 The old town has suffered many devastating fires over the years, notably in January 1821 (which destroyed over 400 buildings) and September 1832 (which destroyed nearly 50 buildings).In 1987 an administrative reorganization took place in Suriname and the city was divided into 12 administrative resorts (jurisdictions).The city is located on the Suriname River, approximately inland from the Atlantic Ocean, in the Paramaribo district.