When did Suriname exist?

Suriname existed 1975–present. On this map it is drawn 1976–2024.

How large was Suriname?

At its greatest extent drawn on this map, Suriname covered about 148,000 km². That is the largest area the border data gives it across the years it is drawn, not necessarily its greatest extent in history.

South America · The modern republics

Suriname

1975–present

Suriname, the former colony of Dutch Guiana, gained independence from the Netherlands on 25 November 1975. Like Guyana, it is ethnically diverse (with Hindustani, Maroon, Creole, Javanese, and other communities) and is culturally oriented toward the Caribbean rather than Latin America; Dutch remains the official language.

See it on the map → Wikipedia ↗

Existed: 1975–present
Shown on the map: 1976–2024
Peak area: 148k km²
Region: South America

Overview

History

Suriname's post-independence history was dominated by Dési Bouterse, a military officer who seized power in the "Sergeants' Coup" of 1980 and ruled as a strongman through much of the 1980s. His rule was stained by the "December Murders" of 1982 (the killing of 15 prominent opponents) and a brutal interior war against Maroon rebels (including the 1986 Moiwana massacre). Bouterse later returned to power democratically as elected president (2010–2020), even as he was convicted (in 2019) for the December Murders and, earlier, for drug trafficking. He died on 24 December 2024 while a fugitive.

Later history and present status

Democracy stabilized after Bouterse's electoral defeat in 2020 by Chan Santokhi, whose government pursued IMF-backed austerity to address a severe economic crisis. Following inconclusive May 2025 elections, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons — a physician and veteran parliamentarian, and leader of Bouterse's former National Democratic Party — was elected by parliament and took office on 16 July 2025 as Suriname's first female president, with Gregory Rusland as vice president. Her government faces economic hardship but is buoyed by the prospect of major offshore oil production expected to begin around 2028. [FLAG: recent transition, July 2025.]

Common questions

What was Suriname?: Suriname, the former colony of Dutch Guiana, gained independence from the Netherlands on 25 November 1975. Like Guyana, it is ethnically diverse (with Hindustani, Maroon, Creole, Javanese, and other communities) and is culturally oriented toward the Caribbean rather than Latin America; Dutch remains the official language.
When did Suriname exist?: Suriname existed 1975–present. On this map it is drawn 1976–2024.
How large was Suriname?: At its greatest extent drawn on this map, Suriname covered about 148,000 km². That is the largest area the border data gives it across the years it is drawn, not necessarily its greatest extent in history.
Who ruled Suriname?: Suriname's post-independence history was dominated by Dési Bouterse, a military officer who seized power in the "Sergeants' Coup" of 1980 and ruled as a strongman through much of the 1980s. His rule was stained by the "December Murders" of 1982 (the killing of 15 prominent opponents) and a brutal interior war against Maroon rebels (including the 1986 Moiwana massacre).
What is the present status of Suriname?: Democracy stabilized after Bouterse's electoral defeat in 2020 by Chan Santokhi, whose government pursued IMF-backed austerity to address a severe economic crisis. Following inconclusive May 2025 elections, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons — a physician and veteran parliamentarian, and leader of Bouterse's former National Democratic Party — was elected by parliament and took office on 16 July 2025 as Suriname's first female president, with Gregory Rusland as vice president.

Sources

This compendium cites its sources once for the whole document rather than per territory. It names English Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica and the World History Encyclopedia as the basis of these profiles, supplemented by academic and museum sources and, for recent events, by reputable news outlets. The article this entry is anchored on:

Wikipedia — Suriname en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suriname

This entry was last updated 12 September 2026.

This entry was researched and drafted with AI from the sources above, and has not been reviewed by a historian. How entries are made

Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0: reuse it with a credit to The World Through Time and a link to this page. Passages drawing on the Wikipedia articles listed above are also licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 by their contributors.

Border geometry for the map itself comes from Cliopatria v0.12 (Seshat Global History Databank, CC-BY-4.0).

See Suriname in its world

Open the atlas at 2000 and every neighbour, rival and successor is on screen with it — then drag the slider and watch what happens next.

Open the map at 2000 →