Suriname is a country in South America, with about 640,000 people (2025) and an area of 163,820 square kilometres. Its capital is Paramaribo, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of SurinameSuriname in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Suriname's 5, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 5
South America's smallest country, almost entirely forest
Suriname covers 163,820 square kilometers on the northern coast of South America, making it the smallest country on the continent. Over 93% of the territory is tropical rainforest, one of the highest forest-cover ratios in the world. The population of roughly 620,000 concentrates almost entirely along the narrow coastal strip, with Paramaribo, the capital, holding over half the country's residents. The vast interior is accessible mainly by river and small aircraft.
More on 93% of the territory is tropical rainforest
Suriname's Central Suriname Nature Reserve alone covers 1.6 million hectares and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The country's forests store an estimated 14 gigatons of carbon, and their intact condition has made Suriname one of the few carbon-negative countries in the world.
4 more lenses on Suriname in the app
STORY A Dutch colony that became South America's most diverse country
NOW Offshore oil could transform the economy or the forest
STORY Bouterse: dictator, convict, and dominant political figure
THREAD A Dutch-speaking fragment in a Spanish and Portuguese continent
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
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Common questions
What is the capital of Suriname?
The capital of Suriname is Paramaribo. Paramaribo lies at about 5.8 degrees north and 55.2 degrees west. Suriname is in South America. It is home to about 640,000 people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of Suriname?
About 640,000 people live in Suriname, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 164th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 163,820 square kilometres, that is about 3.9 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Suriname?
Suriname shares land borders with 3 countries: Brazil, France and Guyana. The map on this page outlines each of them around Suriname. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake. Borders here follow Natural Earth at the 1:50 million scale, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine and Western Sahara as a separate territory.
How big is Suriname?
Suriname covers 163,820 square kilometres, or about 63,251 square miles. That makes it the 90th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 640,000 gives a density of 3.9 people per square kilometre.
Suriname is a country in South America, with about 640,000 people (2025) and an area of 163,820 square kilometres. Its capital is Paramaribo, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.
Capital
Paramaribo
Continent
South America
Population
639,850 2025, World Bank. 164th of 195.
Area
163,820 km² (63,251 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 90th largest of 195.
Population density
3.9 people per km²
Land neighbours
3: Brazil, France, Guyana
Official name
Republic of Suriname
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
South America's smallest country, almost entirely forest
Suriname covers 163,820 square kilometers on the northern coast of South America, making it the smallest country on the continent. Over 93% of the territory is tropical rainforest, one of the highest forest-cover ratios in the world. The population of roughly 620,000 concentrates almost entirely along the narrow coastal strip, with Paramaribo, the capital, holding over half the country's residents. The vast interior is accessible mainly by river and small aircraft.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/suriname/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Suriname
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Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/suriname/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
