Suriname is located in the northeastern part of South America. The country has long been part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Suriname has been inhabited for thousands of years. The first to settle here permanently were the Surrine, who were again driven out by the Aroquans. In the following centuries, many different tribes settled here. At the end of the 15th century it was the explorer Chistoffer Columbus who was the first European to sail off the coast.
It was the explorers Amerigo Vespucci and Alonso de Ojeda who were the first to set foot on Europeans here. However, it was the Dutch who came to the country several times at the end of the 16th century to get raw materials and a few years later the West India Company was granted patent rights in this area. In the following years the area came into Dutch and English hands, after which the Netherlands exchanged the area with the English for New Netherland, the area where New York is now located. By the way, it didn’t stop the English from conquering the area a few more times. This part is neighboring Guiana, which was known as British Guiana for its independence.
Over the centuries, many sugar cane plantations were built in Suriname, where thousands of slaves were put to work. Coffee plantations were added later. The Netherlands did not abolish slavery in Suriname until 1863, as one of the last Western countries in the world. The former slaves, however, were obliged to continue working on the plantations for a minimum of ten years. Now, for a small fee. In the beginning of the 20th century, rubber, gold and mainly bauxite were found in Suriname, which led to a great economic growth of the country. In 1940, the first step towards an independent Suriname was taken, with the result that in 1954 an independent country became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and in 1975 Suriname became an independent republic.
The period after this is anything but calm, there have been several coups, Desi Bouterse has ruled the country for several years as a dictator and several coups have been committed. The most important income of the country comes from the natural resources that the country has, such as wood, bauxite, gold and porcelain earth. However, it is a poor country and around 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Tips:
Paramaribo
Paramaribo is one of the most beautiful places in Suriname and especially the historic center of the city with the wooden Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, Fort Zeelandia and the Independence Square. The Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral is one of the largest wooden structures in South America. The priest Peerke Donders is buried in the cathedral. Paramaribo also houses the Fort Nieuw Amsterdam Open Air Museum. Just outside the city lies the 1,500 meter long Jules Wijdenbosch bridge over the Suriname river. In the Keizerstraat in Suriname, the Synagogue and the mosque stand brotherly next to each other.
Brokopondo lake, plantations
A visit to Suriname is not complete until you have visited the beautiful interior and the Brokopondo lake. There are still a few colonial plantations in the Commewijne district, many of which are completely overgrown and others are still used as coffee plantations.
