Welkom! Welcome to the hidden green giant of South America—Suriname, the smallest independent country in South America, tucked away on the northeastern Atlantic coast. There are around 600,000 people living here, and the capital is Paramaribo, a city famous for its unique Dutch colonial wooden architecture. The official language is Dutch, but almost everyone speaks Sranan Tongo (an English-based creole), and you will also hear Sarnami, Javanese, and English, reflecting one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the world.
Suriname covers about 163,820 square kilometers (63,251 square miles). That’s roughly the same size as the state of Georgia in the U.S., or about five times the size of Belgium. It is one of the few places on Earth where more than 90% of the land is covered by pristine, untouched Amazonian rainforest.
The most popular sport is Football, and while the national team is rising, Suriname is legendary for producing world-class players who have historically starred for the Netherlands. Their national animal is the Jaguar, the apex predator of their vast jungles.
The flag consists of five horizontal stripes of green, white, red, white, and green with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center, where the green represents the fertility of the land, the white stands for justice and freedom, the red symbolizes the progress and love of the people, and the yellow star signifies the unity of all ethnic groups.
The food is a spectacular “world kitchen” on a single plate. You must try Pom, a celebratory oven-baked dish made from the taro-like pomtajer root and chicken, brought to the country by Jewish settlers. Another favorite is Moksi Alesi, a mixed rice dish that can include salted meat, fish, and beans. Because of the large Javanese community, Saoto Soup (a fragrant chicken soup) and Bami (fried noodles) are national staples.
Suriname is home to the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, a massive UNESCO World Heritage site that protects one of the most pristine tropical wildernesses on the planet. The country features Voltzberg, a giant granite dome that you can climb for a 360-degree view over the endless emerald canopy. You can visit the Historic Inner City of Paramaribo, where the white wooden buildings and the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral (the largest wooden structure in the Western Hemisphere) are a sight to behold. Interestingly, Suriname is one of the only countries in the world where a Synagogue and a Mosque sit peacefully right next to each other on the same street!
From the sea turtles nesting at Galibi to the rhythmic sounds of Kaseko music, Suriname is a land of vibrant harmony and wild, natural beauty. Dank u wel! That means “Thank you!”