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Geography
Located on the north-east coast of South America between 2 and 6 degrees
north of the equator, Suriname offers an enjoyable tropical climate
throughout the year. To the west is Guyana while its eastern neighbor is
French-Guiana. The south border with Brazil is formed by three mountain
stretches, while the Atlantic seashore constitutes Suriname’s northern
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Area
63,250 square miles (=164.000 square km).
Climate
The climate is warm and humid; temperatures average about 27°C (81°F). Even
at night, the temperature rarely drops below 24°C (75°F). At mid-day during
the dry seasons the temperature may reach 36°C (96°F) in the shade. The
constant trade winds bring some cooling relief.
September and October are the warmest months, and the coolest are January
and February.
Capital
Paramaribo, the capital is located at the mouth of the Suriname River. The
city has some 250.000 inhabitants. The vast, undisturbed interior is part of
the Amazon rainforest. Here the earth folds into mountain ridges with tops
up to 1.200 meters.
Government
Parliamentary democracy, with elections every 5 years.
Population
422.000 inhabitants mainly of Amerindian,
African, East-Indian, Indonesian,
Chinese and Dutch origin.
· Hindustani (descendants of East-Indian indentured labourers)
37%
·
Creoles
31%
· Javanese (descendants of Indonesian indentured labourers)
15%
· Bush Negroes (descendants of African slaves)
10%
· Amerindians, Chinese
etc.
7%
Languages
The official language, Dutch, is taught
in the schools and used by government employees and the media. All
Surinamers also speak Sranantongo, the local lingua franca. The different
cultural groups each speak their own language: Amerindians speak in Karaïb
or Arowak; Maroons in Aucaans or Saramaccan; East-Indians communicate in
Sarnami Hindostani, based on Hindi; and Indonesians use a Javanese language.
The major languages spoken by the Chinese are Hakka and Mandarin. Brazilian
gold miners and ladies of the night have introduced Portuguese words.
Many people in Paramaribo speak English, especially at the tourist spots.
High school students are required to study English and Spanish is usually
their second foreign language
Religions
Roman Catholic, Reformed Christian, Hindu, Islam, Judaism and more are
practiced peaceful next to each other.
History and Culture
In 1650 England established the first European settlement on the Suriname
River. In 1662 a Jewish community from Brazil immigrated and established
more then 40 sugar cane plantations alongside the Suriname River. In 1667
the Dutch admiral Abraham Crijnssen conquered Suriname and it so became a
colony of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Development through plantations
was confined to a narrow coastal strip. Runaway slaves founded many
successful communities in the remote interior. From 1845 Dutch farmers and
indentured laborers from various nations such as China, Indonesia and India
were brought in. In 1975 Suriname became an independent democratic republic
and on February 25, 1980, army sergeants led by Desi Bouterse staged a coup
and instituted a military regime. In 1992 democracy was restored.
Economy
Suriname has a great stock of natural resources, of which bauxite, timber,
bananas and rice are the largest export components. Almost 80 % of the
country exists of unspoiled tropical rainforest, with breathtaking
mountains, rapids, waterfalls, exotic flora and fauna, which provide unique
opportunities for eco-tourism. Many tour operators offer interesting trips
to various places in the coastal area and in the remote interior. The
government, together with private organizations, is now focusing on
sustainable eco-tourism development programs.
Banking hours
For standard banking procedures opening hours are on Mondays to Fridays from
07.30 a.m. to 13.30 p.m. Many money exchange offices (cambio’s) throughout
Paramaribo offer excellent services from Mondays to Fridays 08.00 a.m. to
24.00 p.m. and Sundays from 12.00 p.m. to 24.00 p.m.
Post offices
Three post offices in Paramaribo; opening hours are Mondays to Fridays from
08.00 a.m. to 14.00 p.m.
Time
Surinam time is two hours later than Eastern Standard Time (EST) in the USA
and three hours earlier than Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in Europe.
Electricity
Voltage is 127V AC at 60 cycles per second.
Telephones
Local and international telephone calls can be made from public phones using
prepaid cards which can be bought at almost every shop and fuel station.
Getting around
There are public mini buses to various neighborhoods; each route has its own
bus station. Taxi available all over Paramaribo and at the hotels.
Internet / e-mail
In Paramaribo one can find several public email and Internet facilities.
Visa
For your trip to Suriname, a visa is required. Applications for visa can be
submitted at the Surinamese Embassy or Consulate in your country. If you
want to visit one of our neighboring countries during your stay in Suriname,
you need to apply for a multiple-entry visa.
Stamping your passport
If you are planning to stay in Suriname longer than a week, you need to
stamp your passport within a week after arrival at Immigrations. Address :
Havenlaan Noord, Nieuwe Haven.
You need to bring along: your passport and ticket.
Airport taxes
Please be notified that departing passengers from the Johan Adolf Pengel International
Airport, must pay an airport tax of $25,-. Payment must be done in American
dollars. Mostly this amount is already included in the price of your ticket.
Airport transfers
You can step on one of the many communal buses or a taxi to transport you to
your hotel or staying address. The bus transport services (and taxi's) are
done by qualified and authorized bus companies.
Currency
The currency is the Surinamese guilder. Also accepted are: American dollars,
Euro, French Francs, travelers cheques. The big hotels also accept the
following credit cards: MasterCard, VISA.
Hotel AaBeCe Mahonielaan
55 Tel.: (597) 420851 - (597) 420852 Fax: (597) 477588 E-mail:aabece@sr.net |
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