[This material is no longer current. Updated data will be
posted.] Background: First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th
century and then settled by the English in the mid-17th century,
Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of
slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java.
Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five
years later the civilian government was replaced by a military
regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to
exert control through a succession of nominally civilian
administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally
forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew
the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected government
- a four-party New Front coalition - returned to power in 1991
and has ruled since, expanding to eight parties in 2005.
(Source: CIA—The World Factbook) Security Assistance Funding:
(Source: 2009 Congressional Budget Justifications for Foreign
Operations) ($ in thousands) |Acc