Paramaribo (; ; nicknamed Par'bo) is the

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...

and largest city of

Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...

, located on the banks of the

Suriname River The Suriname River (Dutch: ''Surinamerivier'') is 480 km long and flows through the country Suriname. Its sources are located in the Guiana Highlands on the border between the Wilhelmina Mountains and the Eilerts de Haan Mountains (where it i ...

in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 241,000 people (2012 census), almost half of Suriname's population. The historic inner city of Paramaribo has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002.

Name

The city is named for the Paramaribo tribe living at the mouth of the

; the name is from Tupi–Guarani ''para'' "large river" + ''maribo'' "inhabitants".

History

Tropenmuseum Royal Tropical Institute Objectnumber 3728-375 Litho voorstellende een marktgezicht

The name Paramaribo is probably a corruption of the name of an Indian village, spelled Parmurbo in the earliest Dutch sources. This was the location of the first Dutch settlement, a trading post established by Nicolaes Baliestel and Dirck Claeszoon van Sanen in 1613. English and French traders also tried to establish settlements in Suriname, including a French post established in 1644 near present-day Paramaribo. All earlier settlements were abandoned some time before the arrival of English settlers in 1650 to found

Surinam Surinam may refer to: * Surinam (Dutch colony) (1667–1954), Dutch plantation colony in Guiana, South America * Surinam (English colony) (1650–1667), English short-lived colony in South America * Surinam, alternative spelling for Suriname ...

. They were sent by the English governor of Barbados, Lord Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham, and established a town on the site of Paramaribo (though probably south of the current town center). The town was protected by a fort, called

Fort Willoughby Fort Zeelandia is a fortress in Paramaribo, Suriname. In 1640 the French built a wooden fort on the spot, which during the British colonial days was reinforced and became Fort Willoughby. It was taken by the Dutch in 1667 and renamed Fort Zeelan ...

. In 1662, Governor Willoughby was granted the settlement and surrounding lands (extending into Suriname's interior) by King Charles II. Around 1665 the village of Paramaribo was expanded and quickly outranked the earlier settlement of

Torarica Torarica is the original capital of Suriname. It was settled by Portuguese Jews in 1629. One origin offered for its name is as a Portuguese coinage meaning "Opulent Torah". The Portuguese Jews arrived via Holland and Brazil.Second Anglo-Dutch War, Paramaribo was conquered by a squadron of ships under Abraham Crijnssen. The Treaty of Breda in 1667 confirmed Paramaribo as the leading town of the now Dutch colony of Suriname. The fort protecting Paramaribo was renamed Fort Zeelandia in honor of the Dutch province that had financed Crijnssen's fleet. (The town was also renamed New Middelburg but the name did not catch on with the inhabitants). The population of Paramaribo has always been very diverse. Among the first British settlers were many Jews and one of the oldest synagogues in the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

is found in Paramaribo. The population of the town was greatly increased after 1873, when former enslaved people (who had been freed in 1863) were allowed to stop working for their former masters and leave the sugar plantations. Paramaribo has remained the capital of Suriname, from its colonial days through the independence of Suriname in 1975 to the present day. The old town has suffered many devastating fires over the years, notably in January 1821 (which destroyed over 400 buildings) and September 1832 (which destroyed nearly 50 buildings). The slaves Kodjo, Mentor, and Present were found guilty of

arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...

, and burnt alive. In May 1972, the Paramaribo Zoo opened. In 1987, an administrative reorganization took place in Suriname and the city was divided into 12 administrative resorts (jurisdictions).

Geography

The city is located on the

, approximately inland from the Atlantic Ocean, in the Paramaribo district. File:Kaart van Paramaribo.png, Paramaribo around 1737. File:Platte grond van de stad Paramaribo (1821).jpg, Paramaribo in 1821. Indicated in brown is the area devastated by the city fire of that year. File:Plan von Paramaribo.jpg, Paramaribo around 1876. File:Map of Paramaribo (1920).jpg, Paramaribo around 1916-1917

Climate

Paramaribo features a tropical rainforest climate (''Af''), under the Köppen climate classification. Because Paramaribo is more subject to the

Intertropical Convergence Zone The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ ), known by sailors as the doldrums or the calms because of its monotonous windless weather, is the area where the northeast and the southeast trade winds converge. It encircles Earth near the thermal e ...

than the trade winds and sees no tropical cyclones, its climate is classified as equatorial. The city has no true dry season; all 12 months of the year average more than of rainfall, but the city does experience noticeably wetter and drier periods during the year. The

northern hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

“

autumn Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September ( Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Sou ...

” (September through November) is the driest period of the year in Paramaribo, and the heaviest rainfall occurs from April to July. Common to many cities with this climate, temperatures are relatively consistent throughout the course of the year, with average high temperatures of 31 degrees Celsius and average low temperatures of 22 degrees Celsius. Paramaribo on average receives roughly of rainfall each year.

