Historical Country Names - Nations Online Project Historical Country Names keywords: geography, historical country names, former country names, history, place name changes, historical maps List of formerly used country names and names of countries which have ceased to exist. Name changes of countries, dependencies, geographical and other regions of particular geopolitical interest. Today Abyssinia The Ethiopian Empire spans a geographical area of today Ethiopia, Eritrea , and Djibouti ,and included parts of Northern Somalia , Southern Egypt , Eastern Sudan , Yemen and Western Saudi Arabia . Abyssinia was an empire that existed for more than 800 years, from circa 1137 (beginning of Zagwe Dynasty) until 1974 when the Ethiopian monarchy was overthrown in a coup d'etat. Afars and Issas Territory formerly known as French Somaliland, the French colony was renamed to the French Territory of Afars and Issas (1967 - 1977),the territory became independent in 1977, known today as Djibouti. formerly a British protectorate became independent in 1966 as the Kingdom of Lesotho.

formerly a British protectorate became independent in 1966 as Republic of Botswana. Democratic Republic of the Congo Benadir a coastal region of Somalia; covering most of the Indian Ocean coast of the country, from the Gulf of Aden to the Juba River, formerly part of Italian Somaliland. Biafra, Republic of (named after the Bight of Biafra) today part of Bophuthatswana - nominal republic and homeland for Tswana-speaking people, 1949 reincorporated into British Bechuanaland (region) incorporated into the Cape Colony (1895) British East Africa or East Africa Protectorate British protectorate from 1890 until 1920 Kenya , Tanzania , Uganda , and parts of Somalia (Jubaland) Cape Colony, 1795-1797 British colony, 1803-1806 colony of the Batavian Republic (Netherlands), since 1910 part of Central African Republic Kenya Colony The Colony and Protectorate of Kenya was part of the British Empire in Africa. It was established when the former East Africa Protectorate was transformed into a British crown colony in 1920.

Ciskei (Republic of Ciskei)- homeland for Xhosa-speaking people, 1994 reincorporated into Dahomey ; (the Republic of Dahomey; in French: République du Dahomey), was a former French colony andpart of French West Africa until independence in 1960, in 1975 the Republic of Dahomeychanged its name in Benin. Dan Ho Me was an ancient Kingdom located in the south of today Benin. French Guinea was a French protectorate in West Africa, after independence from France in 1958 it became today Mali French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegambia and Niger, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire, Upper Volta and Dahomey . Mauritania , The Gambia , Senegal , Niger , Mali , Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Burkina Faso and Benin.

German East Africa (German: Deutsch-Ostafrika) a German colony from 1885 until 1919 which included Burundi, Rwanda and Tanganyika (the mainland part of present Tanzania), an area almost three times the size of Germany today. German East Africa colony ended with the defeat of Imperial Germany in World War I. With the Treaty of Versailles the territory was divided between Britain (Tanganyika.), Belgium (Ruanda-Urundi), and Portugal (to become part of Mozambique). Hausaland, consisted of seven independent city-states: Biram, Daura, Gobir, Kano, Katsina, Rano, and Zaria.

Italian East Africa (former name for Italian possessions in eastern Africa) Kaffraria, former name for Transkei Katanga - 1960, Belgium granted independence to the Congolese province of the Mali Federation, was a country in West Africa 1959-1960, formed by a union between Malawi Portuguese East Africa (Província Ultramarina de Moçambique) Mozambique or Portuguese East Africa (officially the State of East Africa) for almost 500 years a Portuguese Colony, 1498–1975.

See also: Portugal Sahara Occidental, Spanish name for Senegambia (region; former name of the confederation of Senegal and Gambia) Songhay (Songhai), in the 16th century a major empire of the Western Sudan, in the region of South-West Africa (SWA, German: Deutsch-Südwestafrika), a German colony from 1884-1915 Spanish West Africa (former name for Ifni and Spanish Sahara) Stellaland, Republic of; annexed by the Boers later British Bechuanaland, incorporated into the Cape Colony (1895) Tanganyika Territory, united with the islands Zansibar and Pemba it became Togoland (British Togoland), since 1957 part of Transkei (former Kaffraria and one of ten "black homelands" and nominal republic, in Southeast of ) Transvaal or ZAR - Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek; today the Province Limpopo of Ubangi-Shari (Oubangui-Chari) a former French territory in central Africa, whith independence on 13 August 1960 the country became the

 Central African Republic Union of South Africa The Union of South Africa was formed on 31 May 1910 as a parliamentary union of the four self-governing British colonies: the Cape of Good Hope Province (Cape Province; previously Cape Colony), Natal Province (Natal Colony), the Orange Free State Province (Oranje Vrij Staat/Orange River Colony) and the Transvaal Province (Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek/Transvaal Colony).

The Union came to an end in 1961with a new constitution and became the "Republic of South Africa". Zaire, changed its name in 1997 to Zanzibar (island, east off the coast of Tanzania) a former protectorate of Britain. Zanzibar gained independence in1963 united with Tanganyika, today it is a semi-autonomous part of Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) or Transvaal colony; today the Limpopo province of Abkhazia (Region name is still in use) Bactria (Bakhtria) historical region of Greater Iran, located between the Hindu Kush mountain range and the Amu Darya (Amu river). The region was the birthplace of Zoroastrianism (Mazdaism) and later, also hosted Buddhism before becoming Muslim after the 7th century. The Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley are a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Afghanistan with the remains of two huge standing Buddha statues which were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.

