Long-form name: Republic of Suriname

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; formerly Netherlands Guiana or Dutch Guiana)

Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system: NA

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

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 VENETIAAN (since 16 September 1991); Vice President and Prime Minister Jules AJODHIA (since 16 September 1991)

Political parties and leaders: traditional ethnic-based parties--The New Front (NF), Henck ARRON, a coalition formed of four parties following the 24 December 1990 military coup--Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath LACHMON; National Party of Suriname (NPS), Henck ARRON; Indonesian Peasants Party (KTPI), Willy SOEMITA; and Suriname Labor Party (SLP), Frank DERBY; promilitary New Democratic Party (NDP), Jules Albert WIJDENBOSCH, Frank PLAYFAIR; Democratic Alternative '91 (DA '91), Gerard BRUNINGS, a coalition of five parties formed in January 1991--Alternative Forum, Gerard BRUNINGS, Winston JESSURUN; Reformed Progressive Party (HPP), Panalall PARMISSER; Party for Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP), Caprino ALLENDY; Pendawalima, Marsha JAMIN; and Independent Progressive Group, Karam RAMSUNDERSINGH; leftists--Revolutionary People's Party (RVP), Michael NAARENDORP; Progressive Workers and Farmers (PALU), Iwan KROLIS

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections: President--last held 6 September 1991 (next to be held 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 May 1996); results--percent of vote NA; seats--(51 total) NF 30, NDP 12, DA '91 9

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: Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT; Chancery at Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-7488 or 7490 through 7492; there is a Surinamese Consulate General in Miami; US--Ambassador John (Jack) P. LEONARD; Embassy at Dr. Sophie Redmonstraat 129, Paramaribo (mailing address is P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo); telephone [597] 72900, 77881, or 76459

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

NOTE: The information regarding Suriname on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Suriname Government 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Suriname Government 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.