Map of Suriname
Suriname is a country in South America with its capital at Paramaribo, home to about 639,850 people across 163,270 km². The interactive map below plots 10 cities and towns, 5 rivers, 2 lakes, 1 mountain summits and 4 ports recorded for Suriname in YearMaps.
- Population
- 639,850
- Area
- 163,270 km²
- Capital
- Paramaribo
- Continent
- South America
Interactive Map of Suriname
Centred on Paramaribo at 5.8350° N, 55.1670° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Suriname
Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country on the northern coast of South America, also considered part of the Caribbean region. Situated slightly north of the equator, over 90% of its territory is covered by rainforest, the second-highest proportion of forest cover in the world. Suriname is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, French Guiana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Guyana to the west. It is the smallest sovereign country in South America by both population and territory, with around 612,985 inhabitants in 2021 in an area of approximately 165,940 square kilometres (64,070 square miles). The capital and largest city is Paramaribo, which is home to roughly half the population.
Suriname was inhabited as early as the fourth millennium BC by various Indigenous peoples, including the Lokono, Kalina, and Wayana. Europeans arrived and contested the area in the 16th century, with the Dutch controlling much of the country's current territory by the late 17th century. Under Dutch rule, Suriname was a lucrative plantation colony focused mostly on sugar; its economy was driven by African slave labour until the abolition of slavery in 1863. Approximately 300,000 enslaved Africans were taken to Suriname during the transatlantic slave trade, from the mid-1600s to the early 1800s. After 1863, indentured servants were recruited mostly from British India and the Dutch East Indies. In 1954, Suriname became a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. On 25 November 1975, it became independent following negotiations with the Dutch government. Suriname continues to maintain close diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties with the Netherlands. Surinamese culture and society strongly reflect the legacy of Dutch colonial rule.
Suriname is the only independent state outside Europe where Dutch is the official and prevailing language of government, business, media, and education; an estimated 60% of the population speaks Dutch as a native language. Sranan Tongo, an English-based creole language, is a widely used lingua franca and English itself is also widely spoken, understood and used. Most Surinamese are descendants of slaves brought from Africa by Europeans, and indentured labourers brought from Asia by the Dutch. Suriname is highly diverse, with no ethnic group forming a majority; proportionally, its Muslim and Hindu populations are some of the largest in the Americas. Most people live along the northern coast, centred on Paramaribo, making Suriname one of the least densely populated countries on Earth.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Suriname (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Suriname
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.
- Location
- Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana.
- Climate
- Tropical; moderated by trade winds.
- Terrain
- Mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps.
- Highest point
- Juliana Top 1,230 m.
- Lowest point
- Unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m.
- Coastline
- 386 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 1,907 km; border countries: Brazil 515 km; French Guiana 556 km; Guyana 836 km.
- Natural resources
- Timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 0.4% (2023 est.); arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 0.1% (2023 est.); forest: 91.7% (2023 est.); other: 7.9% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Flooding.
- Geographic note
- Smallest independent country on the South American continent; mostly tropical rainforest; great diversity of flora and fauna; relatively small population, mostly along the coast.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.)
- Economy
- 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.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Suriname in Numbers
- Population
- 639,850
- GDP
- US$4.5 billion
- GDP per person
- US$7,070
- Life expectancy
- 73.8 years
- Population growth
- 0.85% a year
- Population density
- 4 per km²
- Urban population
- 65.8%
- Surface area
- 163,820 km²
- Forest cover
- 91.5%
- Arable land
- 0.3%
- Access to electricity
- 99.0%
- Internet users
- 87.4%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Suriname in Depth
History
Indigenous settlement of Suriname dates back to 3,000 BC. The largest tribes were the Lokono, a nomadic coastal tribe that subsisted on hunting, foraging and fishing. The Lokono represent the first described inhabitants in the area. The Carib also settled in the area and conquered the Lokono by using their superior sailing ships. They settled in Galibi (Kupali Yumï, meaning "tree of the forefathers") at the mouth of the Marowijne River. While the larger Lokono and Carib tribes lived along the coast and savanna, smaller groups of indigenous people lived in the inland rainforest, such as the Akurio, Trió, Warao, and Wayana.
Beginning in the 16th century, French, Spanish and English explorers visited the area.
