Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/225.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 10.3 KB | 370 lines

@node Geography (Suriname)
@section Geography (Suriname)

@display

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between French
  Guiana and Guyana
Map references:
  South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  163,270 km2
 land area:
  161,470 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries:
  total 1,707 km, Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Coastline:
  386 km
Maritime claims:
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and Riviere Marouini
  (both headwaters of the Lawa); claims area in Guyana between New (Upper
  Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)
Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
  mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Natural resources:
  timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp, bauxite, iron ore, and small
  amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold
Land use:
 arable land:
  0%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  0%
 forest and woodland:
  97%
 other:
  3%
Irrigated land:
  590 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  mostly tropical rain forest



@end display

@node People (Suriname)
@section People (Suriname)

@display

Population:
  416,321 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  1.54% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  25.85 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  6.1 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:   -4.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  32.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  69.14 years
 male:
  66.65 years
 female:
  71.76 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  2.85 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Surinamer(s)
 adjective:
  Surinamese
Ethnic divisions:
  Hindustani (East Indian) 37%, Creole (black and mixed) 31%, Javanese 15.3%,
  Bush black 10.3%, Amerindian 2.6%, Chinese 1.7%, Europeans 1%, other 1.1%
Religions:
  Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2%
  (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%
Languages:
  Dutch (official), English widely spoken, Sranan Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes
  called Taki-Taki) is native language of Creoles and much of the younger
  population and is lingua franca among others, Hindi Suriname Hindustani (a
  variant of Bhoqpuri), Javanese
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:
  95%
 male:
  95%
 female:
  95%
Labor force:
  104,000 (1984)
 by occupation:
  NA



@end display

@node Government (Suriname)
@section Government (Suriname)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Republic of Suriname
 conventional short form:
  Suriname
 local long form:
  Republiek Suriname
 local short form:
  Suriname
 former:
  Netherlands Guiana Dutch Guiana
Digraph:
  NS
Type:
  republic
Capital:
  Paramaribo
Administrative divisions:
  10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne,
  Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini,
  Wanica
Independence:
  25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)
Constitution:
  ratified 30 September 1987
Legal system:
  NA
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Political parties and leaders:
  The New Front (NF), leader NA, a coalition of four parties (NPS, VHP, KTPI,
  SPA); Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath LACHMON; National Party of
  Suriname (NPS), Ronald VENETIAAN; Party of National Unity and Solidarity
  (KTPI), Willy SOEMITA; Suriname Labor Party (SPA) Fred DARBY; Democratic
  Alternative '91 (DA '91), Winston JESSURUN, a coalition of four parties (AF,
  HPP, Pendawa Lima, BEP) formed in January 1991; Alternative Forum (AF),
  Gerard BRUNINGS, Winston JESSURUN; Reformed Progressive Party (HPP), Panalal
  PARMESSAR; Party for Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP), Cipriano
  ALLENDY; Pendawa Lima, Marsha JAMIN; National Democratic Party (NDP), Desire
  BOUTERSE; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan
  KROLIS, chairman; National Republic Party (PNR), Robin RAVALES
Other political or pressure groups:
  Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA), Ronnie BRUNSWIJK, Johan "Castro" WALLY;
  Union for Liberation and Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG; Saramaccaner Bosneger
  Angula Movement, Carlos MAASSI; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement,
  Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 President:
  last held 6 September 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996); results - elected
  by the National Assembly - Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) 80% (645 votes), Jules
  WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) 14% (115 votes), Hans PRADE (DA '91) 6% (49 votes)
 National Assembly:
  last held 25 May 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996); results - percent of
  vote NA; seats - (51 total) NF 30, NDP 10, DA '91 9, Independent 2



@end display

@node Government (Suriname 2. usage)
@section Government (Suriname 2. usage)

@display

Executive branch:
  president, vice president and prime minister, Cabinet of Ministers, Council
  of State; note - Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains
  significant power
Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President Ronald R. VENETIAAN (since 16 September 1991); Vice President and
  Prime Minister Jules R. AJODHIA (since 16 September 1991)
Member of:
  ACP, CARICOM (observer), ECLAC, FAO, GATT, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT
 chancery:
  Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:
  [phone] or 7490 through 7492
 consulate general:
  Miami
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador John (Jack) P. LEONARD
 embassy:
  Dr. Sophie Redmonstraat 129, Paramaribo
 mailing address:
  P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo
 telephone:
  [597] 472900, 477881, or 476459
 FAX:
  [597] 410025
Flag:
  five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple
  width), white, and green (double width); there is a large yellow
  five-pointed star centered in the red band



@end display

@node Economy (Suriname)
@section Economy (Suriname)

@display

Overview:
  The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for 15% of
  GDP and about 70% of export earnings. The economy has been in trouble since
  the Dutch ended development aid in 1982. A drop in world bauxite prices
  which started in the late 1970s and continued until late 1986 was followed
  by the outbreak of a guerrilla insurgency in the interior that crippled the
  important bauxite sector. Although the insurgency has since ebbed and the
  bauxite sector recovered, a military coup in December 1990 reflected
  continued political instability and deterred investment and economic reform.
  High inflation, high unemployment, widespread black market activity, and
  hard currency shortfalls continue to mark the economy.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.35 billion (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  -2.5% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
  $3,300 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  26% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
  16.5% (1990)
Budget:
  revenues $466 million; expenditures $716 million, including capital
  expenditures of $123 million (1989 est.)
Exports:
  $417 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
 partners:
  Norway 36%, Netherlands 28%, US 11%, Japan 7%, Brazil 5%, UK 5% (1989)
Imports:
  $514 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods
 partners:
  US 41%, Netherlands 24%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Brazil 4% (1989)
External debt:
  $138 million (1990 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate -5.0% (1991 est.); accounts for 27% of GDP
Electricity:
  458,000 kW capacity; 2,018 million kWh produced, 4,920 kWh per capita (1992)
Industries:
  bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing,
  fishing
Agriculture:
  accounts for 10.4% of GDP and 25% of export earnings; paddy rice planted on
  85% of arable land and represents 60% of total farm output; other products -
  bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts, beef, chicken; shrimp
  and forestry products of increasing importance; self-sufficient in most
  foods
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion
Currency:
  1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
  Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1 - 1.7850 (fixed rate
  until October 1992), 25.04 (January 1992)



@end display

@node Economy (Suriname 2. usage)
@section Economy (Suriname 2. usage)

@display

Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Suriname)
@section Communications (Suriname)

@display

Railroads:
  166 km total; 86 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned, and 80 km
  1.435-meter standard gauge; all single track
Highways:
  8,300 km total; 500 km paved; 5,400 km bauxite gravel, crushed stone, or
  improved earth; 2,400 km sand or clay
Inland waterways:
  1,200 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts
  ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways
Ports:
  Paramaribo, Moengo, Nicuw Nickerie
Merchant marine:
  3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,472 GRT/8,914 DWT; includes 2 cargo,
  1 container
Airports:
 total:
  46
 usable:
  39
 with permanent-surface runways:
  6
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  1
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  3
Telecommunications:
  international facilities good; domestic microwave system; 27,500 telephones;
  broadcast stations - 5 AM, 14 FM, 6 TV, 1 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean
  INTELSAT earth stations



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Suriname)
@section Defense Forces (Suriname)

@display

Branches:
  National Army (including Navy which is company-size, small Air Force
  element), Civil Police
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 111,716; fit for military service 66,429 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP



@end display