World-famous Swimmers
Did you know- In September 1988, Anthony Conrad Nesty, a black athlete, pulled off a major shock when he became Olympic champ. At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Suriname’s swimmer Nesty won one of the most memorable finals in Olympic history when he defeated Matt Biondi (USA) in the men’s 100m butterfly final. Until 1984 he was a unknown swimmer in Latin America. However, Nesty’s fledgling career received a big boost in the mid-1980s when he studied at the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, America. From then onwards, he directed almost all of his energy to become Olympic champion. Despite he won a gold medal at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis, USA, Nesty was not considered a contender for a medal in the 100 metres butterfly at the 1988 Seoul Games. Twenty years on, by 2008, the Surinamese Olympic Committee honored his achievement by nominating his to carry the national flag at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Without a doubt, Anthony Conrad Nesty is the best male swimmer ever produced by Latin America, ahead of Felipe Muñoz (Mexico), Rafael Vidal (Venezuela), Ricardo Prado (Brazil) and Jorge Delgado Panchana (Ecuador).
Geography
Did you know- Unique among countries in the world, Suriname is located on Caribbean coast of South America, between Guyana on the west, Brazil on the south, French Guiana on the east, and the Atlantic Ocean on the north. With a total area of nearly 63,000 square miles (163,820 km2), Suriname is South America’s smallest nation. More than 90 percent of Suriname’s territory is covered by rainforests, highest of the world’s developing countries.
Paramaribo
Did you know –Paramaribo is the capital and ranks as the country’s largest city. In addition, it is Suriname’s chief commercial, cultural, and industrial center. The capital city was founded in 1640. Paramaribo is home to about 243,000 people.
Independence
Did you know- Suriname, former Dutch Guiana, gained independence from the Kingdom of the Netherlands on November 25, 1975.
Multiracial Society
Did you know- The country is a multiracial society. The Hindustani make up the nation’s largest ethnic group (37%), followed by Creole (31%) and Javanese (15%). Dutch is the national language. In the meantime, the nation has many non-official languages: Sranang Tongo, English, and Hindustani, among others.
Diplomatic Relations
Did you know- From the 1990s on, this Dutch-speaking nation, more than twice the size of Maine, maintains close ties with the United States of America, Brazil, India, Indonesia and the Netherlands, among others countries. Prior to 1990, Suriname had difficult relations with Washington and Holland.
Eco-tourism
Did you know- Nature-based tourism is a new source of income since the 2000s. Thanks to its peaceful atmosphere, one of Latin America’s most stable countries, and unique landscapes, from waterfalls, rivers, lakes and exotic beaches to picturesque towns, Suriname has become one of Western Hemisphere’s best adventure travel destinations. For example, the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, the nation’s most famous natural wonder, is a perfect place for ecotourism, where there are abundant tropical vegetation and rare plants.Meanwhile, it is home to water birds, jaguars, toucans, primates, tree frogs, and a number of types of butterflies. Thousands of foreigners, particularly from the Netherlands and Brazil, visit the Nature Reserve each year to see wild animals and tropical orchids. Since 2000, it is a World Heritage Site.
Population
Did you know- The Dutch-speaking nation is home to at least 470,000 people. Curiously, Suriname is the sixth most sparsely populated country in the world, after Mongolia, Namibia, Australia, Mauritania and Botswana.
Did you know- Apart from the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, this Dutch-speaking country boasts another UNESCO World Heritage Site: The Historic Inner City of Paramaribo. Since then it has become one of the nation’s greatest tourist attractions. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002.
United Nations
Did you know- On December 4, 1975, after the country proclaimed its independence from Holland, Suriname became member of the United Nations. At the same time, it joined the Organization of American States (OAS). The Dutch-speaking country also belongs to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
Reference:
- www.embajadadesuriname.org
- voices.yahoo.com/london-2012-olympics-surinames-anthony-nesty-latin-11647894.html?cat
- voices.yahoo.com/london-2012-olympics-parade-nations-204-countries-11614570.html?cat=
