Suriname - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Suriname, it was name may derive from the indigenous "Surinen" people who inhabited the area at the time of European contact. The Government system in this country is the presidential republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
National symbols
Royal palm, faya lobi (flower); national colors: green, white, red, yellow.
The flag
The National flag of Suriname has 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.
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The National Anthem
| Title | "God zij met ons Suriname!" (God Be With Our Suriname) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Cornelis Atses HOEKSTRA and Henry DE ZIEL/Johannes Corstianus DE PUY |
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note: adopted 1959; originally adapted from a Sunday school song written in 1893 and contains lyrics in both Dutch and Sranang Tongo
More about the government of Suriname
| Date of Independence | 25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Independence Day, 25 November (1975) |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI (since 16 July 2020) |
| Head of government | President Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI (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 35, women 16, percentage women 31.4% |
| 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 |
| 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 | [email protected] 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 | [email protected] https://sr.usembassy.gov/ |
| 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) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Suriname
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Suriname
Want to know more about Suriname? Check all different factbooks for Suriname below.