Circassia was located east of the Black Sea and west of the Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region, it was the mountainous territory of the Circassians (Adyghe), it was wiped from the map in the late 19th century whenRussia conqueredthe Caucasus region. All Circassians were displacedfrom their homeland. Historians refer to the displacement of the Adyghe people by the Russian Empire to "the inventing of the strategy of modern ethnic cleansing and genocide". Circassia was situated north of today Georgia in the southern half of Russia's Krasnodar Krai, south of Kuban River,as well as in the Beshtau, an isolated mountainous region in Stavropol Krai, and in todays Russian Republics of Adygea, Karachay–Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and North Ossetia–Alania, in south west Russia . East Turkestan; Eastern Turkestan; Chinese Turkestan Part of western China (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region ) Kashmir (region) is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent.

Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the Vale of Kashmir, the valley between the GreatHimalayas (in northeast) and the Pir Panjal mountain range (in southwest). Today the term Kashmir refers to a larger area that includes the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir (including the Kashmir valley and Jammu and Ladakh), the Pakistani-administered Gilgit-Baltistan and the Azad Kashmir provinces, and the Chinese-administered regions of Aksai Chin and Trans-Karakoram Tract. state during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, it is the ancient name of Cyprus Dilmun, mentioned in ancient texts as a trade partner of Mesopotamia, although the exact location of Dilmun is unclear, it is associated with Bahrain , the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia , Qatar , Oman and nearby coast of Iran in the Persian Gulf. Galilee, Galilea is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country.

See: Map of Israel Judea, Judäa,(region) Hebrew: יהודה was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BC (Assyrian rule) to the 2nd century AD, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt. Muscat and Oman, Sultanate of Muscat and Oman until 1970 North Yemen or Yemen Arab Republic was a country from 1962 to 1990 in the western part of what is now Yemen. Ottoman Empire the Turkish empire, established in northern Anatolia by Osman I (Osman Gazi Khan) at the end of the 13th century and expanded by his successors to include all of Asia Minor and much of southeastern Europe. After setbacks caused by the invasion of the Mongol ruler Tamerlane (Timur) in 1402, the Ottomans captured Constantinople (today Istanbul) in 1453, and the empire reached its zenith under Suleiman the Magnificent (ruled 1520 to 1566).

At the height of its power, in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ottoman Empire controlled territory in southeastern Europe, southwestern Asia, and North Africa. It had greatly declined by the 19th century and collapsed after World War I. also known as the Trucial States, Trucial Oman, and the Trucial Shaykdoms Tylos, was referredby the Greeks to today Bahrain United Arab Republic (UAR) The United Arab Republic or U.A.R., was a union between Egypt and Syria. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961, when Syria seceded from the union. Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971. The President was Gamal Abdel Nasser. During most of its existence (1958–1961) it was a member of the United Arab States, a confederation with North Yemen.

Egypt , Syria , Yemen Yemen Arab Republic (YAR) The Yemen Arab Republic, also known as North Yemen, was a country from 1962 to 1990 in the western part of what is now Yemen, its predecessor was the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (1918–1962), also known as the Kingdom of Yemen, its capital was at Taiz (Ta'izz). Yemen __Eastern Asia Cathay, (English) Cathay is the Anglicized version of "Catai" the name used for northern China, and an alternative name for: Choson, Chosen the Korean peninsula today split into Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) Formosa (island) Dutch Formosa, period of a colonial Dutch government (1624–1662), the Dutch East India Company established its presence on Formosa to trade with China and Japan and to prevent Portuguese and Spanish trade and colonial activities in East Asia. Spanish Formosa, a Spanish colony established in the north of of the island (1626–1642).

Taiwan Great Korean Empire was the name of the Korean empire that existed on theKorean Peninsula, from the Proclamation of the Korean Empire in October 1897 to the Annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910. The Great Korean Empire was an absolute monarchy with a constitution. Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) Kingdom of Tungning (1662 - 1683) The kingdom was founded by Koxinga (official name: Zheng Chenggong),on the island of Formosa. Koxinga was born in Hirado, Japan to Zheng Zhilong, a Ming dynasty admiral-pirate-merchant, and his Japanese wife. The Kingdom of Tungning was run by the Zheng family, supporting the Ming Dynasty in mainland China which was replaced by the Manchu-ruled Qing Dynasty in 1644. Koxinga wanted to use the island as a base of operations to train its Ming military forces and recapture the mainland from the Manchus. Hedied in 1662 six month after the conquest of Formosa.

His son Zheng Jing ruled the next 20 years from its court at Tainan. Annam, Anam (1883-1954) French protectorate in Central Vietnam Ayutthaya, Kingdom of; (Siam) covered Thailand , half of Cambodia , most of Laos and large areas of present day Myanmar (Burma) Bengal, region in the northeast of South Asia today divided between Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan), and the India n federal stateWest Bengal. Balochistan or Baluchistan a region on in the Iranian Plateau in Southwest Asia, named after the local Baloch tribes of Persian origin. part of the region is now the province Balochistan in Pakistan , other areas of the region were part of today's Iran and Afghanistan . Baluchistan States Union existed between1952 and1955 in southwest British North Borneo, former British protectorate and crown colony, occupies the northern tip of the island of Borneo.

