In all three Guyana’s there once lived the indigenous peoples named “Surinen”. From this word the name Suriname is probably derived. Suriname is also revered to as: “The beating heart of the Amazon”

Motto: Justitia – Pietas – Fides (Latin)

Location: The Republic of Suriname is situated at the continent of South America just North of the Equator. The country is bordered in the South by the Federal Republic of Brazil, in the North by the Atlantic Ocean, in the East by the French Overseas Department of French Guyana and in the West by the former British colony Guyana, now the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

Capital: On the West Bank of the Suriname River lies the capital city Paramaribo. The name is supposedly derived from “Parmurbo” – an indigenous village dating back to the seventeenth century. Paramaribo is an extended city with view tall buildings. Its white painted monumental buildings with foundation of red brick distinguish the historic city center. In 2002, the United Nations Cultural Organization UNESCO placed the inner city of Paramaribo on the World Heritage List, because of its historic importance. Paramaribo is also known as the “wooden city” of the Caribbean and Latin America.

Population: Suriname has 490,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate); average annual rate of natural increase is 1.5 percent. The population in the capital is approximately 240.000 residents. the inhabitants of Suriname forefathers came from all over the world. The varied composition of the population dates back to the colonial period. The original inhabitants, the indigenous Amerindian people had to deal with European domination, with particular reference to Dutch dominance. Ever since 1650 the colonial rulers forced Africans into slavery and send them to Suriname. There descendants are known as Afro-Surinamers or Creoles. The Maroons are descendants of runaway slaves.

After the abolition of slavery in 1863, contract laborers from China, India and Indonesia came to work on the Suriname plantations. During the colonial period Jews, Lebanese and Europeans immigrated to Suriname and long afterwards, Haitians, Brazilians, Chinese and Guyanese decided to make Suriname their home as well.