Paramaribo
Paramaribo, population 222,843 (1996), is the capital of Suriname. The city is located on the Suriname River, approximately 15 km inland from the Atlantic Ocean. Bauxite, sugar cane, rice, cacao, coffee, rum, and tropical woods are exported from Paramaribo. The city manufactures cement, paint, and beer.
The area was settled by the British in 1630, and in 1650 the city became the capital of the new English colony. The area changed hands often between the British and Dutch but was under Dutch rule from 1815 until the independence of Suriname in 1975. The citizens are chiefly of Asian Indian, indigenous, African, and Dutch descent.
Paramaribo has a museum, a cathedral, forts and canals that are reminiscent of the Netherlands.
de:Paramaribo la:Paramaribo nl:Paramaribo sv:Paramaribo
Categories: Capitals in South America