Suriname
Capital: Paramaribo
Size: About 63,251 square miles (163,820 sq km).
Language: Dutch (the official language, plus Sranan Tongo and others)
Currency: Surinamese dollar
Capital population: Paramaribo has about 240,000 people (over 300,000 in the metro area).
Population: About 620,000 people.See the biggest cities →National animal: No official national animal, but the king vulture and many colorful macaws fill its skies
National flower: Faya lobi (Ixora, a bright red flower)
Climate
Hot and wet tropical climate all year, with two rainy seasons. Average highs stay around 85F to 90F (29C to 32C).
Main industries
Gold mining, oil, bauxite, and farming: rice, bananas, and shrimp.
Top places for tourists
The historic wooden inner city of Paramaribo, a World Heritage Site, and the huge rainforests of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve.
Places of interest
About 90 percent of the country is still covered in rainforest, and you can spot monkeys, sloths, and river dolphins.
A little history
Home to Indigenous peoples, Suriname was a Dutch colony for centuries and became independent from the Netherlands in 1975.
Fun fact
Suriname is the smallest country in South America, yet it is one of the most forested countries on Earth.