SURINAM (NETHERLANDS GUIANA)

AREA, TOPOGRAPHY, AND CLIMATE

Surinam, the only Netherlands possession in South America, lies between French and British Guiana, with the Atlantic Ocean on the north and Brazil on the south. The Corentyn River separates it from British Guiana. Surinam has an area of about 54,000 square miles and a population of about 171,000, mostly British East Indians, Javanese, and Negroes.

Topography. The low coastal region rises to savannas and hills which cover most of the country's interior, where the forests are practically impenetrable.

Climate. The climate is tropical-hot and humid. Paramaribo, the capital, has an average temperature of about 80° F. Temperatures range from about 78° F. in January, February, and March, the coolest months, to approximately 82° for the warmest months, September and October.

The rainfall is heavy throughout the year, with the exception of September and October, when precipitation for each month is less than 3 inches. The monthly precipitation from December through July is more than 8 inches, except for February, which has 7 inches. The annual total is more than 90 inches.

CHIEF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

Agriculture. Sugar is the most important crop; then follow coffee, cacao, rice, and maize. Rum and molasses are also produced.

Timbering. There is some timber cutting, but the forests require exploiting. Balata is produced.

Mining. Mining is chiefly for gold, obtained largely from placer mines. Bauxite, however, is the chief mineral product, there being large deposits.

TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION

Steamship and Air Service. Surinam can be reached both by steamship and by airplane from the United States. The Royal Netherlands Steamship Co. has sailings out of New York approximately every 20 days for Paramaribo, with calls en route at Curacao, Aruba, Maracaibo, Venezuelan ports, Trinidad, and British Guiana.

The Aluminum Line (Norwegian) provides a steamship service from New Orleans fortnightly, with calls en route in the Dominican Republic, Curacao, Puerto Cabello, and La Guaira.

Fortnightly service between Paramaribo and Georgetown, British Guiana, and between Paramaribo and Cayenne, French Guiana, is maintained by the Surinam Navigation Co. Paramaribo is a scheduled stop on the Pan American Airways twiceweekly service to the east coast of South America. Local steamship service comprises weekly sailings from Paramaribo to Nickerie and Georgetown, and about every 2 weeks from Paramaribo to Cattice, Albina, and other points. Sailing vessels also ply from Paramaribo up the Surinam River and along the coast to Nickerie.

Postage.-Rates for letters from the United States are 5 cents for the first ounce and 3 cents for each additional ounce or fraction thereof. There is also a parcel-post service between the United States and Surinam.

ARRIVAL

Licenses. No license is required except by those who deal in liquors.

Samples. Samples of no commercial value may be imported without difficulty. Those subject to duty may be brought in if security is given to guarantee their reexportation. Duties must be paid on any part of the samples left in the country. The customs authorities establish the period during which reexportation must take place.

Baggage. Owing to the humid climate, it is well to protect luggage against damage from moisture.

HINTS TO TRAVELERS

The only town of primary importance is the capital, Paramaribo, where are located the principal wholesale houses. Trade naturally being limited, the wholesale business is not on a large scale. Some retailers import direct. Certain firms in Paramaribo also conduct a business in Georgetown, British Guiana. Surinam is, in the main, quite undeveloped, although the country possesses great natural wealth.

Agencies. If a separate agency is desired, it may be satisfactorily established in Paramaribo, but some firms prefer to grant the agency to a representative in Georgetown, who is expected to cover British, Dutch, and French Guiana, in order to obtain a larger volume of business. Periodic visits are made by agents to Paramaribo and Cayenne, which can easily be reached by local steamship service. When an agent has a number of lines, as is usually the case, he is justified in remaining in each of these cities a sufficient time to transact the necessary volume of business.

Hotels.-Hotel rates in Paramaribo range from $3 to $5, American plan, which is the plan usually followed.

Holidays. The chief holidays of Surinam are: January 1, New Year's Day; August 31, Queen's Birthday; December 25, Christmas Day; December 26, day after Christmas; also Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, and Whitmonday (movable dates).

Currency. Based on Dutch guilder, or florin.

Packing. Should be adequate for rough and frequent handling, and for hot and humid climate.

COMMERCIAL CENTERS

PARAMARIBO.-Capital of Surinam (Netherlands Guiana); population, 38,191. Situated on west bank of Surinam River, 10 miles from its mouth; 214 miles from Georgetown, British Guiana; 2,338 nautical miles from New York. Vessels lie alongside wharf. Products: Balata, sugar, cacao. American consular agent in residence.

