The vast rainforest of Suriname is teeming with wildlife country different cultures exist side by side in humid heat. With the lively capital Paramaribo, which is characterized by Dutch colonial architecture and a wild inland with rivers, waterfalls and numerous animals, the exotic Suriname is a dream for every adventurous traveler. Other highlights to travel in Suriname there is the extraordinary ethnic diversity, the phenomenal, spicy cuisine and friendly, open-minded people.
It is not always easy to travel in this riverside, densely forested country and the many different languages can make communication difficult. But with a little perseverance, travelers will be richly rewarded. This starts with walks in the streets of the beautiful Paramaribo to observing large sea turtles.
There is a great diversity of flora and fauna in Suriname. Maria Sibylla Merian first described the nature of Suriname when she pursued scientific studies here from 1699 to 1701. She summarized the results in an impressive work (Metamorphosis insectorum Sirnamensium). When Suriname gained independence in 1975, the Netherlands gave the young state one of the editions of the book.
The wonderful thing about Suriname is that 80 percent of it is still covered by rainforest. There are more than 1,000 different tree species here. The Suriname jungle is part of the largest tropical rainforest in the world. Many biologists and natural scientists come to thatregionto explore the forest and scrubland. There is hardly any other region in the world that is as rich in nature and vitality as Suriname.
Suriname – country details
Area: 163,820 km² (land: 156,000 km², water: 7,820 km²)
Population: 491,989 (July 2011, CIA). Hindustani (“East Indians”; whose ancestors immigrated from northern India in the late 19th century after the abolition of slavery) 37%, Creoles (white and black ancestors) 31%, Javanese 15%, “Maroons” (African ancestors who lived in 17th and 18th centuries as slaves in the country and escaped inland) 10%, Amerindians 2%, Chinese 2%, whites 1%, others 2%.
Population density: 3.0 residents per km²
Population growth: 1.087% per year (2011, CIA)
Capital: Paramaribo (224,930 residents, 2006)
Highest point: Juliana Top, 1,230 m
Lowest point: unnamed point in the coastal plain, -2 m
Form of government: Suriname has been a presidential republic since 1987. The constitution dates from the same year. The unicameral parliament (National Assembly) consists of 51 members. Suriname has been independent from the Netherlands since November 25, 1975.
Administrative structure: 10 districts (Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini and Wanica).
Head of State and Government: President Dési Bouterse, since August 12, 2010
Language: The official language in Suriname is Dutch. English is widely spoken. The Creole dialect Sranan Tongo (also called Taki-Taki) is the mother tongue of the Creoles and the younger residents of Suriname and is used as a colloquial language. Much of the population speaks Caribbean Hindi and Javanese.
Religion: 27.4% Hindus, 25.2% Protestants, 22.8% Catholics, 19.6% Muslims, 5% followers of traditional religions.
Local time: CET – 4 h.
In Suriname there is no change between summer and winter time.
The time difference to Central Europe is -4 hours in winter and -5 hours in summer.
International phone code: +597
Internet ID:.sr
Mains voltage: 110/220 V, 60 Hz
Suriname (South America): Map and Geography
According to softwareleverage, Suriname is dated to the north Atlantic ocean and the eastern border with French Guiana is bounded by the river Marowijne and formed the western border with Guyana by the River Corantijn. The southern border with Brazil is characterized by savannahs, mountains and rainforests.
On the coast to the Atlantic there are eight mud banks, an average of 20 km wide, which extend about 15 km into the ocean. Most of the silt (90 – 95%) is transported through the Amazon into the Atlantic and washed as far as Suriname.
The northern coastal plains with are covered with mangrove swamps. A narrow savannah belt connects to the interior of the country. Further south, the hill country turns into a mountain country covered by tropical rainforest. Numerous rivers flow in this region.
Waters
Significant rivers in the country are the Suriname, Saramacca, Coppename and the border rivers Corantijn and Marowijne. Their direction of flow is always from south to north.
In the 1960s, the 1,560 square kilometer Blommesteinsee was created in the northeast of Suriname, a reservoir that is used to generate electricity.
Suriname climate
In Suriname, just above the equator, the climate is tropical moist hot. Twice a year there are wet seasons, in the small rainy season from the beginning of December to the beginning of February as well as in the large rainy season and from the end of April to the middle of August. The short dry season is from the beginning of February to the end of April, the great dry season from mid-August to the beginning of December. The average maximum temperature is between 24 and 36 ° C.
The conditions in the lowlands and coastal regions are always warm to hot with high humidity, and it can be physically stressful here.
Inland, the temperatures are slightly lower and the humidity is lower with only one rainy season from April to September.
The amount of rain increases from the coast (about 1,500 mm) to the interior (in the southeast almost 3,000).