Demographics

Paramaribo has a population of 240,924 people (2012 census). While the population number is stagnating in recent years, many towns in the surrounding Wanica District are increasing in population. The city is famed for its diverse ethnic makeup, including Creoles (African or mixed African-European descent) 27%, Indian (East Indian descent) 23%, Multiracials 18%, Maroons (descendants of escaped enslaved Africans) 16%, Javanese (Indonesian descent) 10%, Indigenous (descendants of native population) 2%, Chinese (descendants of 19th-century contract workers) 1.5%, and smaller numbers of Europeans (primarily of Dutch and Portuguese descent), Lebanese and Jews. In the past decades a significant number of Brazilians, Guyanese and new Chinese immigrants have settled in Paramaribo.

Economy

Paramaribo is the business and financial centre of Suriname. Even though the capital city does not produce significant goods itself, almost all revenues from the country's main export products gold, oil, bauxite, rice, and tropical wood are channeled through its institutions. All banks, insurance corporations and other financial and commercial companies are headquartered in Paramaribo. Around 75 percent of Suriname's GDP is consumed in Paramaribo. Tourism is an increasingly important sector, with most visitors coming from the Netherlands.

Government

Resorts_in_Paramaribo,_Suriname_-_20061227

Administratively, Paramaribo forms its own district in Suriname. The resorts of Paramaribo district therefore correspond to boroughs of the city. There are twelve resorts in the Paramaribo district:

Transport

Paramaribo is served by the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport and Zorg en Hoop Airport for local flights. The

Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge The Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge (Dutch: ''Jules Wijdenboschbrug''), also called Suriname bridge and known locally as Bosje Brug, is a bridge over the Suriname River between the capital city Paramaribo and Meerzorg in the Commewijne District. The bri ...

, which is part of the East-West Link, connects Paramaribo with Meerzorg on the other side of the Suriname River. The

Jules Sedney Harbour Jules Sedney Harbour is the main seaport for cargo ships in Paramaribo, Suriname. Until 2016, the harbour was called ''Nieuwe Haven'' (''New Harbour''). It is one of the two main cargo ports of Suriname. The other being Nieuw-Nickerie. Paramaribo ...

is the main harbour for cargo. The former harbour of Waterkant is used by ferries. Most airlines like Gum Air,

Caricom Airways Caricom Airways, which stands for'' Caribbean Commuter Airways'', was a regional airline from the Caribbean, with the headquarters of the company at Paramaribo, Suriname. From the down-town Zorg en Hoop Airport in Suriname, Caricom Airways mainl ...

and Blue Wing Airlines have their head offices on the grounds of Zorg en Hoop Airport in Paramaribo.

Education

Paramaribo's institution of higher learning is

Anton de Kom University of Suriname Anton de Kom University ( nl, Anton de Kom Universiteit van Suriname) is the only university in Suriname. It is located in the capital, Paramaribo, and named for Anton de Kom, an anti-colonialist activist who was killed by the Nazis while in exi ...

, the country's only university.

Healthcare

Paramaribo is home to four hospitals, the Academic Hospital Paramaribo,

's Lands Hospitaal s Lands Hospitaal is a hospital in Paramaribo, Suriname. The hospital started as a military hospital when it was established in 1760. In 1934, the hospital was transformed into a general hospital and renamed 's Lands Hospitaal. The hospital has spe ...

, Sint Vincentius Hospital and Diakonessenhuis.

Historic inner city of Paramaribo

The Dutch colonial town established in 17th and 18th centuries was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. The historic inner city is located along the left bank of the Suriname River. The original architecture of buildings and street plan has largely remained intact and preserved.

Notable landmarks

Presidential palace, Paramaribo, Suriname

* Fort Zeelandia * Presidential Palace of Suriname * Roman Catholic St Peter and St Paul Cathedral * Suriname Mosque * National Assembly of Suriname *

Neveh Shalom Synagogue The Neveh Shalom Synagogue ( he, בית הכנסת נווה שלום, lit. ''House of Peace'') is the only synagogue of the Ashkenazi community in Suriname. History The lot on Keizerstraat 82 was acquired in 1716 by Sephardi Jews. The origina ...

*The

Arya Dewaker Arya Dewaker (Hindi: आर्य दिवाकर) is a Hindu association that built the biggest mandir (Hindu temple) of Suriname. The temple attracts many visitors, both Hindus and non-Hindus, coming from Suriname and from all over the wo ...

Hindu Temple * Garden of Palms, a landscape garden of royal palms behind the presidential palace * Centrumkerk * Kwakoe, abolition of slavery memorial

Notable people

* Ashwin Adhin (1980), Vice President (2015-2020), politician. *

Ronny Aloema Ronny Clyde Aloema (born 18 October 1979) is a Surinamese politician and former football goalkeeper. He has served as a member of the National Assembly (Suriname), National Assembly since 7 August 2020, representing Paramaribo District for the Pr ...

