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Introduction: SURINAME
Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956. Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war for all but 10 years of this period (1972-82). The wars are rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. Since 1983, the war and war- and famine-related effects have led to more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people displaced. The ruling regime is a mixture of military elite and an Islamist party that came to power in a 1989 coup. Some northern opposition parties have made common cause with the southern rebels and entered the war as a part of an anti-government alliance. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-03 with the signing of several accords, including a cease-fire agreement.
GEOGRAPHY
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form: Suriname
local long form: Republiek Suriname
local short form: Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
Capital: Paramaribo
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
Geographic Coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W
Area: total: 163,270 sq km
land: 161,470 sq km
water: 1,800 sq km
Area Comparative: slightly larger than Georgia
Land Boundaries: total: 1,707 km
border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Elavation Extremes: lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m
Natural Resources: timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore
GOVERNEMENT
Governement Type: constitutional democracy
Administratives Divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
Independence 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)
National Holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987
Legal System; based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch: chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger People's United Assembly (869 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms; election last held 25 May 2000 (next to be held 25 May 2005)
Legislative Branch: unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 2 May 2000 (next to be held May 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NF 33, MC 10, DNP-2000 3, DA-91 2, PVF 2, PALU 1
Judicial Branch: Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court (justices are nominated for life)
Political parties and Leaders: A-Combinatie (coalition of Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP [Caprino ALENDY], General Interior Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK], Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU [Jim HOK], Seeka [Paul ABENA]); Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 [Winston JESSURUN], Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a coalition includes National Party Suriname or NPS (Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ram SARDJOE], Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Marten Schalkwijk]; People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression, Justice, and Perserverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL [Raymond SAPOEN]); Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj PANDAY]
PEOPLE
Population: 438,144 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.6% (male 66,537/female 63,182)
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 144,285/female 136,942)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 12,092/female 15,106) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 26.13 years
male: 25.72 years
female: 26.58 years (2005 est.)
Nationality: noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese
Ethnic groups: Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%
Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%
Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
COMUNICATIONS
Telephones - main lines in use: 79,800 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 168,100 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)
Internet country code: .sr
Internet hosts: 18 (2003)
Internet users: 20,000 (2002)
TRANSPORT
Railways:  
Highways: total: 4,492 km
paved: 1,168 km
unpaved: 3,324 km (2002)
Waterways: 1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2003)
Pipelines: oil 51 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen
Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2005)
Airports: 46 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)
Heliports:  
 
 
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