Demographics of Suriname

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Suriname, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations, and other aspects of the population.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1921 107,723—    
1950 198,668+2.13%
1964 324,211+3.56%
1972 379,607+1.99%
1980 354,860−0.84%
2004 492,464+1.37%
2012 541,638+1.20%
2016 558,368+0.76%
Source: [1] 2016 daat[2][3]

Most Surinamese people live in the narrow, northern coastal plain. The population is one of the most ethnically varied in the world. Each ethnic group preserves its own culture, and many institutions, including political parties, tend to follow ethnic lines. Informal relationships vary: the upper classes of all ethnic backgrounds mix freely; outside of the elite, social relations tend to remain within ethnic groupings. All groups may be found in the schools and workplace.

Population
Demographics of Suriname, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

According to the 2019 revision of the World Population Prospects[2][3] the total population was 575,990 in 2018, compared to only 215,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 28.6%, 65% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 6.5% was 65 years or older .[4] According to 2012 census, there were 270,629 males and 271,009 females in Suriname.[5]

Year Total
population
(x 1000)		 Proportion (%) aged
0–14 15–64 65+
1950 21540.054.06.0
1955 25043.252.04.8
1960 29047.648.34.1
1965 33248.247.84.0
1970 37248.347.83.9
1975 36447.648.53.9
1980 36639.955.74.4
1985 37635.859.84.5
1990 40733.362.04.7
1995 43632.262.65.2
2000 46730.663.75.7
2005 50029.864.16.1
2010 52528.665.06.5

Total and Percent Distribution of Population by Age (Censuses 2004 & 2012)

[6]

Age group 2004 2012
Number Percent Number Percent
0-14 146.389 29,81 148.767 27.47
15-59 299.547 60.78 334.949 61.84
60+ 42.189 8.56 54.527 10.07
Total 492.829 100 541.638 100

Structure of the population [7]

Structure of the population (02.08.2004) (Census) :

Age Group Male Female Total %
Total 248 046 244 783 492 829 100
0-4 26 252 25 585 51 837 10,52
5-9 25 200 24 209 49 409 10,03
10-14 22 889 22 254 45 143 9,16
15-19 23 465 23 043 46 508 9,44
20-24 22 437 21 406 43 843 8,90
25-29 19 006 18 895 37 901 7,69
30-34 19 828 19 166 38 994 7,91
35-39 19 179 18 100 37 279 7,56
40-44 17 657 16 328 33 985 6,90
45-49 12 643 12 992 25 635 5,20
50-54 9 933 10 487 20 420 4,14
55-59 6 955 8 027 14 982 3,04
60-64 6 200 7 059 13 259 2,69
65-69 5 148 5 454 10 602 2,15
70-74 4 103 4 556 8 659 1,76
75-79 2 419 2 733 5 152 1,05
80-84 1 235 1 618 2 853 0,58
85-89 392 677 1 075 0,22
90-94 196 294 490 0,10
95+ 34 95 129 0,03
unknown 2 885 1 819 4 704 0,95
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0-14 74 341 72 048 146 389 29,70
15-64 157 293 155 489 312 782 63,47
65+ 13 527 15 427 28 954 5,88

Structure of the population (01.07.2011) (Estimates) :

Age Group Male Female Total %
Total 272 690 267 220 539 910 100
0-4 24 910 24 150 49 060 9,09
5-9 26 400 25 160 51 560 9,55
10-14 25 950 24 850 50 800 9,41
15-19 24 510 23 670 48 180 8,92
20-24 23 270 22 500 45 770 8,48
25-29 22 310 21 360 43 670 8,09
30-34 21 180 20 150 41 330 7,65
35-39 20 130 19 110 39 240 7,27
40-44 18 570 17 720 36 290 6,72
45-49 16 370 15 830 32 200 5,96
50-54 13 940 13 730 27 670 5,12
55-59 10 970 11 200 22 170 4,11
60-64 8 340 8 890 17 230 3,19
65-69 6 200 6 870 13 070 2,42
70-74 4 360 5 060 9 420 1,74
75-79 2 860 3 500 6 360 1,18
80+ 2 420 3 470 5 890 1,09
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0-14 77 260 72 048 149 308 27,65
15-64 179 590 176 272 355 862 65,91
65+ 15 840 18 900 34 740 6,43

Vital statistics

The Population Departement of the United Nations prepared the following estimates for Suriname. [4]

Period Live births
per year		 Deaths
per year		 Natural change
per year		 CBR* CDR* NC* TFR* IMR* Life expectancy
total		 Life expectancy
males		 Life expectancy
females
1950-195510 0003 0007 00048.014.933.16.568956.054.457.7
1955-196012 0003 0009 00046.012.433.66.567658.757.060.5
1960-196514 0003 00011 00044.810.634.26.566460.558.762.5
1965-197014 0003 00011 00039.79.030.65.955562.460.564.5
1970-197513 0003 00010 00034.98.326.65.294964.061.766.5
1975-198011 0003 0008 00030.27.422.84.204465.162.867.7
1980-198511 0003 0008 00030.07.322.73.704266.563.669.8
1985-199010 0003 0007 00025.47.218.23.003967.164.070.7
1990-19959 0003 0006 00022.57.115.42.603467.664.471.1
1995-200011 0003 0008 00023.67.416.22.802967.864.671.4
2000-200510 0004 0006 00021.07.613.42.602468.164.871.7
2005-201010 0004 0006 00019.17.311.92.422269.666.473.1
* CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)