Burma, changed its name in 1989 to Ceylon in 1972 thename of the country was changed to "Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka", in 1978 the name was changed to "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka" Map of Sri Lanka Dutch East Indies (Netherlands East Indies) was the Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalized colonies of the former Dutch East India Company that came under the administration of the Netherlands in 1800. Indonesia East Pakistan, a former province of Pakistan. East Pakistan was created from Bengal Province based on the 'Mountbatten Plan' in what was then British India in 1947. Eastern Bengal was given to the Dominion of Pakistan and became a province of Pakistan by the name East Bengal. East Bengal was renamed East Pakistan in 1956 and later became the country of Bangladesh after the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, which took place after the General Elections of 1970.

British West Indies - the colonies of the British in the Caribbean: today the term refers to the British Caribbean overseas territories which are: Anguilla , Bermuda , British Virgin Islands , Cayman Islands, Montserrat , Turks and Caicos Islands. Danish West Indies or "Danish Antilles", were a colony of Denmark - Norway in the Caribbean. They were sold to the United States in 1916 in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies and became the United States Virgin Islands in 1917. US Virgin Islands French West Indies, the French overseas departments Guadeloupe and Martinique , as well as the French Caribbean Départments d'Outre Mer, include the Guadeloupe dependencies of the French part of the island St. Martin and the islands Saint-Barthélemy, Les Saintes, Marie-Galante and La Désirade.

Haiti, the Arawaks name for the island of Hispaniola New Spain (Nueva España) colonial territories of the Spanish Empire in North and Central America, including Somers Islands is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean better kown as New Spain (Nueva España) colonial territories of the Spanish Empire in North and Central America, including Mexico , Guatemala , Belize , El Salvador , Honduras , Nicaragua , Costa Rica and parts of South-West USA New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The settled areas are now part of the Mid-Atlantic States of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Connecticut, with small outposts in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. The provincial capital, New Amsterdam, was located at the southern tip of the island of Manhattan on upper New York Bay. Today British Guiana was a British colony on the northern coast of South America, what is now the independent nation of Guyana. Capital was Georgetown . Guyana Dutch Guiana (Netherlands Guyana) Dutch colonization of the Guianas began in the beginning of the 17th century.

The colonies of Essequibo and Demerara (Demerary), Surinam, and Berbice were Dutch settlements, trading posts and plantations in the coastal areas ofthe north eastern part of South America, a region which is known as the Guianas, today divided into the countries of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and the north eastern part of Brazil. Capital city was Fort Zeelandia ( Paramaribo ) Venezuela , Guyana , Suriname , French Guiana , and the Amapá province of Brazil. Gran Colombia (1819-1830), the former republic consisted ofthe territories of present-day Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. Inini, an inland territory of French Guiana, its capital was Saint-Élie. New Holland (2), Nieuw Holland, or also known as Dutch Brazil, was a former dutch colony on the northeast coast of Brazil 1630 - 1654. Capital city was Mauritsstad, today part of the city of Recife .

Province of Pernambuco, Brazil Terra de Santa Cruz , in the early 16th century when the Portoguese realized it was not an island but part of a continent they were about to conquer, they renamed it from 'Ilha de Vera Cruz' (Island of the True Cross) to Terra de Santa Cruz (Land of the Holy Cross). Today the region is known as Brazil. Map of Moldova Pridnestrovia (Transnistria) formerly part of the Soviet Union ( Russia ), today a breakaway state of Moldova also known as Transnistria, which claims territory between the Dniester river and the eastern border of Moldova with Ukraine . It declared independence in 1990 but is unrecognised by any United Nations member state. Transnistria is one of four post-Soviet "frozen conflict" zones. (see: Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia) After the dissolution of the USSR, tensions between the newly created Moldova and the de facto sovereign state of Pridnestrovia escalated into a military conflict. Unlike the rest of Moldova Pridnestrovia had not wanted to separate from the Soviet Union.

Because of the Russian military contingent present in Transnistria, the European Court of Human Rights considers Transnistria "under the effective authority or at least decisive influence of Russia". Map of Moldova Prussia, Preussen a former kingdom of the German Empire.Originally a small country on the south eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, under Frederick the Great it became a major European power covering much of modern northeast Germany and Poland. Capital city was Königsberg (today Kaliningrad, Russia), later Berlin . (region; former name for Carpatho-Ukraine) Map of Ukraine Silesia, (in German: Schlesien) historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts in the Czech Republic and Germany, its largest city and capital was Wrocław(Breslau). Poland , the Czech Republic and Germany . Soviet Union (1922 - 1991) short form of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), a former federation of Communist republics occupying the northern half of Asia and part of eastern Europe, capital city was Moscow . 12 constituent republics emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 as independent post-Soviet states.

