Suriname Geography

What is the terrain and geography like in Suriname?

Overview

Suriname lies on the northeast coast of South America, bordered by French Guiana in the east, Brazil in the south, and by Guyana in the west. Most of the country's 220-mile shoreline on the Atlantic Ocean consists of mud flats and mangrove swamp. Parts of Suriname's boundaries with French Guiana and Guyana are in dispute.

Suriname has a land area of 63,000 square miles (163,000 sq. km.). Most Surinamers, however, live in the 1,900-square-mile narrow coastal plain about 50 KM wide in and around the major population centers of Paramaribo (250,000), Moengo and Nieuw Nickerie (38,000).

Suriname's coastal area is mostly flat. Hills and low mountains reach a maximum height of about 4,000 feet (1,230 meters) in the heavily forested interior. Between these two zones lie the savanna lands, 30-40 miles wide. Large rivers and streams flow through Suriname from south to north, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. Although they provide major transportation routes between the coast and the interior, the number of rivers has proved a historical hindrance to east-west land transportation.

Geography - note

smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

Suriname Use of Natural Resources

Geographic Location	South America
Total Area	63,251 Square Miles 163,820 Square Kilometers
Land Area	60,232 Square Miles 156,000 Square Kilometers
Water Area	3,019 Square Miles 7,820 Square Kilometers
Land Boundaries	1,058 Miles 1,703 Kilometers
Irrigated Land	197 Square Miles 511 Square Kilometers
Border Countries	Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Coastline	240 Miles 386 Kilometers
Geographic Coordinates	4 00 N, 56 00 W
Terrain	mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Highest Point	1,230 Meters
Highest Point Location	Juliana Top 1,230 m
Lowest Point	-2 Meters
Lowest Point Location	unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
Natural Resources	timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore
Time Zone	UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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