Geography
Suriname is the smallest sovereign country in South America. Situated on the Guiana Shield, it lies mostly between latitudes 1° and 6°N, and longitudes 54° and 58°W. 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 two main mountain ranges are the Bakhuis Mountains and the Van Asch Van Wijck Mountains. Julianatop is the highest mountain in the country at 1,286 metres (4,219 ft) above sea level.
Economy
Suriname's democracy gained some strength after the turbulent 1990s, and its economy became more diversified and less dependent on Dutch financial assistance. Bauxite (aluminium ore) mining used to be a strong revenue source, since before the independence of the country up to 2015. Because Alcoa stopped all bauxite operations, the bauxite era in Suriname also ended.
The discovery, exploration and exploitation of oil and gold in modern times contributes substantially to Suriname's economic independence. Agriculture, especially rice and bananas, remains a strong component of the economy, and ecotourism is providing new economic opportunities. More than 93% of Suriname's landmass consists of unspoiled rainforest.
Demographics
In 2022, Suriname had a population of roughly 624,900 according to estimates by the United Nations. This compares to 541,638 inhabitants from the 2012 census. The Surinamese populace is characterized by high levels of diversity, wherein no particular demographic group constitutes a majority. This is a legacy of centuries of Dutch rule, which entailed successive periods of forced, contracted, or voluntary migration by various nationalities and ethnic groups from around the world.
The national capital, Paramaribo, is by far the dominant urban area, accounting for nearly half of Suriname's population and most of its urban residents.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Suriname (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Suriname: Key Facts
| Currency | Surinamese dollar |
|---|---|
| Official language | Dutch |
| Head of state | Jennifer Geerlings-Simons |
| Head of government | Jennifer Geerlings-Simons |
| Form of government | republic |
| Calling code | +597 |
| Internet domain | .sr |
| Highest point | Julianatop |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean |
| Established | 25 November 1975 |
Facts from Wikidata Q730 (CC0).
History of Suriname: Empires and States
The atlas records 7 polities whose mapped territory included part of Suriname, from English Colonial Empire in 1653 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| English Colonial Empire | 1653–1669 CE | A large part |
| Kingdom of England | 1653–1669 CE | A large part |
| New Netherland | 1670–1799 CE | A large part |
| British Colonial Empire | 1799–1819 CE | Most |
| The British Empire | 1799–1819 CE | Most |
| Netherlands Antilles | 1820–2023 CE | Most |
| Republic of Suriname | 1976–2024 CE | Most |
Historical Maps of Suriname
Suriname on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Suriname
Suriname (pronounced "surinam", or something like "SOOR-ee-nahm" for English speakers) is a small republic on the northeast coast of South America. It prides itself on its thoroughly multi-ethnic culture, a colourful blend of indigenous ("Amerindian") traditions, those of its former Dutch colonisers, and especially those of the African, Javanese, and South Asian ("Hindustani") workers they once invited or trafficked in. It's a country with a fabulous and largely untouched Amazon Rainforest inland, slowly discovering its chances as an ecotourism destination. International visitors are steadily following Dutch travellers who have long been drawn to this friendly, tropical country to explore its spectacular nature, captivating cultural heritage and meet its ever smiling people.
Formerly called Dutch Guiana, Suriname is tucked in between French Guiana in the east and Guyana (formerly British Guiana) in the west. Like these countries, it has more cultural and economic ties to the Caribbean than to the rest of South America.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Suriname (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Suriname
10 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paramaribo | 254,169 | Paramaribo | National capital |
| 2 | Cottica | 29,210 | Sipaliwini | Populated place |
| 3 | Nieuw Nickerie | 15,992 | Nickerie | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Brokopondo | 8,340 | Brokopondo | Admin-1 capital |
| 5 | Moengo | 7,766 | Marowijne | Populated place |
| 6 | Nieuw Amsterdam | 4,935 | Commewijne | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | Brownsweg | 4,582 | Brokopondo | Populated place |
| 8 | Groningen | 3,216 | Saramacca | Admin-1 capital |
| 9 | Onverwacht | 2,105 | Para | Admin-1 capital |
| 10 | Totness | 1,685 | Coronie | Admin-1 capital |
Highest Mountains in Suriname
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julianatop | 1,230 m | 4,035 ft | South America |
Julianatop
Mountain · 1,230 m
Julianatop is a mountain rising to 1,230 metres (4,035 ft) in Suriname, in the South America region.