Armenia , Azerbaijan , Belarus , Estonia , Georgia , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Moldova , Russian Federation (Russia) , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , Ukraine , Uzbekistan Scotland, the former independent kingdom is today one of four constituent nations which form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, capital city is Edinburgh Dutch Guiana - definition of Dutch Guiana in English | Oxford Dictionaries Definition of Dutch Guiana in English: Dutch Guiana former name (until 1948) for Suriname Word of the Day Which of the following is correct? They were course and rude They were coarse and rude Which of the following is correct? I enrolled on a computer coarse I enrolled on a computer course Which of the following is correct? Her illness had run its coarse Her illness had run its course Which of the following is correct? Use a course mesh wire strainer Use a coarse mesh wire strainer Which of the following is correct? He tried to keep the boat on coarse He tried to keep the boat on course Which of the following is correct? They wore course linen dresses They wore coarse linen dresses Which of the following is correct?

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Retry French Guiana (including Inini): History, Geography, Government, and Culture Status: Overseas Department Prefect: Martin Jaeger (2016) Land area: 34,421 sq mi (89,150 sq km); total area: 35,135 sq mi (91,000 sq km) Population (2007 est.): 203,321 (growth rate: 1.8%); birth rate 20.3/1000; infant mortality rate 11.8/1000; life expectancy: 77.5; density per sq mi: 6 Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Cayenne, 60,500 Monetary unit: Franc Ethnicity/race: black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10% Religion: Roman Catholic Literacy rate: 83% (1982 est.) Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2003 est.): $1.551 billion; per capita $8,3

00.

Real growth rate: n.a. Inflation: 1.5% (2002 est.). Unemployment: 22% (2001). Arable land: 0.14%. Agriculture: corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry. Labor force: 58,800 (1997); services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980). Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining. Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish. Exports: $155 million (f.o.b., 2002 est.): shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing. Imports: $625 million (c.i.f., 2002 est.): food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals.

Major trading partners: France, Switzerland, U.S., Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2004). Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 51,000 (2001); mobile cellular: 138,200 (2002. Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998). Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997). Internet hosts: n.a. Internet users: 3,200 (2002). Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 817 km; paved: n.a.; unpaved: n.a. (1998). Waterways: 3,760 km; note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004). Ports and harbors: Degrad des Cannes. Airports: 11 2004 est.).

International disputes: Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) in French Guiana. Major sources and definitions French Guiana, lying north of Brazil and east of Suriname on the northeast coast of South America, was variously settled by the Spanish, Dutch, and French. The Treaty of Breda awarded France the territory in 1667. The French used it as a penal colony between 1852 and 1939, which included the infamous Devil's Island. In 1947 it became an overseas department of France. Since then, many indigenous French Guianians have called for increased autonomy, although only around 5% favor independence from France, partly due to the vast subsidies from the French government. The European Space Center at Kourou has brought a corner of French Guiana into the modern world and attracted a sizable expatriate workforce. In July 2005, France and Brazil signed a treaty to build the Oyapock River Bridge over the Oyapock River. The Oyapock River marked Brazil's border with French Guiana.

The bridge would be the first land crossing ever, not only between French Guiana and Brazil, but between French Guiana and any part of the world. The bridge was scheduled to open in 2013. Netherlands Guiana | Definition of Netherlands Guiana by Merriam-Webster Definition of Suriname 1 or formerly Dutch Guiana or Netherlands Guiana country in northern South America bordering on the Atlantic between Guyana and French Guiana; capital Paramaribo area 63,251 square miles (163,820 square kilometers), population 541,638 ◆Now a republic, Suriname was until 1975 a territory of the Netherlands. 2 river in northern Suriname flowing north into the Atlantic Surinamer Suriname - Country Profile - Nations Online Project Flag of Suriname Location map of Suriname Destination Suriname, a virtual guide to former Dutch Guiana. Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America , bordering the North Atlantic Ocean in north, French Guiana in east, Guyana in west, and Brazil in south.

The smallest sovereign country in South America covers an area of 163,820 km², compared Suriname is still about four times the size of the Netherlands , or slightly larger than the U.S. state of Georgia . Suriname is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the Americas, it has a population of 580,000 people (2015), most of them live in the coastal regions. Capital and largest city is Paramaribo , spoken languages are Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (a native Creole language and lingua franca), and Caribbean Hindustani. Republic of Suriname | Republiek Suriname Country Profile Background: Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of African slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. The country gained independence from The Netherlands in 1975. Many Dutch settlers did not trust an independent Suriname and fled to The Netherlands. In 1980 the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic.

It continued to rule through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally brought about a democratic election. In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a democratically elected government returned to power in 1991. The coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005 and ruled until August 2010, when voters returned former military strongman Dési Bouterse and his opposition coalition to power. President Bouterse was reelected unopposed in 2015. (Source: CIA - The World Factbook) Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana. Area : 163,820 km² (63,251 sq. mi.) Terrain: Varies from coastal swamps to savanna to hills. Climate: Tropical; moderated by trade winds. People: Nationality: Noun--Surinamer(s). Adjective--Surinamese.

Population : 580,000 (in 2015) Ethnic groups: Hindustani (East Indian) 37%, Creole 31%, Javanese 15%, Bush Negro 10%, Amerindians 3%, Chinese 1.7% (percentages date from 1972 census, the last in which ethnicity data was collected). Religions: Hindu, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Dutch Reformed, Moravian, several other Christian denominations, Jewish, Baha'i. Languages : Dutch (official), English, Sranan Tongo (Creole language), Hindustani, Javanese. Literacy: 90% Natural resources: Timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore. Agriculture products: Paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp. Industries: Bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing.

