Nature and heritage of Suriname

Suriname and its surroundings

Suriname lies on South America’s Atlantic coast, with Paramaribo as its capital. It borders Guyana, Brazil and French Guiana. Coast, rivers and interior landscapes offer different environments; a single rainforest image cannot represent them all.

Sources: Overheid Suriname — land en culturele verscheidenheid

How much of Suriname is forest?

The consulted SBB/KOPI table reports 92.54% forest cover in 2023, including regeneration, compared with 92.61% in 2022 and 92.67% in 2021. These are dated measurements rather than a live figure. Reporting definitions and methods matter.

“About 93% forest” is a rounded description. Forest cover should not be confused with the geographical extent of the Amazon, so we do not claim that more than 90% of the country “consists of the Amazon”.

Sources: SBB / KOPI — bosbedekking, tabel 2000–2023

Central Suriname Nature Reserve

UNESCO describes approximately 1.6 million hectares of tropical forest in west-central Suriname, protecting diverse landscapes and river headwaters. Its account mentions jaguar, giant otter and tapir. The reserve has been World Heritage since 2000. This background information is not a travel offer or advice to visit sensitive areas independently.

Sources: UNESCO — Centraal Suriname Natuurreservaat

Paramaribo’s built heritage

Paramaribo’s historic inner city became World Heritage in 2002. UNESCO highlights European architectural influences combined with local materials and building knowledge. Wooden buildings and the historic street layout reveal part of that history, alongside stories of labour, belief, trade, power and daily life.

Sources: UNESCO — historische binnenstad van Paramaribo

Jodensavanne and Cassipora

The Jodensavanne archaeological site and Cassipora cemetery were inscribed in 2023. UNESCO connects Jewish settlement with the lives of free and enslaved people of African and Indigenous descent. This shared setting calls for attention to different histories and the relationships between them.

Sources: UNESCO — Jodensavanne en Cassipora

Listening to voices from the forest

Naturalis and OSCAM collaborated on the podcast Stemmen uit het bos, making space for voices from the Surinamese diaspora. For our editorial approach, it is a reminder to invite people with knowledge and lived connections to speak for themselves.

Sources: Naturalis — Het bos van Suriname en Stemmen uit het bos

What this means for our brand

The green colour and palm in our identity are brand choices. They are not proof of sustainable production, organic farming, local sourcing or forest protection. Such claims need verifiable company and product evidence. We keep general information about Suriname separate from what we can confirm about our own supply chain.