Suriname: Flag and Facts
Suriname's flag has five horizontal stripes, green, white, a wide red center, white and green, with a yellow five-pointed star in the middle of the red.
- Official name
- Republic of Suriname
- Capital
- Paramaribo
- Region
- South America
- Population
- 653,605 (2025)
- Languages
- Dutch
- Currency
- Surinamese dollar
- Area
- 163,820 km² (63,251 sq mi)
- People
- Surinamer
- Calling code
- +597
- Highest point
- Juliana Top 1,230 m
- Independence
- 25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)
- National symbols
- royal palm, faya lobi (flower)
- Borders
- Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana
About Suriname
Spanish explorers came first in the 16th century, and English settlers followed about a hundred years later. In 1667 the land became a Dutch colony. When slavery was abolished in 1863, workers were brought over from India and Java, which helps explain the country's mix of cultures today. The Netherlands let it go on 25 November 1975.
Five years after independence, a military regime pushed out the civilian government. A democratic election came in 1987, the army seized power again in 1990, and an elected coalition returned in 1991. Paramaribo, the capital, has about 239,000 residents, out of about two-thirds of a million people nationwide. Most of the land is rolling hills, with a narrow, swampy coastal plain. Trade winds take the edge off the tropical heat, and Dutch is the official language.
Did you know?
- The lowest point in Suriname sits 2 meters below sea level on the coastal plain.
- The royal palm and the faya lobi flower are both national symbols.
- Juliana Top, the highest peak, reaches 1,230 meters.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about Suriname
What does the star on Suriname's flag mean?
The yellow star represents the unity of the country's ethnic groups.
What currency does Suriname use?
The Surinamese dollar is the national currency.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.