Long-form name: Republic of Suriname

Type: republic

Capital: Paramaribo

Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular--distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands; formerly Netherlands Guiana or Dutch Guiana)

Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system: NA

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Executive branch: president, vice president and prime minister, Cabinet of Ministers, Council of State; note--commander in chief of the National Army maintains significant power

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Ramsewak SHANKAR (since 25 January 1988); Vice President and Prime Minister Henck Alfonsus Eugene ARRON (since 25 January 1988)

Political parties and leaders: 25 February Movement established by Lt. Col. Desire Bouterse in November 1983, but much of its activity taken over by New Democratic Party (NDP) in May 1987; leftists (all small groups)--Revolutionary People's Party (RVP), Michael Naarendorp; Progressive Workers and Farmers (PALU), Iwan Krolis; traditional parties--Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath Lachmon; National Party of Suriname (NPS), Henck Arron; Indonesian Peasants Party (KTPI), Willy Soemita; the VHP, NPS, and KTPI formed a coalition known as The Front in July 1987 that overwhelmingly defeated the NDP in the November 1987 elections

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections: National Assembly--last held 25 November 1987 (next to be held November 1992); results--The Front 80%, others 20%; seats--(51 total) The Front 40, NDP 3, PALU 4, Pendawa Llwa 4

Member of: ACP, ECLA, FAO, GATT, G-77, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT; Chancery at Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-7488 or 7490 through 7492; there is a Surinamese Consulate General in Miami; US--Ambassador Richard HOWLAND; Embassy at Dr. Sophie Redmonstraat 129, Paramaribo (mailing address is P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo); telephone p597o 72900 or 76459

Flag: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band

NOTE: The information regarding Suriname on this page is re-published from the 1990 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Suriname Government 1990 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Suriname Government 1990 should be addressed to the CIA.