Julianatop (Dutch pronunciation: [jyliˈjaːnaːˌtɔp]) is the highest mountain in Suriname at 1,280 metres (4,199 ft). It is located in the Sipaliwini District. The mountain is named after Juliana of the Netherlands. The Amerindian name of the mountain is Ipinumin (He who stands alone).
The Julianatop is located in the Central Suriname Nature Reserve.[2]
The summit was reached for the first time in 1963 by an expedition consisting of Mr. A.P.L. Nunes (GMD - Geologisch Mijnbouwkundige dienst) J.P. Schulz and J. Tawjoeran (both from LBB - Lands Bosbeheer), and S. Ligori from the Suriname Museum. The indigenous expedition member John Tawjoeran hoisted the Surinamese flag (the flag with five stars) in a tree.
The expedition arrived at the Kayser Mountains airstrip on June 29, 1963. From there, they followed the Zuid River by korjaal Surinamese canoe) to its confluence with the Lucie River, which they then followed upstream for approximately 15 km to where the Lucie River meets the Oost River. The base camp was established here.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Julianatop (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 1,230 m (4,035 ft)
- Global rank
- #528 of 641 indexed
- Region
- South America (#41)
- Country
- Suriname
- Coordinates
- 3.6830°, -56.5419°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Julianatop ranks #528 by elevation, below La Soufrière (1,234 m) and above Kiska Volcano (1,220 m).
- Ranges:
- Wilhelmina Gebergte (South America), Tumuc-Humac Mountains (South America)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Mount Roraima (2,772 m), Aripo Peak (940 m), Cerro Marahuaca (2,832 m)
- Settlements below:
- Cottica (257 km), Paramaribo (284 km), New Amsterdam (306 km)
More about Julianatop
Julianatop: Key Facts
| Mountain range | Wilhelmina Mountains |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q1549215 (CC0).
Largest Lakes in Suriname
2 lakes recorded. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professor Doctor Ingenieur W. J. Van Blommestein Meer | 1,855 km² | Reservoir |
| 2 | Kabalebo Dam | 1,652 km² | Reservoir |
Rivers in Suriname
5 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
| Name | Type | Also Flows Through |
|---|---|---|
| Courantyne | River | Guyana |
| Kabalebo | River | — |
| Litani | River | France |
| Maroni | River | France |
| Suriname | River | — |
Ports in Suriname
4 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moengo | 56.7 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of South America | large vessels |
| 2 | Paranam | 53 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of South America | large vessels |
| 3 | Paramaribo | 53 m | Small | Atlantic Coast of South America | large vessels |
| 4 | Nieuw Nickerie | 53 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of South America | medium vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Suriname
3 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Suriname Nature Reserve | 2000 | Natural | (ix) (x) |
| 2 | Historic Inner City of Paramaribo | 2002 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) |
| 3 | Jodensavanne | 2023 | Cultural | (iv) (vi) |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Suriname
4 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South America | 17.91M km² | Continent | South America |
| 2 | Guiana Shield | 348,461 km² | Plateau | South America |
| 3 | Wilhelmina Gebergte | 32,473 km² | Range/mtn | South America |
| 4 | Tumuc-Humac Mountains | 16,058 km² | Range/mtn | South America |
Countries Bordering Suriname
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in South America
Suriname: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Suriname?
- The capital of Suriname is Paramaribo.
- What is the population of Suriname?
- Suriname has a population of about 639,850, the #169 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Suriname?
- Suriname covers 163,270 km², ranking #94 by area, with about 4 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Suriname in?
- Suriname is in South America.
- Which countries border Suriname?
- Suriname shares a land or maritime border with France, Brazil, Guyana.
- What is the largest city in Suriname?
- Paramaribo is the largest city in Suriname, with a metropolitan population of about 254,169.
- What is the highest mountain in Suriname?
- The highest summit recorded for Suriname in YearMaps is Julianatop at 1,230 m (4,035 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.
- What is the largest lake in Suriname?
- The largest lake recorded in or bordering Suriname is Professor Doctor Ingenieur W. J. Van Blommestein Meer, at roughly 1,855 km².