Exports - commodities: aluminium oxide, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas. Exports partners: Switzerland 21.8%, UAE 14.5%, India 13.9%, Belgium 9.7%, US 8.9%, France 8.1%, Canada 6.6% (2015) Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods. Imports partners: US 26.8%, Netherlands 14.3%, China 12.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.4%, Japan 4.8% (2015) Currency: Surinamese Guilder (SRG) Note: External links will open in a new browser window. Official Sites of Suriname The Guianas | region, South America | Britannica.com region, South America Guyana The Guianas, region of South America , located on the continent’s north-central coast and covering an area of about 181,000 square miles (468,800 square km). It includes the independent nations of Guyana and Suriname and French Guiana , an overseas département of France.

The region is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea , on the east and south by Brazil, and on the west by Venezuela. In the late 20th century, boundary disputes remained unsettled between Venezuela and Guyana, Guyana and Suriname, and Suriname and French Guiana. The Guianas are subdivided into three principal zones from south to north: the Precambrian Guiana Shield , a region of low mountains that lies along the southern borders of the three states and rises to the region’s highest point, Mount Roraima , 9,094 feet (2,772 metres); a lower region of hilly country covered by a tropical hardwood forest and occasional savanna grasslands; and the low-lying, narrow alluvial plain along the Atlantic coast. The region’s name derives from an Indian word for such lowlands: guiana (“land of water”). Major rivers drain the highlands north-northeastward toward the sea. The region has a year-round humid tropical climate that is tempered along the coast by offshore sea breezes. About 80–90 percent of the region is covered by dense tropical forests containing many valuable species of wood.

Settlement and commercial agriculture are largely confined to the coastal areas and the lower, navigable river valleys. The region’s rich and diverse wildlife includes jaguars, pumas, ocelots, tapirs, deer, sloths, great anteaters, armadillos, caimans, and iguanas. The Guiana Shield is rich in minerals, but only bauxite is exploited on a large scale by Guyana and Suriname. The rivers have rich and partly developed potential for hydroelectric power. The Guianas’ population ranges from indigenous American Indians to descendants of European colonizers, African slaves, East Indian, Chinese, and Indonesian indentured servants, Southeast Asian refugees, and Haitians. The languages of The Guianas are also varied and set the region apart from the rest of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking South America. French, Dutch, and English are the official languages, respectively, of French Guiana, Suriname, and Guyana, but there are also many speakers of a creole language combining the three with African and Asian dialects . Similar Topics Silicon Valley Mining, agriculture, forestry, and fishing are major components of the region’s economy.

Agriculture is divided between commercial plantation crops, which are important regional exports, and domestic crops, largely grown on small individual farms in the interior. Cattle, pigs, and chickens are raised on small farms, and fishing is a growing industry in the region. Forestry likewise is a growing industry, and the region’s timber resources are plentiful. Guyana and Suriname rank among the world’s largest bauxite and alumina producers. Manufacturing is only partly developed in the region, concentrated largely on processing domestic raw materials for export. The region’s principal exports include bauxite, aluminum, alumina, shrimp and fish, rice, and lumber. The earliest-known American Indians of the Guianas called the land Surinen, whence the name Suriname originated. The earliest European explorers were Spaniards under Amerigo Vespucci in the early 1500s. Despite Spain’s claim to the area in 1593, the Dutch began in 1602 to settle along the Essequibo, Courantyne, and Cayenne rivers and were followed by the Dutch West India Company (1621), which received what is now Guyana, and later Suriname.

The company introduced African slaves to work its tobacco, cotton, and coffee plantations. Part of Suriname in the meantime was colonized by the English sent from Barbados in 1651. The French settled first in a trading post at Sinnamary in 1624 and later established Cayenne (1643). Under the Treaty of Breda (1667), the Dutch received Suriname from England in exchange for Nieuw Amsterdam (New York), and the French were awarded French Guiana, setting the stage for the expulsion of Dutch settlers from Cayenne. Following these political settlements, sugar became the major plantation crop, and between 1742 and 1786 numerous British planters from the West Indies transferred to the Dutch-ruled Guianas, particularly the western one, and the use of slaves rose sharply. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent With the outbreak of the French Revolution and the subsequent Napoleonic conquest of Europe, the British temporarily occupied the Dutch Guianas.

Following Napoleon’s final defeat (1815), the British purchased the Demerara, Berbice, and Essequibo colonies and consolidated their colonies into British Guiana (1831). The abolition movement that had developed in England resulted in a cessation of the slave trade in 1807, followed by emancipation in 1834–38. French Guiana abolished slavery in 1848, and Dutch-ruled Suriname did the same in 1863. The majority of the freed slaves refused to return to plantation labour, and the colonists therefore brought in indentured servants from India, China, and Southeast Asia . Suriname | history - geography | Britannica.com Country Data Overview (PDF) Suriname, country located on the northern coast of South America . Suriname is one of the smallest countries in South America, yet its population is one of the most ethnically diverse in the region. Its economy is dependent on its extensive supply of natural resources, most notably bauxite , of which it is one of the top producers in the world. The southern four-fifths of the country is almost entirely covered with pristine tropical rainforest .

