Suriname
Where is Suriname located? Suriname forms part of the continent of South America. It is situated in northern South America, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean where it is bordered by Guyana, French Guiana and Brazil.
Suriname population and size Suriname is the smallest country in South America. The approximated area size is 163,820 km sq. It is estimated that Suriname has a population of over 585,800 people with the country’s most populated region being the capital city of Paramaribo.
The capital of Suriname The capital city of Suriname is Paramaribo which is positioned in the north of the country. Paramaribo is the city with the most inhabitants and has an approximate population of 234,000. The city is officially recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site. There are a range of interesting landmarks in the capital city of Suriname including the Fort Zeelandia Museum, Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, Waterkant, Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge, Presidential Palace, Neveh Shalom Jewish Synagogue, Independence Square, Suriname City Mosque, Arya Dewaker Hindu Temple, and the Lutheran Church. Paramaribo is located on the north coast of Suriname and houses nearly 50% of the country's overall population. The name, Paramaribo, derives from the Paramaribo tribe that live on the Suriname River. Steeped in history, this city was home to the first Dutch settlement. Today, the city attracts many tourists, particularly from the Netherlands. Paramaribo is very important as it not only reflects the heritage of Suriname but also supports many major corporations and financial sectors.
Suriname major cities There are several major cities in Suriname, the names of the largest and most important cities and towns include the country’s capital Paramaribo, and Lelydorp and Nieuw Nickerie. The second largest city in Suriname is called Lelydorp. Positioned in the north of the country, Lelydorp has a rich history and provides an important stopping point for people travelling from the capital city of Paramaribo to the airport in Zanderij.
Facts for Kids 1: The National Flag of Suriname features five horizontal bars which run green, white, red, white, and green from top to bottom. The horizontal bars are not equal in size, unlike many other flags across the world. The proportion of the flag is 2:3. The green bars are double width and represent hope and fertility. The central red bar is quadruple width and symbolizes progress and love. The color white divides green from red, and portrays peace, freedom and justice.
Facts for Kids 2: A five pointed golden yellow star lies central to the flag’s design representing unity of the ethnic groups that reside in the country of Suriname. The yellow-golden color of the star symbolizes the light of the nation and their hope for a bright and golden future.
Facts for Kids 3: The flag is used as both the national flag and ensign. An ensign can be described as the national flag, used to identify nationality, when flown on a vessel.
Facts for Kids 4: The Dutch established settlement in Suriname, and in 1667 chose to keep Dutch Guiana. In return, they handed over New Amsterdam to the British. Subsequently, New Amsterdam would be called New York.
Facts for Kids 5: From the time of colonization to the 1950’s, the flag of Dutch Guiana featured the Dutch tricolors. Once granted a degree of self determination by the Dutch, the creation of a flag for the nation of Dutch Guiana began. The flag’s design featured a simple black line ellipse which linked together five stars of different colors; red, white, black, yellow and brown. The stars represent the varying ethnicity of the population of Dutch Guiana, and portray the unity of its people and growth of the nation.
Facts for Kids 6: The nation achieved full independence on 25 November, 1975, and adopted the country’s name of Suriname. The National Flag of Suriname was also introduced on 25 November, 1975 marking the country’s independence and freedom. 25 November is a national holiday in Suriname as Independence Day is commemorated.
Map of Suriname
Geography
The geography of this South American country is interesting as it is located along the Suriname River, on the north-eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean where it is bordered by three territories: Guyana, French Guiana and Brazil. The land in Suriname is covered by rainforest and is rich in flora and fauna, it also features coastal areas where the majority of the country's population live and work.
Climate
The climate of Suriname can be described as hot and tropical due to its close proximity to the equator. Trade winds are known to moderate the temperature somewhat, however, it is still very hot here with temperatures staying roughly the same throughout the year, averaging between 29 and 24 degrees Celsius. The temperature can often seem higher than it actually is as the humidity is particularly high in this part of South America. Dry seasons occur in Suriname between August and November, and February and April, with two wet, rainy seasons occurring in between.
Famous landmarks
There are many notable landmarks, monuments, religious sites and buildings in Suriname, particularly in the capital city of Paramaribo, including the Fort Zeelandia Museum, Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, Waterkant, Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge, Presidential Palace, Neveh Shalom Jewish Synagogue, Independence Square, Suriname City Mosque, Arya Dewaker Hindu Temple, and the Lutheran Church.
Suriname is famous for being the smallest country in South America and the only territory outside the continent of Europe where Dutch is the main official language spoken by most of the population. It is known for being one of the most ethically diverse countries in South America, and the rest of the world, where a multitude of religions and traditions are practiced by its people.
Culture
The official language of Suriname is Dutch, however, English is also widely spoken, and the languages of Sranan, Tongo, Hindsutani, Chinese, French, Spanish and Javanese can also be heard in this part of South America.
The culture of Suriname is heavily influenced by Caribbean traditions as the country forms part of the Caribbean community. Suriname is culturally diverse as it is home to many different ethnic groups and religions including Christian, Catholic, Muslim and Hindu. Religion forms a major part of the lives of many people living in Suriname and numerous religious festivals are celebrated throughout the year across the country. Firework displays, music and cuisine form a large part of celebrations in this part of South America. People from this country enjoy numerous activities including sport. The most popular sport in Suriname is football.
The flag
The national flag of Suriname, designed using four different colors, was first introduced on November 25, 1975, and composes of five horizontal stripes of unequal size which appear as green, white, red, white and green from top to bottom. The Surinamese flag can be recognized by a five pointed yellow-golden star positioned central to its design. The star represents the light of the nation and the hope for a golden future. The colors used on the design of the Suriname flag symbolize the history, geography and hopes of this South American country. Green symbolizes hope and fertility, red indicates love and progress, whilst white portrays peace, justice and freedom.
