In 2002, the Republic of Suriname was located in Northern South America and had a population of approximately 470,000 people. The country was predominantly Dutch-speaking and its economy was largely driven by mining and forestry products.

According to computerannals, the government of Suriname was led by President Ronald Venetiaan, who had been in power since 2000. At this time, the country was in the midst of a period of economic growth and political stability which allowed for increased investments from abroad.

In 2002, the government focused on rebuilding the country after years of civil war by investing in infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges, as well as providing access to healthcare services for all citizens. It also worked towards strengthening its democracy through various reforms aimed at improving human rights and increasing transparency in government institutions.

In addition, it worked towards improving relations with other countries by increasing trade ties and strengthening regional cooperation initiatives such as those with neighboring countries like Venezuela and Guyana. It also made progress towards becoming a more inclusive society with efforts to improve gender equality and reduce poverty levels among certain groups in society. These efforts included increased access to education for women as well as social welfare programs aimed at helping those living in poverty.

Yearbook 2002

Suriname. The arrival of sixteen Dutch marines in June sparked speculation that former President and Suriname’s strong man Desi Bouterse would be forcibly brought to the Netherlands, where he is wanted for drug offenses and threatened by eleven years in prison.

According to Countryaah website, national day of Suriname is every November 25. The opposition accused the government of using Bouterse as a means of pressure to persuade the Netherlands to release the $ 200 million in annual aid money that Suriname previously received but which was frozen two decades ago. President Runaldo Ronald Venetiaan claimed that the Marines had come to participate in the planning of a joint military exercise and that Bouterse will not be extradited. A domestic legal process against him has also been started.

The biggest general strike in the country’s history and huge protest demonstrations that paralyzed Paramaribo over several months caused the parliament to wake up from its hibernation. In June, the Wijdenbosch government was ousted and blamed for the country’s economic collapse.

Although Parliament tried to prevent it, Wijdenbosch managed to retain its position and appointed nine new ministers. But after allegations of corruption involving several of his ministers, the entire government resigned in December.

In May 2000, the Venetian NF won the parliamentary elections. The front got 47.3% of the vote, and in August Venetiaan was elected president by 37 of the parliament’s 51 parliamentarians. Jules Ajodhia was elected to the post of Vice President and Prime Minister.

The tension between Suriname and Guyana due to the decades-long dispute over the territorial waters between the two countries reached a tentative peak in June 2000, when ships from Suriname forced Canadian exploration firm CGX Energy to withdraw from the area. The company had been authorized by the Government of Guyana to investigate oil deposits in the area. In July, leaders from the two neighboring countries in Jamaica met to negotiate the issue, but were unable to reach an agreement, and the Canadian company therefore finally decided to suspend the investigation.

Suriname Country Overview

Visa
Travelers with a Finnish passport need a tourist card to Suriname. The Suriname Tourist Card must be applied for electronically before entering the country at https://suriname.vfsevisa.com/suriname/online/home/e-tourist-card (processing time max. 72h). A passport, passport photo and flight ticket are required to complete the application. The tourist card entitles you to a 30-day visit and one card can only enter the country once. The passport must be valid for 6 months after the trip.

• According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG, SUR stands for Suriname.

Vaccinations
Hepatitis A and yellow fever vaccines and anti-malarial drugs are recommended. Also check that your basic vaccinations according to the national vaccination program are valid (tetanus, polio and diphtheria). Please check the yellow fever vaccination requirements of your destination well in advance of the trip, for example here. An international yellow fever vaccination certificate is required when traveling to some countries. Please also note that in some countries a vaccination certificate is required if you arrive from a country where yellow fever is considered to occur. This is important to consider especially when traveling across multiple states. We recommend that you keep a vaccination card with you when traveling far away.

Insurance
Everyone participating in the trip must have a valid travel insurance that covers medical expenses in the event of illness or other similar need. Please check the validity of your own insurance and the terms and conditions of the insurance cancellation cover.

Please pay attention to the special nature of your trip and check the coverage of the insurance in that respect as well. In many locations, the insurance must also be valid when moving at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, in which case it also covers mountain sickness.

Many hiking or diving trips require more extensive insurance, which covers, for example, diving or moving on a glacier. Please check the contents of your insurance with your insurance company.

Climate
The country has a tropical warm climate all year round. Suriname’s two rainy seasons are located in December-February and May-August.

Travel Seasons
The best time to travel to Suriname is from February to March and August to November outside the worst rainy season.

Electric current
127 volts, 60 Hz. Finnish electrical equipment also requires an adapter.

Mobile phones
Check the coverage of your phone with your carrier. Suriname area code is +597.