, football player * Maarten Atmodikoro, football player *

Regi Blinker Reginald Waldie Blinker (born 4 June 1969) is a former professional association football, footballer who played as a winger (association football), left winger. During his 17-year senior career, he amassed Eredivisie totals of 307 games and 57 go ...

, football player * Remy Bonjasky, kickboxer * Edson Braafheid, football player * Romeo Castelen, football player *

Audrey Christiaan Audrey Christiaan is a Suriname, Surinamese indigenous and environmental activist and politician. She is a member of the board of the Politics of Suriname, Party for Law and Development (PRO) and in the 2020 elections she was a candidate in Parama ...

, activist *

Augusta Curiel Augusta Cornelia Paulina Curiel (1873–1937) was a Surinamese photographer. She and her sister created an important record of life in the early twentieth century. Life Augusta was born in Paramaribo in 1873. She took her mother's surname as her ...

, photographer *

Edgar Davids Edgar Steven Davids (; born 13 March 1973) is a Dutch-Surinamese former professional footballer and current coach. After beginning his career with Ajax, winning several domestic and international titles, he subsequently played in Italy for AC Mi ...

, football player *

Stanley Franker Stanley Franker (born 1945 in Paramaribo, Suriname) is a former national tennis captain of the Netherlands Davis Cup team. After becoming the top ranked tennis player of Suriname, Franker received a scholarship for the University of Southern Calif ...

, tennis player * Henk Fraser, football player * Ulrich van Gobbel, football player *

Majoie Hajary Marie Majoie Hajary (Paramaribo, 16 August 1921 – Neuilly-sur-Seine, 25 August 2017) was a Dutch-French composer and pianist of contemporary classical music and jazz. She was also a translator and wrote several books for pianists. Life Majoie ...

, composer, pianist * Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, football player * Ruth Jacott, singer, Dutch representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993 * Jerry de Jong, football player *

Rajendre Khargi Rajendre Khargi (27 July 1955) is a Surinamese journalist and diplomat. He has worked for the Nederlandse Omroep Stichting and Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau among others. He was an advisor and speechwriter for Chan Santokhi. Since 10 February ...

, journalist and ambassador to the Netherlands * Kelvin Leerdam, football player *

Coenraad van Lier Coenraad van Lier (6 January 1836 – 20 January 1903) was a Surinamese physician, politician, and military officer. He established the first medical school in Suriname. Biography Van Lier was born on 6 January 1836 in Paramaribo. He joined the R ...

, physician, politician * Jeangu Macrooy, singer, Dutch representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 and the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 * Stanley Menzo, football player * Felipe Enrique Neri, Baron de Bastrop (1729-1827), businessman and landowner known for his money in the Anglo-American settlement of Texas. * Pim de la Parra, director *

Herman Rijkaard Herman Harry Rijkaard (12 September 1935 – 30 September 2010) was a Surinamese footballer who played as a forward for S.V. Robinhood in the SVB Hoofdklasse, F.C. Blauw-Wit in the Dutch Eredivisie, and for IJ.V.V. Stormvogels in the Eerste Div ...

, football player *

Andy Ristie Andy Ristie (born March 17, 1982) is a Surinamese- Dutch kickboxer who competes in the lightweight division. After an unremarkable beginning to his career, he came to prominence with a lengthy and entertaining winning streak in the It's Showtim ...

, kickboxer * Jairzinho Rozenstruik, mixed martial artist and kickboxer * Grace Schneiders-Howard, civil service worker/politician * Clarence Seedorf, football player *

Andwélé Slory Andwélé Cedric Slory (born 27 September 1982) is a Dutch former professional footballer. He played as a right winger. After his professional debut for Stormvogels Telstar at the age of 18, Slory promoted to the Eredivisie with his next club ...

, football player * Tyrone Spong, kickboxer and boxer *

Regilio Tuur Regilio Benito Tuur (born 12 August 1967) is a former Dutch boxer who was World Boxing Organization's super featherweight champion. Prior to turning professional and winning the world title, Tuur knocked out reigning world champion Kelcie Ban ...

, boxer *

Mark de Vries Mark Lyndon Patrick de Vries (born 24 August 1975) is a Dutch football coach and former player. During his playing career he played in Holland, England and Scotland and has since coached in the Faroe Islands and Hungary. After Cambuur, he starte ...

, football player * Fabian Wilnis, football player *

Aron Winter Aron Winter (born 1 March 1967) is a Dutch former professional football midfielder and manager for Suriname. He has played for Ajax and Sparta Rotterdam in the Netherlands, for Italian sides Lazio and Inter Milan, and for the Netherlands nationa ...

, football player

Twin towns – sister cities

Paramaribo is

twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

with: *

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

, Antwerp Province, Belgium * Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China * Willemstad, Curaçao, Netherlands * Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia *

Miami-Dade County Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in ...

, Florida, United States

References

External links

* {{Authority control Capitals in South America Populated places in Paramaribo District Port cities in South America Populated places established in 1603 World Heritage Sites in Suriname 1603 establishments in the Dutch Empire 1603 establishments in South America