Births and deaths
Births and deaths[7][8]
Year Population Live births Deaths Natural increase Crude birth rate Crude death rate Rate of natural increase TFR
1996 9,393 2,894 6,499 22.7 7.0 15.7
1997 10,794 2,878 7,916 25.8 6.9 18.9
1998 10,221 2,814 7,407 24.1 6.6 17.5
1999 10,144 2,992 7,152 23.6 7.0 16.6
2000 9,804 3,090 6,714 22.5 7.1 15.4
2001 9,717 3,099 6,618 20.7 6.6 14.1
2002 10,188 3,125 7,063 21.4 6.6 14.8
2003 9,634 3,154 6,480 20.0 6.6 13.4
2004 9,062 3,319 5,743 18.6 6.8 11.8
2005 498,543 8,657 3,392 5,265 17.4 6.8 10.6 2.14
2006 504,257 9,311 3,197 6,114 18.5 6.4 12.1 2.28
2007 509,970 9,769 3,374 6,395 19.2 6.6 12.6 2.38
2008 517,052 10,097 3,357 6,740 19.5 6.5 13.0 2.44
2009 524,143 9,792 3,293 6,499 18,7 6,3 12,4 2.34
2010 531,170 9,712 3,484 6,228 18.3 6.6 11.7 2.30
2011 539,910 9,703 3,441 6,262 18.0 6.4 11.6 2.445
2012 541,638 10,217 3,687 6,530 18.9 6.8 12.1 2.406
2013 550,222 10,012 3,557 6,455 18.2 6.5 11.7 2.323
2014 558,773 10,407 3,738 6,669 18.6 6.7 11.9 2.370
2015 10,148 3,663 6,485 17.9 6.5 11.4 2.330
2016 9,910 3,591 6,319 17.2 6.2 11.0
2017 9,758 3,508 6,250 16.8 6.0 10.8
2018 9,809 3,763 6,046 16.6 6.4 10.2

Ethnic groups
Population of Suriname according to ethnic group
Ethnic
group		 Census 1921Census 1950[9]Census 1964[9]Census 1972[9]Census 1980[10]Census 2004[11]Census 2012[12]
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%
East Indian62,28031.3112,63334.7142,91737.6135,11727.4148,44327.4
Maroons19,1809.727,6988.535,8389.472,55314.7117,56721.7
Creole71,65736.1114,96135.5119,00931.487,20217.784,93315.7
Javanese35,27017.848,46314.957,68815.271,87914.673,97513.7
Mixed00.000.000.061,52412.572,34013.4
Amerindian[13]--7,287[14]2.2--18,0373.720,3443.8
Chinese[13]--5,339[14]1.6--8,7751.87,8851.5
White[13]--4,322[14]1.3--2,8990.61,6670.3
Other10,0955.12,9860.924,1556.42,2640.57,1661.3
Unknown1860.15220.200.01,2610.31,8050.3
No answer31,3186.41,5900.3
Total107,723[15]198,668324,211379,607355,240492,829541,638
Ethnic groups of Suriname[16]
Ethnic groups percent
Hindustani
 
 27.4%
Maroon
 
 21.7%
Creole
 
 15.7%
Javanese
 
 13.7%
Mixed
 
 13.4%
Amerindian
 
 3.8%
Other
 
 2.3%
Chinese
 
 2%
White
 
 1%
  • The census used self-identification for ethnic classification.[17]
  • Amerindians are the original inhabitants of Suriname.
  • East Indians, also known locally as Hindustanis, are those whose ancestors emigrated from northern British India in the latter part of the 19th century.
  • Creoles are descendants from slaves from Africa. Prior to the 2004 census, mixed-race people were counted as Creoles. Their ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries.
  • The Maroons are descendants from slaves from Africa that escaped to the interior of Suriname. Their proportion has increased considerably during the past decades, from 9% in 1964 to 22% in 2012. Part of this increase is probably caused by interchanging identities of Creole and Maroon, causing a decrease in the proportion of Creole and an increase in the proportion Maroon.
  • The Javanese are Asians from formerly Dutch-ruled Indonesia.
  • Whites are principally descended from Dutch colonists.

