Suriname
Paramaribo · Americas
Population
617K
Area
163,820 km²
GDP
$4.4B
GDP Per Capita
$6,961.79
Life Expectancy
73.6 yrs
Capital
Paramaribo
Suriname is a country located in South America, with its capital in Paramaribo. As of 2025, it has a population of 617K and covers an area of 163,820 km². The economy of Suriname has a gross domestic product (GDP) of $4.4B (World Bank, 2025), translating to a per-capita income of $6,961.79 with annual economic growth of 1.7%. Life expectancy in Suriname stands at 73.6 years (World Bank, 2025), above the global average of 72 years. The official language is Dutch, and the currency is the Surinamese dollar ($). Suriname shares land borders with 3 countries.
Population Growth — Suriname
GDP Trend (USD)
How Large Is Suriname's Economy?
Suriname's GDP of $4.4B makes it a upper-middle-income economy by World Bank classification. GDP per capita of $6,962 is 48% below the regional average of 13,500 (World Bank, 2025). The economy has contracted 33% over the past decade, from $5.1B in 2013 to $3.5B in 2023. The most recent annual growth rate of 1.7% is below the global median of 3.1% (World Bank, 2025). The unemployment rate of 7.8% is 14% above the regional average of 6.9 (World Bank, 2025). Inflation of 16.2% is severely elevated at 16.2%, a rate that erodes household purchasing power. Suriname's official currency is the Surinamese dollar ($). As a UN member, Suriname participates in multilateral trade frameworks.
GDP
$4.4B
GDP Per Capita
$6,961.79
GDP Growth
1.7%
Unemployment
7.8%
Inflation
16.2%
Currencies
SRD
What Are Suriname's Demographics?
With 617K people, Suriname is a nation of 617K people. At 4 people per km², the country is sparsely populated. Population has grown at 1.0% annually over the past decade (World Bank, 2025). Life expectancy stands at 73.6 years, 1.6 years above the global average of 72 years. Infant mortality of 15.2 per 1,000 live births is 27% above the regional average of 12 (World Bank, 2025). The country's official language is Dutch. Over the past decade, Suriname's population grew from 422K to 629K, adding 207K people.
Population
617K
Life Expectancy
73.6 yrs
Infant Mortality
15.2 per 1k
Literacy Rate
—
Languages
Dutch
CO₂ Per Capita
—
Where Is Suriname Located?
Suriname covers 163,820 km² (63,000 sq miles) and shares land borders with 3 countries. The country sits within the Americas region, South America subregion, spanning South America. Paramaribo serves as the seat of government and administrative capital of Suriname. The country spans 1 time zone. Recognized internationally by ISO codes SR and SUR, Suriname is an independent sovereign state and a full UN member. Its 1 currency (SRD) reflects its participation in multilateral trade and monetary frameworks.
Area
163,820 km²
Region
Americas
Subregion
South America
Capital
Paramaribo
Timezones
UTC-03:00
Continents
South America
Data sourced from World Bank Open Data. Last updated: March 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions about Suriname
What is the population of Suriname?
Suriname has a population of 617K as of 2025, according to World Bank data. Life expectancy is 73.6 years.
What is the capital of Suriname?
The capital of Suriname is Paramaribo. It serves as the country's administrative and political center.
What is the GDP of Suriname?
Suriname's GDP is $4.4B as of 2025 (World Bank). GDP per capita is $6,961.79. The economy grew at 1.7% in 2025.
What is the life expectancy in Suriname?
The average life expectancy in Suriname is 73.6 years (World Bank, 2025), above the global average. The infant mortality rate is 15.2 per 1,000 live births.
What region is Suriname in?
Suriname is located in Americas, specifically in South America. It is part of the continent of South America.
What is the size of Suriname?
Suriname covers an area of 163,820 km² (63,251 square miles). The population density is approximately 3.8 people per km².
What currency does Suriname use?
Suriname uses the Surinamese dollar ($) with currency code SRD.
What language is spoken in Suriname?
The official language of Suriname is Dutch.
Is Suriname a member of the United Nations?
Yes, Suriname is a member of the United Nations.
What is Suriname's GDP?
Suriname's GDP is $4.4B (World Bank, 2025). This places it among Americas's economies by total output.
What is Suriname's GDP per capita?
Suriname's GDP per capita is $6,962, which is 48% below the regional average of 13,500 (World Bank, 2025).
What is Suriname's inflation rate?
Suriname's inflation rate is 16.2%, severely elevated at 16.2%, a rate that erodes household purchasing power (World Bank, 2025).
What is the population density of Suriname?
Suriname has a population density of 4 people per km², making it sparsely populated.
What is the life expectancy in Suriname?
Life expectancy in Suriname is 73.6 years, 1.6 years above the global average of 72 years (World Bank, 2025).
What is the total area of Suriname?
Suriname has a total land area of 163,820 km² (63,000 sq miles). This measurement covers the country's total sovereign territory as recorded by international geographic databases.
How many countries does Suriname border?
Suriname shares land borders with 3 countries (identified by the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 codes: BRA, GUF, GUY). These borders define the country's overland connections to the wider region.
Countries Similar in Population to Suriname
Quick Facts
- Official Name
- Suriname
- Capital
- Paramaribo
- Region
- Americas · South America
- Languages
- Dutch
- Currency
- Surinamese dollar ($)
- UN Member
- Yes
- Independent
- Yes
- ISO Codes
- SR / SUR
Border Countries
Data sources: World Bank (2023), REST Countries API