🇸🇷 Suriname
Capital: Paramaribo
The historic waterfront of Paramaribo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Paramaribo, lying on the banks of the Suriname River, is a capital where colonial Dutch architecture meets Caribbean vibrance.
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city is unique for its wooden buildings, religious diversity, and its relaxed tropical charm.
As the cultural and political center of Suriname, Paramaribo represents a true blend of South America and the Caribbean.
📜 Timeline of Paramaribo
17th Century: Founded as a Dutch colonial settlement.
1667: Dutch officially took control of Suriname from the British – Paramaribo declared the capital.
1975: Suriname gained independence – Paramaribo remained its political and cultural heart.
Today: Recognized by UNESCO for its unique wooden architecture and cultural heritage 🏛️.
📊 Quick Stats
Founded
17th Century
Language
Dutch (official)
Currency
Surinamese Dollar (SRD)
Geography
Located on the Suriname River, near the Atlantic coast
Time Zone
UTC -3
Calling Code
+597
Driving Side
Left-hand traffic
🏛️ Iconic Landmarks
Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral
The largest wooden cathedral in the Americas.
Fort Zeelandia
A 17th-century Dutch fort overlooking the Suriname River.
Waterkant
The city’s famous riverfront boulevard with colonial houses.
Paramaribo is one of the few capitals in the world where a mosque and a synagogue stand side by side,
symbolizing Suriname’s unique religious tolerance ✡️☪️.
Paramaribo is not only Suriname’s political capital – it is a living museum of wooden architecture,
cultural fusion, and historic resilience on the banks of the Suriname River.
Map of Suriname shown there is incorrect and misleading. there are 2 disputed areas, 1 between GUyana and Suriname and 1 between Suriname and French-guiana. they have been disputed since colonial times and are still not settled. displaying the borders like this is misleading. see how google maps, Esri maps, Mapbox etc show these borders in a neutral manner.
Thank you for your valuable feedback. We have reviewed the page and updated the map on our site based on Google Maps, which provides the most current and reliable data. We appreciate your attention and contribution.
— WordCapital.org Team
Hello, first of all thank you for the correction. The same applies for the Guyana/Georgetown page, the map there also completely ignores the disputed area with Suriname.
Thank you very much for your correction and for bringing this to our attention. We have updated the map on the Guyana/Georgetown page in line with Google Maps data. You can verify this update on the page here: https://worldcapitals.org/south-america/guyana/
We appreciate your careful observation and contribution.
— WordCapital.org Team