Suriname is a small country on the northeastern coast of South America. It’s defined by vast swaths of tropical rainforest, Dutch colonial architecture and a melting-pot culture. On its Atlantic coast is the capital, Paramaribo, where palm gardens grow near Fort Zeelandia, a 17th-century trading post. Paramaribo is also home to Saint Peter and Paul Basilica, a towering wood cathedral consecrated in 1885.
Suriname is strongly influenced by Asian, African, and European cultures. Suriname’s population includes Hindustanis, Creoles, Javanese, Maroons, and Amerindians. The diversity of its population is a point of pride among many Surinamese people.
Population per 2020: 586,634 people. Official language: Dutch
