<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Suriname<nl>Economy</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Overview:</hi> The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for 15% of GDP and about 70% of export earnings. The economy has been in trouble since the Dutch ended development aid in 1982. A drop in world bauxite prices which started in the late 1970s and continued until late 1986 was followed by the outbreak of a guerrilla insurgency in the interior that crippled the important bauxite sector. Although the insurgency has since ebbed and the bauxite sector recovered, Paramaribo has failed to initiate the economic reforms necessary to stabilize the economy or win renewed Dutch aid disbursements. High inflation, high unemployment, widespread black market activity, and hard currency shortfalls continue to mark the economy.
<item><hi format=bold>National product:</hi> GDP—purchasing power equivalent—$1.17 billion (1993 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product real growth rate:</hi> -0.3% (1993 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product per capita:</hi> $2,800 (1993 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>Agriculture:</hi> accounts for 10.4% of GDP and 25% of export earnings; paddy rice planted on 85% of arable land and represents 60% of total farm output; other products—bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts, beef, chicken; shrimp and forestry products of increasing importance; self-sufficient in most foods
<item><hi format=bold>Economic aid:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>recipient:</hi> US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion
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<item><hi format=bold>Currency:</hi> 1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.)=100 cents
<item><hi format=bold>Exchange rates:</hi> Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1—1.7850 (fixed rate); parallel rate 109 (January 1994)
<item><hi format=bold>Fiscal year:</hi> calendar year