Formerly known as Dutch Guiana, Suriname was a plantation colony of the Netherlands that gained its independence on Nov. 25, 1975. From 1980 to 1987 the country was governed by a succession of military regimes. A new civilian constitution was approved in 1987. Another military coup took place in 1990, but the country returned to civilian rule the following year. The capital, Paramaribo , lies 9 miles (15 km) from the Atlantic Ocean on the Suriname River . Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The Maroni River near the village of Cottica, Suri. Carl Frank/Photo Researchers Land Suriname is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, by French Guiana to the east, by Brazil to the south, and by Guyana to the west. Suriname is involved in territorial disputes with both Guyana and French Guiana that are legacies of colonial rule. The dispute with Guyana centres on the New River Triangle, a 6,000-square-mile (15,600-square-km) area between two tributaries of the Courantyne River in southern Guyana.

In addition to claiming the New River Triangle, Suriname also contests its border with Guyana along the Courantyne: Suriname claims sovereignty over the entire river and thus views its west bank as the border, while Guyana claims that the thalweg, or deepest channel of the river, is the boundary. In 2007 a United Nations international tribunal settled another long-standing boundary dispute between the two countries, in which Suriname was awarded one-third of a disputed area of the Caribbean Sea . The area in contention with French Guiana is the 5,000-square-mile (13,000-square-km) region between the Itany and Marouini rivers in the southwestern corner of French Guiana. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. list of presidents of Brazil Suriname has a tropical climate. The populated area in the north has four seasons: a minor rainy season from early December to early February, a minor dry season from early February to late April, a major rainy season from late April to mid-August, and a major dry season from mid-August to early December.

Daytime temperatures in Paramaribo range between 70 and 90 °F (21 and 32 °C). In the interior, diurnal temperature extremes can vary by as much as about 20 degrees. However, the range in average temperatures between the warmest month, September, and the coldest, January, is only about 3 degrees. Rainfall is highest in the central and southeastern parts of the country. Annual rainfall averages about 75 inches (1,900 mm) in the west and 95 inches (2,400 mm) in Paramaribo. Plant and animal life The flora of the coastal area is better known than that of the interior. It consists of some 4,000 species of ferns and seed plants and a large number of mosses, weeds, and mildews. About nine-tenths of Suriname’s area is covered with heterogeneous forest consisting of more than 1,000 species of trees. The baboen (Virola surinamensis), which grows in the coastal area, is used to make plywood.

The kapok (Ceiba pentandra) reaches a height of more than 150 feet (45 metres). The Central Suriname Nature Reserve, covering nearly 3,950,000 acres (1,600,000 hectares), was established in June 1998 in west-central Suriname. It is one of the largest protected areas of rainforest in the world and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000. There are some 150 species of mammals, including monkeys, wild pigs, deer, manatees, jaguars, ocelots, armadillos, sloths, and anteaters. The tapir is the largest land mammal. Reptiles include caimans, iguanas, and the boa constrictor. The beaches on the eastern part of the coast are breeding grounds for marine turtles, which are protected by law. About 650 species of birds, including hummingbirds, vultures, and parrots, have been identified. Some 350 species of fish occupy coastal and inland waters.

People Ethnic groups South Asians, descendants of contract labourers from India, are the largest ethnic group in Suriname, making up more than one-fourth of the population. The second major ethnic group, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the population, is the Creoles, who in Suriname are people of mainly African descent. The descendants of Javanese (people from the island of Java in Indonesia) contract labourers and the Maroons (descendants of escaped slaves of African origin) each constitute nearly one-sixth of the population. At least one-eighth of the population is of mixed ethnicity . Indians, descendants of the original inhabitants of Suriname, make up only a tiny fraction of the population. The coastal groups include the Carib and Arawak , while the Trio (Tiriyo), Wayana-Aparai, Warao (Warrau), Wayarekule (Akuriyo), Tucayana, and Akurio live in the interior. Minor ethnic groups in Suriname include descendants of Chinese, Lebanese, Portuguese, and Dutch immigrants; Creoles from the West Indies; and U.S. citizens.

More-recent immigrants include Chinese—known in Suriname as “New Chinese” to distinguish them from the descendants of those Chinese who were brought over as labourers in the 19th century—and Brazilians who arrived in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Languages Dutch is the official language of Suriname, but the extent to which members of the various ethnic groups are able to use the language differs. Most of the population learns Dutch as a second language. Additional languages include Sranan and other creole languages ; English; Sarnami, which originated from Hindi and Urdu; Javanese ; and a number of Maroon and South American Indian languages . Religion The principal religion is Christianity , brought to Suriname by European colonizers. About two-fifths of the people are Christians, mainly Roman Catholics and Moravians. Hindus, nearly all of whom are South Asians, account for about one-fifth of the population. Slightly more than one-eighth of Surinamese are Muslim, mostly the Javanese and a small South Asian group. Judaism, present in Suriname since the early 16th century, is still practiced, while many of the Chinese are Confucians.