The current population of Suriname will be different to these census figures, as the census records residents, and notes legal visitors, but does not record illegal immigrants. According to estimates there may be as many as:

  • 60,000 Brazilians (estimates varies between 20,000 and 80,000) from Brazil. There are also other smaller numbers of South American nationalities.
  • 40,000 Chinese,[18] with small communities of Koreans, Japanese and Filipinos.
  • 2,000 Arab/Middle Eastern (mostly Lebanese but also Syrian and Palestinians).
  • 200 Jews who are identified in ethnoreligious terms.
  • Cherokee people - in the late 19th century, Suriname as well Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil and Chile attracted tens of thousands of settlers from the Indian Territory of the United States, now part of the state of Oklahoma. The exact number of Cherokee descendants is unknown, but Suriname and Guyana each have large American expatriate (mostly retiree) communities (about 50,000 Americans live in Suriname).

Fertility rate by ethnic group

The total fertility rate for Suriname as a whole is 2.53 children per woman aged 15 to 49. Maroons have the highest fertility rate, with 4.47 children per woman. On the other hand, Hindustani's have the lowest fertility with 1.78 children per woman.

Total fertility rate by ethnic group [19]
Ethnic groupTotal fertility rateChildren ever born
Maroons4.475.79
Creole2.263.06
East-Indian1.783.15
Javanese2.153.17
Mixed people2.122.77
Smaller minorities2.933.46
Unknown (mostly Maroons as wel)3.694.91
Suriname (as whole)2.533.48

Languages

Dutch is the official language of Suriname and the mother tongue of around 60% of the population. Sranan Tongo is the lingua franca and second most spoken language of Suriname.

English is mostly used in the business sector mainly to communicate with foreign businesses. It is also used in the HORECA sector to communicate with tourists.

Sarnami Hindustani is spoken by Surinamese Indian communtiy. Depending on the person this language can be either the mother tongue, second language or third language (after Dutch or Sranan Tongo).

Saramaccan is spoken by the Saramaka tribe of the Maroon community. Aukan is mainly spoken by the Aukan tribe of the Maroon communitry

Javanese is spoken by the Surinamese Javanese community. Just like Sarnami Hindustani, Javanese can be either the mother tongue, second language or third language (after Dutch or Sranan Tongo) for some.

Hakka and Cantonese is spoken by Surinamese Chinese, mainly as a second language after Dutch. Cantonese was introduced in Suriname by the second wave of Chinese immigrants in 1970. Beginning in the 1990s new migrants from China moved to Suriname, and Putonghua, during circa 2004-2014, became the main Chinese lingua franca in the country.

French is spoken by some Maroons due to the cultural influence from French Guiana, Portuguese mainly by immigrants from Brazil and Portugal, and Spanish due to immigrants from, Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, and other Latin American countries.

Religion
Denomination 2012 census[20]
Number %
Catholic Church117,26121.6
Pentecostalism (Full Gospel)60,53011.18
Moravian Church60,42011.16
Jehovah's Witnesses6,6221.2
Calvinism4,0180.7
Lutheranism2,8110.5
Other forms of Christianity17,2803.2
Sanatani Hindus97,31118
Arya Samaj Hindus16,6613.1
Other forms of Hinduism6,6511.2
Sunni Islam21,1593.9
Ahmadi Islam14,1612.6
Other forms of Islam39,7337.3
Javanism4,4600.8
Judaism1810.0
Winti9,9491.8
Other faith4,6300.9
No faith40,7187.5
No answer17,0823.2
Total population541,638100.0

References
  1. "NATIONAL CENSUS REPORT SURINAME" (PDF). CARICOMSTATS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  2. ""World Population prospects – Population division"". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  3. ""Overall total population" – World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision" (xslx). population.un.org (custom data acquired via website). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  4. Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision Archived 6 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Censusstatistieken 2012". Algemeen Bureau voor de Statistiek in Suriname (General Statistics Bureau of Suriname). Presentatie Definitieve Resultaten Census 8 Vol. 1, page 26. Archived from the original on 13 November 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 13 November 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics". Unstats.un.org. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  8. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "National Census Report: Suriname" (PDF). Caricom. 2009. p. 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  10. "National Census Report: Suriname" (PDF). Caricom. 2009. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2014. Except for the 1980 census, all censuses since the first in 1921 included ethnicity as a variable of interest. For unknown reasons, the government did not allow the Census Bureau to include this variable.
  11. "National report submitted in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 Suriname*". UN Human Rights Council. 16 February 2011. p. 7.
  12. "Censusstatistieken 2012" (PDF). Algemeen Bureau voor de Statistiek in Suriname (General Statistics Bureau of Suriname). p. 76.
  13. Where no separate figures are given, these people are included in Other.
  14. This is included in Other in the source
  16. "South America :: SURINAME". CIA The World Factbook.
  17. "REPORT ON CENSUS 2004 COVERAGE EVALUATION" (PDF). CENSUS OFFICE GENERAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS. 2006. p. 30.
  18. "With Aid and Migrants, China Expands Its Presence in a South American Nation". The New York Times. 10 April 2011.
  19.  Newfoundland and Labrador p.24
  20. 2012 Suriname Census Definitive Results Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Algemeen Bureau voor de Statistiek - Suriname.

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