Suriname Government

What is the capital of Suriname?

Country Name Suriname
Full Country Name Republic of Suriname
Local - Long Republiek Suriname
Local - Short Suriname
Former Name Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
Etymology- history of name 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
Capital - geographic coordinate 5 50 N, 55 10 W
Capital Time Difference UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence 25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)
National Holiday Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Constitution previous 1975; latest ratified 30 September 1987, effective 30 October 1987; amended 1992

Suriname Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Suriname Government and Politics

Who is the president of Suriname?

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: Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI elected president unopposed; National Assembly vote - NA
Citizenship Criteria: 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
Legal System: civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law; note - the Commissie Nieuw Surinaamse Burgerlijk Wetboek completed drafting a new civil code in February 2009
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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 resident 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, with final appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

judge selection and term of office: court judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the High Court; judges appointed for life

subordinate courts: cantonal courts
Regions or States: 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
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 Law Organization Participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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 US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. FAUCHER (since 20 November 2018)

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/
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