African and Indian religions are still widely followed. Settlement patterns Nearly three-fourths of the Surinamese population resides in urban areas. Some one-fifth of them are concentrated in the capital, Paramaribo, and its surrounding area. The capital city is spread out along the Suriname River. Many of its Dutch colonial buildings remain intact, and its historic centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2002. Smaller urban centres include Nieuw Nickerie , in the northwest near the Guyanese border; Albina, in the northeast on the border with French Guiana; Moengo, in the centre of the bauxite-mining region in northeastern Suriname; and Paranam, in the bauxite-mining and bauxite-processing region on the Suriname River south of Paramaribo. Small settlements of Maroons and Indians make up almost the entire population of the interior. Some Indian villages are located in the coastal area, and nomadic groups live along the Brazilian border in the south. Paramaribo, Suri.

Robert Caputo—Aurora/Getty Images Demographic trends The birth rate in Suriname has steadily decreased since independence; indeed, from 1970 to 2007 it dropped by about half, to below the world average. More than one-fourth of the population is under age 15. After 1973, when it was announced that Suriname would become independent, a large number of people emigrated to the Netherlands. By 1980, according to some estimates, one-third of the population had left the country; many of those who left were professionals and skilled workers. In the early 21st century, migration to the Netherlands had decreased significantly, and many retired workers had returned to Suriname. Meanwhile, starting in the late 20th century, significant numbers of Chinese immigrated to Suriname. In addition, during the early 21st century there was an influx of Brazilians, who came to the country mainly to work in gold-mining activities. Economy Suriname’s economy is dependent on mineral resources, mainly oil , gold , and bauxite, from which alumina (used in the smelting of aluminum metal) is made.

Aside from natural resources, the chief sources of income are from agriculture and remittances, mostly from the Netherlands, French Guiana, and the United States. Suriname is a member of the Caribbean Community , an organization of Caribbean countries and dependencies. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing Less than 1 percent of Suriname’s land is arable, and about half of this is cultivated . Most of the farmland is on the New Coastal Plain. In this region drainage is necessary most of the year, owing to a surplus of precipitation. During dry periods evaporation exceeds precipitation, and thus irrigation is necessary. More than half of the cultivated land in Suriname is planted with rice , the basic food staple. There are two rice harvests every year—the principal one in the spring and a second crop in the autumn. Some rice is exported, as are bananas, citrus fruits, coconuts, and palm oil. Sugar, coffee, and cocoa, formerly important export items, are produced mainly for domestic consumption . Because more than nine-tenths of Suriname is forested, great timber resources exist, but they have not been fully exploited. Plywood and timber are exported.

There is a small fishing industry, centred in Paramaribo, that exports shrimp to North America . Resources and power Bauxite is the leading mineral in Suriname, with mines near Paranam and Overdacht. Gold mining has grown in importance. Reserves of chromium, clay, copper, diamonds, iron ore, manganese, nickel, platinum, and tin are also found in Suriname. The State Oil Company of Suriname (Staatsolie) produces a significant amount of oil from wells in the Tambaredjo area, from which some crude oil is exported, and production activities began at the neighbouring Calcutta field in 2006. A small refinery was established there in the 1990s. Offshore oil exploration of the Guyana-Suriname Basin, which was stalled for decades because of the maritime boundary dispute with Guyana, began again in 2008. The Brokopondo Dam and a hydroelectric power plant on the Suriname River produce electricity for the bauxite-refining operations in Paranam. The dam impounds the 600-square-mile (1,550-square-km) W.J. van Blommestein Lake.

Manufacturing The main industry in Suriname is the mining and processing of bauxite. There are an aluminum smelter and an alumina refinery in Paranam. Apart from the bauxite and wood-processing industries, manufacturing is limited to small import-substitution enterprises. Processed foods, clothing, cigarettes, and construction material are produced for the domestic market. Finance, trade, and services Local banks and insurance companies either are subsidiaries of or cooperate with foreign companies, mostly from the Netherlands and the United States. Monetary policy is controlled by the minister of finance and the president of the Central Bank of Suriname (established 1957), the bank of issue. The national currency is the Suriname dollar, which replaced the guilder in 2004. Bauxite, alumina, and gold account for almost three-fourths of total exports. Imports consist mostly of machinery and transport equipment, fuels, food products, and chemical products. Suriname’s main trade partners are the United States, Canada , the Netherlands, and Trinidad and Tobago . Nearly two-fifths of the population is employed in the service sector, which employs a larger proportion of the labour force than any other sector.

Tourism began to develop only in the early 21st century and is centred on the country’s environmental features. Transportation Surface transport systems are for the most part limited to the coastal area. The East-West Highway connects Paramaribo with Albina on the eastern border and with Nieuw Nickerie on the western border. There is a road from Paramaribo to Afobaka near the Brokopondo Dam. Only one-fourth of the roads are paved. Rivers and canals are an important means of transport. The lower courses of the larger rivers are accessible to oceangoing vessels. Paramaribo is the chief port. An international airport is located about 25 miles (40 km) south of the capital city in the town of Zanderij. Government and society Constitutional framework Under the 1987 constitution, legislative power is exercised by the popularly elected 51-member unicameral National Assembly , which in turn elects a president and vice president. The president, vice president, and members of the National Assembly serve five-year terms. The president is the chairman of a nonelective, military-influenced Council of State, which ensures that the government’s actions conform to the law.

