235)

65 years and over

7.5% (2024 est.) (male 20,071/female 28,598)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.87 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

6.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

14.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

19.6% (2018 est.)

women married by age 15

8.8%

women married by age 18

36%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

6.7% (2018)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

39.1% (2018)

Current health expenditure

6.8% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.1% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

Suriname is a pluralistic society consisting primarily of Creoles (persons of mixed African and European heritage), the descendants of escaped African slaves known as Maroons, and the descendants of Indian and Javanese (Indonesian) contract workers. The country overall is in full, post-industrial demographic transition, with a low fertility rate, a moderate mortality rate, and a rising life expectancy. However, the Maroon population of the rural interior lags behind because of lower educational attainment and contraceptive use, higher malnutrition, and significantly less access to electricity, potable water, sanitation, infrastructure, and health care.Some 350,000 people of Surinamese descent live in the Netherlands, Suriname's former colonial ruler. In the 19th century, better-educated, largely Dutch-speaking Surinamese began emigrating to the Netherlands. World War II interrupted the outflow, but it resumed after the war when Dutch labor demands grew - emigrants included all segments of the Creole population. Suriname still is strongly influenced by the Netherlands because most Surinamese have relatives living there and it is the largest supplier of development aid. Other emigration destinations include French Guiana and the United States. Suriname's immigration rules are flexible, and the country is easy to enter illegally because rainforests obscure its borders. Since the mid-1980s, Brazilians have settled in Suriname's capital, Paramaribo, or eastern Suriname, where they mine gold. This immigration is likely to slowly re-orient Suriname toward its Latin American roots.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

11

potential support ratio

9.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.9

youth dependency ratio

40

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 98.2% of population

improved: total

total: 99.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.5% of population

Education expenditures

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 27.4%, Maroon (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 21.7%, Creole (mixed White and Black) 15.7%, Javanese 13.7%, mixed 13.4%, other 7.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2012 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.91 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

21 deaths/1,000 live births

male

37.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

29.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Languages

Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is the native language of Creoles and much of the younger population), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

major-language sample(s)

Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.7 years

male

69 years

total population

72.7 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

93.4% (2021)

male

96.5%

total population

95%

Major urban areas - population

239,000 PARAMARIBO (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

96 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

32.9 years

male

31 years

total

32 years (2024 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Surinamese

noun

Surinamer(s)

Net migration rate

2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

26.4% (2016)

Physician density

0.82 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

326,406 (2024 est.)

male

320,352

total

646,758

Population distribution

population concentrated along the nothern coastal strip; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated

Population growth rate

1.07% (2024 est.)

Religions

Protestant 23.6% (includes Evangelical 11.2%, Moravian 11.2%, Reformed 0.7%, Lutheran 0.5%), Hindu 22.3%, Roman Catholic 21.6%, Muslim 13.8%, other Christian 3.2%, Winti 1.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 1.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 3.2% (2012 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 91.2% of population

improved: total

total: 96% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 8.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.5% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.7 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.89 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

66.4% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

the name may be the corruption of a Carib (Kalina) village or tribe named Parmirbo

geographic coordinates

5 50 N, 55 10 W

name

Paramaribo

time difference

UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Suriname

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership; amended 1992

history

previous 1975; latest ratified 30 September 1987, effective 30 October 1987

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Suriname

conventional short form

Suriname

etymology

name may derive from the indigenous "Surinen" people who inhabited the area at the time of European contact

former

Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

local long form

Republiek Suriname

local short form

Suriname

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Robert J. FAUCHER (since 31 January 2023)

email address and website

caparamar@state.govhttps://sr.usembassy.gov/

embassy

165 Kristalstraat, Paramaribo

FAX

[597] 551-524

mailing address

3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington DC  20521-3390

telephone

[597] 556-700

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Jan Marten Willem SCHALKWIJK (since 19 April 2022)

consulate(s) general

Miami

email address and website

amb.vs@gov.srhttps://surinameembassy.org/index.html

FAX

[1] (202) 629-4769

telephone

[1] (202) 629-4302

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Chandrikapersad "Chan" SANTOKHI (since 16 July 2020)

election results

2020: Chandrikapersad "Chan" SANTOKHI elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA2015: Desire Delano BOUTERSE reelected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA

elections/appointments

president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly; president and vice president serve a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 13 July 2020 (next to be held in May 2025)

head of government

President Chandrikapersad "Chan" SANTOKHI (since 16 July 2020)

note

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Flag description

five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); a large, yellow, five-pointed star is centered in the red band; red stands for progress and love, green symbolizes hope and fertility, white signifies peace, justice, and freedom; the star represents the unity of all ethnic groups; from its yellow light the nation draws strength to bear sacrifices patiently while working toward a golden future

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

High Court of Justice of Suriname (consists of the court president, vice president, and 4 judges); note - appeals beyond the High Court are referred to the Caribbean Court of Justice; human rights violations can be appealed to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights with judgments issued by the Inter-American Court on Human Rights

judge selection and term of office

court judges appointed by the national president in consultation with the National Assembly, the State Advisory Council, and the Order of Private Attorneys; judges serve for life

subordinate courts

cantonal courts

Legal system

civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law; note - a new criminal code was enacted in 2017

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members directly elected in 10 multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote, using the D'Hondt method, to serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - VHP 41.1%, NDP 29.4%, ABOP 17.6%, NPS 7.8%, other 3.9%; seats by party - VHP 20, NDP 16, ABOP 9, NPS 3, BEP 2, PL 2; composition - men 35, women 16, percentage women 31.4%

elections

last held on 25 May 2020 (next to be held in May 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Cornelis Atses HOEKSTRA and Henry DE ZIEL/Johannes Corstianus DE PUY

name

"God zij met ons Suriname!" (God Be With Our Suriname)

note

note: adopted 1959; originally adapted from a Sunday school song written in 1893 and contains lyrics in both Dutch and Sranang Tongo

