Surinam, Surinam

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The country is the only Dutch-speaking region in the Western Hemisphere which is not a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Suriname is extremely diverse ethnically, linguistically, and religiously. By percentage, Muslims constitute 20% of Suriname, the highest percentage of Muslims in any country in the Americas. Suriname's geographical size is just under 165,000 km, and it has an estimated population of about 470,000 people. About a quarter of the population live on less than US$ 2 a day.

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.

The bridge was built during the tenure of President Jules Albert Wijdenbosch (1996-2000) and was completed in 2000. The bridge is 52 metres high, and 1504 metres long. It connects Paramaribo with Commewijne, a connection which previously could only be made by ferry. The purpose of the bridge was to facilitate and promote the development of the eastern part of Suriname. The bridge consists of two lanes and is not accessible to pedestrians.

A century later, plantation colonies were established by the Dutch and English along the many rivers in the fertile Guyana plains. The earliest documented colony in Guiana was along the Suriname River and called Marshall's Creek. The area was named after an Englishman.

Nearly one third of the population of Suriname at that time emigrated to the Netherlands in the years leading up to independence, as many people feared that the new country would fare worse under independence than it did as an overseas colony of the Netherlands.

Other main export products include rice, bananas and shrimp. Suriname has recently started exploiting some of its sizeable oil Rigzone Staatsolie Launches Tender for 3 Offshore Blocks and gold Cambior Development of the Gross Rosebel Mine in Suriname reserves. About a quarter of the people work in the agricultural sector. The Surinamese economy is very dependent on commerce, its main trade partners being the Netherlands, the United States, Canada and Caribbean countries.

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.

Christianity, both in the form of Roman Catholicism and various denominations of Protestantism, is dominant among Creoles and Maroons. Most of the Hindustani are Hindu, but some practice Islam or Christianity. The Javanese practice either Islam or Christianity. Suriname's population is 20% Muslim, which is the highest percentage of Muslims of any country in the New World. Muslim Minorities in the West: Visible and Invisible By Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, Jane I. Smith, pg 271 The makeup of Suriname's population is similar to that of neighboring Guyana, with the exception of the large Indonesian population (which is not present in Guyana). French Guiana, which is a part of France, does not collect ethnic statistics, but is believed to contain much smaller Hindustani and Indonesian populations.

In 2005 there were 328,300 Surinamese people living in the Netherlands, which is about 2% of the total population of the Netherlands, compared to 438,000 in Suriname itself.

Dutch is the official language and the language of education, government, business and the media. Suriname became the third member of the Dutch Language Union in 2004. Dutch is spoken as a mother tongue by about 60% of the Surinamese, while most others speak it as a second or third language. In the capital Paramaribo it is the main home language in two-thirds of households.

It is during this period that the Surinamese population goes to the city's commercial district to watch demonstrational fireworks. The bigger stores invest in these firecrackers and display them out in the streets. Every year the length of them is compared, and high praises are held for the company that has managed to import the largest ribbon.These celebrations start at 10 in the morning and finish the next day. The day is usually filled with laughter, dance, music, and drinking. When the night starts, the big street parties are already at full capacity. The most popular fiesta is the one that is held at caf 't Vat in the main tourist district. The parties there stop between 10 and 11 at night. After which the people go home to light their pagaras (red-firecracker-ribbons) at midnight.After 12, the parties continue and the streets fill again until daybreak.

Davids in particular has written of his passionate pride in his Surinamese heritage and his love of attending football matches there. There are a number of local heroes in other sports as well, like Primraj Binda, best known as the athlete who dominated the local 10 km for nearly a decade, Steven Vismale and Letitia Vriesde. Another notable track athlete from Suriname was Tommy Asinga.

Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, not Suriname, he now lives in Gainesville, Florida, USA, and is a coach of the University of Florida. He is mainly a distance coach.

Another notable kickboxer and K-1 fighter, Tyrone Spong, was born in Suriname.

Suriname has 24 radio stations from which a couple broadcast through the Internet ( Apintie and Radio10 ). There are also a dozen television networks including STVS, RBN, ABC, ATV , Mustika, and Garuda). Also listened to is mArt, a broadcaster from Amsterdam founded by people from Suriname.

The hotel industry is important to Suriname's economy. The rental of apartments, or the rent-a-house phenomenon, is also popular in Suriname.

The Central Suriname Nature Reserve is the biggest and one of the most popular reserves, along with the Brownsberg Nature Park which overlooks the Brokopondo Reservoir, the latter being one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Tonka Island in the reservoir is home to a rustic eco-tourism project run by the Saramaccaner Maroons. There are also many waterfalls throughout the country: Raleighvallen, or Raleigh Falls, is a 56,000 hectare nature reserve on the Coppename River, rich in bird life. Also are the Blanche Marie Falls on the Nickerie River and the Wonotobo Falls. Tafelberg Mountain in the centre of the country is surrounded by its own reserve- the Tafelberg Nature Reserve- around the source of the Saramacca River, as is the Voltzberg Nature Reserve further north on the Coppename River at Raleighvallen. In the interior are many Maroon and Amerindian villages which often have their own reserves and are open to visitors.

Around 30% of the total land area of Suriname is protected by law as reserves.

This plantation can only be reached by boat via Domburg, in the north central Wanica District of Suriname.

Source: Wikipedia > Suriname