Suriname Government - 2024

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

etymology: name may derive from the indigenous "Surinen" people who inhabited the area at the time of European contact

Government type

presidential republic

Capital

name: Paramaribo

geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name may be the corruption of a Carib (Kalina) village or tribe named Parmirbo

Administrative divisions

10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence

25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution

history: previous 1975; latest ratified 30 September 1987, effective 30 October 1987

amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership; amended 1992

Legal system

civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law; note - a new criminal code was enacted in 2017

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Suriname

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI (since 16 July 2020); Vice President Ronnie BRUNSWIJK (since 16 July 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI (since 16 July 2020); Vice President Ronnie BRUNSWIJK (since 16 July 2020)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly; president and vice president serve a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 13 July 2020 (next to be held in May 2025)

election results:2020: Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA

Legislative branch

description: unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members directly elected in 10 multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote, using the D'Hondt method, to serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held on 25 May 2020 (next to be held in May 2025)

election results: percent of vote by party - VHP 41.1%, NDP 29.4%, ABOP 17.6%, NPS 7.8%, other 3.9%; seats by party - VHP 20, NDP 16, ABOP 9, NPS 3, BEP 2, PL 2; composition - men 36, women 15, percent of women 29.4%

Judicial branch

highest court(s): High Court of Justice of Suriname (consists of the court president, vice president, and 4 judges); note - appeals beyond the High Court are referred to the Caribbean Court of Justice; human rights violations can be appealed to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights with judgments issued by the Inter-American Court on Human Rights

judge selection and term of office: court judges appointed by the national president in consultation with the National Assembly, the State Advisory Council, and the Order of Private Attorneys; judges serve for life

subordinate courts: cantonal courts

Political parties and leaders

Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP [Ronnie ASABINA]
Democratic Alternative '91 or DA91 [Angelique DEL CASTILHO]
General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK}
National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire Delano BOUTERSE]
National Party of Suriname or NPS [Gregory RUSLAND]
Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Carl BREEVELD]
Party for National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI [Iwan GANGA]
People's Alliance (Pertjajah Luhur) or PL [Paul SOMOHARDJO]
Progressive Workers' and Farmers' Union or PALU [Jim HOK]
Progressive Reform Party or VHP [Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI]
Reform and Renewal Movement or HVB [Mike NOERSALIM]
Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Guno CASTELEN]

International organization participation

ACP, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jan Marten Willem SCHALKWIJK (since 19 April 2022)

chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 629-4302

FAX: [1] (202) 629-4769

email address and website:
amb.vs@gov.sr

https://surinameembassy.org/index.html

consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. FAUCHER (since 31 January 2023)

embassy: 165 Kristalstraat, Paramaribo

mailing address: 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington DC  20521-3390

telephone: [597] 556-700

FAX: [597] 551-524

email address and website:
caparamar@state.gov

https://sr.usembassy.gov/

Flag description

five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); a large, yellow, five-pointed star is centered in the red band; red stands for progress and love, green symbolizes hope and fertility, white signifies peace, justice, and freedom; the star represents the unity of all ethnic groups; from its yellow light the nation draws strength to bear sacrifices patiently while working toward a golden future

National symbol(s)

royal palm, faya lobi (flower); national colors: green, white, red, yellow

National anthem

name: "God zij met ons Suriname!" (God Be With Our Suriname)

lyrics/music: Cornelis Atses HOEKSTRA and Henry DE ZIEL/Johannes Corstianus DE PUY

note: adopted 1959; originally adapted from a Sunday school song written in 1893 and contains lyrics in both Dutch and Sranang Tongo

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Central Suriname Nature Reserve (n); Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (c); Jodensavanne Archaeological Site: Jodensavanne Settlement and Cassipora Creek Cemetery (c)