It has constitutional powers to annul laws passed by the National Assembly. The judicial system consists of a Court of Justice and cantonal courts. Suriname is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice, the final court of appeal for Caribbean Community members. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Local government Local government was established in Suriname in 1987. It is divided into distrikten (districts) and ressorten (subdistricts). Each district has a representative and an executive branch of government. The former are run by district raden (district councils), and the latter are administered by districtsbestuur (district administrations). At the subdistrict level there is only a representative branch managed by ressort raad (subdistrict councils). Both the district and subdistrict councils are elected every five years at the country’s general elections. Political process Universal suffrage was introduced in 1948; Surinamese citizens age 18 and older are allowed to vote. Political mobilization and party affiliation have evolved along strongly ethnic lines. South Asians, Creoles, and Javanese all have played major roles in the development of the country’s constitutional democracy .

The Progressive Reform Party (Vooruitstrvende Hervormde Partij; VHP) is a leading Hindu party; the Suriname National Party (Nationale Partij Suriname; NPS) was founded by Creoles; and the Pendawa Lima (“Five Sons of King Pandu”) is a predominately Javanese party. The Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA), a guerrilla group better known as the Jungle Commando and consisting mainly of Maroons, formed in 1986 with the intent to overthrow the standing government. In retaliation, the National Army carried out raids in Maroon villages. The killing and detaining of many Maroons resulted in the flight of many to French Guiana. After a formal peace agreement was reached in 1992, most of them returned to Suriname, where they control economic activity on their lands. Health and welfare Health conditions are relatively good in Suriname. Most tropical diseases are combated effectively. Medical care in the interior is provided by the Foundation for Medical Mission of the Evangelical Brethren in Suriname, which operates medical centres in the larger Maroon and Indian settlements. Most of the population has health insurance. All collective labour agreements include medical care.

The unemployed and workers in the informal sector, however, must obtain a special certificate from the government to receive free medical care. Unemployment benefits and other social provisions are almost nonexistent. Education About nine-tenths of Surinamese age 15 and older are literate. Suriname’s system of education is modeled on that of the Netherlands, and Dutch is the language of instruction. School attendance is compulsory for children up to age 12, and education at all levels is free. More than nine-tenths of the children in the coastal areas attend primary school. Suriname has secondary schools, junior colleges, a teacher’s college, and vocational and technical schools. The Anton de Kom University of Suriname, founded in 1968 as the University of Suriname, has faculties of law, medicine, social science and economics, engineering, and natural resources. Cultural life Cultural milieu Suriname is a culturally diverse society, with harmonious contact between its ethnic groups in the cultural sphere. Fine arts, such as painting and sculpture, were traditionally middle-class concerns dominated by Western cultural standards, but since independence the works of artists from different ethnic groups have received more recognition.

Culinary traditions cross ethnic lines, and elements from South Asian, Javanese, Creole, Western African, and Chinese cuisine are often blended. The arts Suriname’s art forms derive from several ethnic traditions. Those of Javanese descent, for example, support a number of gamelan (Indonesian orchestra) troupes. Suriname’s Indians and Maroons developed a strong crafts industry, producing colourful textiles, baskets, and wood carvings for export. Most Surinamese writing is in the Dutch, Sranan, and Hindi languages. Among the country’s leading writers are Albert Helman, whose published works include dozens of volumes of fiction and plays; Martinus Haridat Luchtman, who, under the pen name Shrinivasi, is the author of several books of poems; Astrid Roemer, a popular novelist; and Cynthia McLeod, who has written several historical novels that have earned a wide readership in both Suriname and the Netherlands.

Surinamese music is represented by musical groups such as Fra Fra Bigband, an orchestra from Paramaribo that blends indigenous forms of kaseko (dance music combining Western march , jazz , and calypso ), kawina (a type of Creole pop music ), and winti (ritual music) to form a distinctly Surinamese brand of Afro-Caribbean jazz. In recent years, Suriname-based groups also have collaborated with Western African musicians, adding talking drums and thumb pianos ( lamellaphones ) to their instrumentation. Sports and recreation The country’s most popular sports are football (soccer), basketball, and volleyball. Although Suriname has no professional sports teams, several Surinamese players have become members of well-known European soccer clubs. Suriname made its Olympic debut at the 1968 Mexico City Games. Suriname’s Anthony Nesty won the gold medal in the 100-metre butterfly competition at the 1988 Seoul Games and later earned a bronze in the same event at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Fishing is a common recreational sport, particularly from August to October, when many people fish with bamboo poles in freshwater swamps and creeks.

Hunting is also popular. A traditional Surinamese activity is birdkeeping. The most commonly caught birds are the large-billed seed finches (Oryzoborus crassirostris) known in the country as twa-twas. A competition among these whistling birds takes place Sunday mornings at Independence Square in Paramaribo and in other cities throughout Suriname. Media and publishing All non-government-owned media were shut down in 1982. However, since then several private entities resumed operation. The major independent daily newspapers are De Ware Tijd (“The True Times”) and De West (“The West”); both are printed in Dutch. Most of the government-owned television and radio stations broadcast in Dutch, and some also air in local languages. There are a large number of smaller commercial radio stations. Page 1 of 2

Question: What is the modern name of Dutch Guiana?
Answer: SURINAM