Hotels.-Waller and Ganz (boarding house); Palace.

Bank. Surinamische Bank. Paramaribo is the only entrepôt and port of export of Surinam.

ALBINA. On west bank of Maroni River, opposite St. Laurent, French Guiana. Products: Lumber and gold. Fortnightly steamers from Paramaribo.

CORONIE. On northwest coast; population, 2,100. Cacao is the chief product. Reached by steamer from Paramaribo or Georgetown.

Nickerie.-Near mouth of Nickerie River; population, 6,225. Products: Cacao and lumber. Weekly steamer service from Paramaribo and Georgetown. Vessels lie alongside wharf.

WEST INDIES

BAHAMA ISLANDS

Area. The Bahamas, an archipelago of 700 islands belonging to Great Britain, lie east of Florida and northeast of Cuba. The total surface area of the group, 25 islands of which are inhabited, is 4,400 square miles.

Topography. The soil of the Bahamas is white limestone with a very thin layer of top soil; rich earth occurs only in pockets. The surface is flat, the highest elevation in the group being about 110 feet, on the island of New Providence. There are running streams on the island of Andros only. Little forest remains except on the islands of Abaco, Grand Bahama, and Andros, where there are fairly extensive growths of pine; Andros has some mahogany and other hardwoods.

Climate. The islands as a whole lie outside the Tropics and close to the Gulf Stream. Climatic conditions at Nassau, a popular winter tourist resort, may be accepted as typical for the group. Average annual temperature there is 77° F. During the hottest months, June to September, the temperature ranges from 80° to about 82° F., while during the coolest months, January and February, the average is less than 72° F. The rainy season extends from April through November; average annual precipitation, about 51 inches. The islands lie within the hurricane belt. There is an absence of malaria and other tropical diseases.

Population. The estimated total population, as of January 1, 1937, was 65,900, of which about 85 percent are colored and 15 percent white. The latter are chiefly of British origin, but there are a number of Greeks engaged in the sponge industry. Wages.-Wages for unskilled labor are from 1 shilling 6 pence to 3 shillings a day; for skilled labor, from 4 to 20 shillings a day.

CHIEF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

The winter tourist trade represents the principal source of wealth in the Colony. In 1937 the total number of winter visitors exceeded 60,000; they spent from $5 to $25,000 each. Local merchants make large sales of alcoholic beverages and perfumes to visitors. This trade accounts in a large measure for the great excess of imports over visible exports. The chief local industry is sponge fishing. Following in importance come tomato growing, small-scale general agriculture, fishing, lumbering, and trading.

TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION

Steamship Service. The Munargo Line (formerly the Munson Line) operates a fortnightly service from New York to Nassau, thence to Miami and Habana; return to Miami, Nassau, and New York. Minimum fare from New York to Nassau, $50; minimum round-trip fare, $80. The Munargo Line provides a 12-day all-expense cruise from New York to Habana and return via Nassau and Miami at a minimum fare of $135. The Royal Mail Line, Ltd., also serves the Bahamas.

Air Service.-Pan American Airways operates a mail and passenger service between Miami and Nassau. From January to May a daily service is operated, while during the remainder of the year a triweekly service is maintained. Fare one way, $20; round trip, $36. During the summer months the round-trip fare is usually reduced to $29. The Bahamas Airways operates a commercial service to Eleuthera, leaving Nassau every Wednesday and returning the same day; round-trip fare, $15.

Local Services.-The chief local means of transportation are by motor or horse-drawn vehicles. The islands have a total of 400 miles of road which may be classified as suitable for motor traffic; of this total, 107 miles are on the island of New Providence. There are no street cars or railways, but a bus service has been inaugurated on the island of New Providence. Outlying islands are reached by motorboat.

Communication. There is a central wireless station at Nassau which provides communication with ships at sea and with planes of the Pan American Airways in flight. Interisland service on short wave is maintained between New Providence and other islands.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The customs tariff of the Colony is designed for revenue rather than for protection. In most cases the duty is reduced 50 percent on imports which are the produce or manufacture of any part of the British Empire. Advertising matter and samples without commercial value are free of duty, and the duty on valuable samples may be refunded upon their exportation. A license fee (license issued by the magistrate) of 5 shillings a year is required of commercial travelers.

Visitors are permitted to enter the Colony for a period of 8 months, but are not permitted to engage in business. Persons desiring to engage in business must apply to the Colonial Secretary for permission. There is no income tax or property tax in the Bahamas.