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Central Suriname Nature Reserve (n); Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (c); Jodensavanne Archaeological Site: Jodensavanne Settlement and Cassipora Creek Cemetery (c)

total World Heritage Sites

3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

National symbol(s)

royal palm, faya lobi (flower); national colors: green, white, red, yellow

Political parties

Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEPDemocratic Alternative '91 or DA91General Liberation and Development Party or ABOPNational Democratic Party or NDPNational Party of Suriname or NPSParty for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOEParty for National Unity and Solidarity or KTPIPeople's Alliance (Pertjajah Luhur) or PLProgressive Workers' and Farmers' Union or PALUProgressive Reform Party or VHPReform and Renewal Movement or HVBSurinamese Labor Party or SPA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, sugarcane, oranges, chicken, plantains, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cassava, eggs (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$1.648 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$863 million (2019 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

C (2020)

Moody's rating

Caa3 (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

SD (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$176.058 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$76.321 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$146.749 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic overview

upper middle-income South American economy; new floating currency regime; key aluminum goods, gold, and hydrocarbon exporter; new IMF plan for economic recovery and fiscal sustainability; controversial hardwood industry

Exchange rates

Currency

Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

7.458 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

9.31 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

18.239 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

24.709 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

36.776 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$2.299 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$2.6 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$2.534 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, refined petroleum, excavation machinery, wood, fish (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Switzerland 39%, UAE 21%, Belgium 10%, Guyana 5%, Trinidad and Tobago 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

68.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption

11.7% (2017 est.)

household consumption

27.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-60.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

52.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

26.5% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

8.1% (2022 est.)

industry

44.8% (2022 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

44.7% (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.782 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

39.2 (2022 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.1% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

2.2% (2022 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$1.876 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$2.342 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$2.218 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, excavation machinery, cars, plastic products, tobacco (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

US 25%, China 15%, Netherlands 13%, Trinidad and Tobago 6%, Japan 3% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

3.05% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

gold mining, oil, lumber, food processing, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

34.89% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

59.12% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

52.45% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

250,000 (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

Public debt 2017

69.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$11.308 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$11.583 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$11.824 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

-2.44% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.43% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.08% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$18,400 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$18,700 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$19,000 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

4.79% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

4.09% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

3.88% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$992.257 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$1.195 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$1.346 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

16.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

8.46% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

8.23% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

7.7% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

37.8% (2023 est.)

male

17.8% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

25.3% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from consumed natural gas

14,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

2.176 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

2.19 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

1.853 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

537,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

245.841 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

98%

electrification - total population

99% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

51.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

47.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

55.101 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

6.967 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

7.109 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

89 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

15,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

16 (2020 est.)

total

92,270 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

2 state-owned TV stations; 1 state-owned radio station; multiple private radio and TV stations (2019)

Internet country code

.sr

Internet users

percent of population

66% (2021 est.)

total

402,600 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 18 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 150 telephones per 100 persons (2022)

general assessment

Suriname is the smallest nation on the South American continent, with about 580,000 inhabitants; the only Dutch-speaking nation in South America, it has close affinities with the Caribbean, and is a member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM); the country’s fixed-line infrastructure is reasonably reliable in the more populated coastal region, though poor in the interior; fixed teledensity and broadband penetration are slightly lower than average for Latin America and the Caribbean, while mobile penetration is significantly above the regional average and much higher than would be expected given the country’s relatively low GDP per capita; many Surinamese have up to three mobile lines with different providers, which has pushed up penetration figures although the number of subscribers has fallen in recent years as consumers have responded to economic pressures (2021)

international

country code - 597; landing point for the SG-SCS submarine cable linking South America with the Caribbean; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

18 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

108,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

150 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

929,000 (2022 est.)

Airports

55 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

PZ

Heliports

1 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 5, oil tanker 3, other 5

total

13 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

33.2 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

272,347 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

20

number of registered air carriers

4 (2020)

Pipelines

50 km oil (2013)

Ports

key ports

Moengo, Nieuw Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam

ports with oil terminals

3

small

1

total ports

4 (2024)

very small

3

Roadways

paved

1,119 km

total

4,304 km

unpaved

3,185 km (2003)

Waterways

1,200 km (2011) (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m)

Military - note

the National Leger is responsible for defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Suriname against foreign aggression; other special tasks include border control and supporting domestic security as required; the military police, for example, have direct responsibility for immigration control at the country’s ports of entry, and the military assists the police in combating crime, particularly narco-trafficking, including joint military and police patrols, as well as joint special security teams; in addition, the military provides aid and assistance during times of natural emergencies and participates in socio-economic development projects (2024)

Military and security forces

Suriname National Army (Nationaal Leger or NL); Army (Landmacht), Navy (Marine); Air Force (Luchtmacht), Military Police (Korps Militaire Politie)Ministry of Justice and Police: Suriname Police Force (Korps Politie Suriname or KPS) (2024)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 2,000 total personnel (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Suriname Army has a limited inventory comprised of a mix of older weapons and equipment, largely originating from such suppliers as Brazil, the Netherlands, and India; France also provides material assistance (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2015

1.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

Military Expenditures 2016

1.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Military Expenditures 2017

1.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2024)

Illicit drugs

a transit country for South American cocaine en route to Europe; illicit drugs are smuggled in cargo containers, commercial and private air transport and human couriers  

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.74 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

2.28 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

12.17 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

0.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.1% (2018 est.)

forest

94.6% (2018 est.)

other

4.9% (2018 est.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

2.36% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

99 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

430 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

66.4% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

78,620 tons (2010 est.)