Suriname is a former Dutch colony that lies on the north east coast of South America (view map South-America).

The connection between United States of America and Suriname
- In 1667 “New Amsterdam”, modern New York, a former Dutch colony, was exchanged for Suriname.                     
- Alcoa a US company was mining bauxite to produce aluminum to build war equipment and airplanes.            
- Surinames' international airport was built by America during the second world war to enable them to refuel their airplanes.
- Jan Matzeliger the inventor of the shoe-lasting machine was born in Suriname in 1852. At the age of 18, he immigrated to the United States.      Matzeliger's invention improved the process and working conditions of shoe making which reduced the price of shoes by 50% percent and  made  it affordable for ordinary people.

Geography
Suriname is 163,194 sq. km. (63,037 sq. mi.); slightly larger than the state of Georgia. Suriname is one of the few spots in the world with a
tropical rain forest and is the second smallest nation of the South American continent. It is the least explored and least densely inhabited
tropical country in the world. Suriname consist of # 420.000 inhabitants and is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the Americas.

History
It is said that the name Suriname is based on the name of the tribe Surinen, the original inhabitants of Suriname. This tribe was chased away by
the other indian tribes, Caribs, Arowaks and Waraus. The Europeans first learned about Suriname and the other Guyana'sin 1498 by Christopher
Columbus but the Dutch settlement began in 1616. The Guyana's were Dutch Guyana, British Guyana and French Guiana.
In the first half of the 18th century, agriculture flourished in Suriname. African slaves did most of the work on the plantations. The treatment
was bad, and many slaves escaped to the jungle. These runaway slaves were named Maroons (also known as "Djukas" or "Bush Negroes").
The Dutch abolished slavery in 1863, the last European nation to do so. The slaves however were not free until 1873 because they were forced to
sign an employment contract with the plantain owners, which expired in 1873. After the abolition the former slaves and their descendants
refused to work on the plantains and were employed in the wood industry, mine industry and in the service sector. Imported laborers took their
place on the plantains. They were imported from the Netherlands East Indies, mostly Chinese inhabitants of that colony. After 1873, Hindu
laborers were imported from India, but when Gandhi ended the emigration of the Indies in 1916, laborers were again imported from the
Netherlands East Indies, especially Java. The imported laborers were free to return to their country after the expiration of their contract but
most of them stayed in Suriname. In 1975 Suriname became independent.                                 

Population
Suriname is ethnic very divers. The largest ethnic groups are the Hindustani (East Indian), Creole (African descendants), Javanese,  Maroon, Amerindians, Chinese, lebanese, Jewish, Dutch immigrants aka Boeroe (boeroe means farmer in the local language) there is also a large group of mixed races caused by interracial marriages and relationships.

Religion
Christian 41%, Hindu 20%, Islam 13%, other 26%

Language
Dutch is the official language, Surinamese, (Sranan Tongo) is the local language and is considered to be the second language.
The other frequent spoken languages are the:
Asian languages: Sarnami Hindu, Javanese and Chinese.
Maroon languages: Aucaans, Saramaccaans, Paramacaans, Boni, Kwinti and Matawai.
Amerindian languages: determined in 3 language categories: Caribs; Kalima of Caraïbisch,Trio and Wayana , Arowaks; Lokono, Waraus; Waraus

Education
Literacy -90 percentage. Compulsory age 6-12.

Health
Infant mortality rate (2000)--27.1/1,000. Life expectancy (2003)--71 yrs.                                                                                      

Work force
Work force (100,000): Government 35%; private sector 41%; divers companies 10%; unemployed 14%.