DUTCH GUIANA, or SURINAM. This Colony, belonging to the Netherlands, lies next east of British Guiana, and is bordered on the east by the Maroni River. Its estimated area is 49,800 square miles. Only the sea region is developed, the interior having been little explored. The coast is generally rather swampy. Its inhabited portions are protected and drained by darns and canals, and are nowhere wider than 25 miles. Along the coast are fine mangrove forests. Among the woods exploited by the natives here and farther inland are manioc and several varieties of palms. Agriculture is almost the sole indus try of the Europeans, sugar being the principal product. Cacao, bananas, rice, and maize are grown. The coffee and cotton industries have been rapidly dying out since the abolishment of slave labor.. There are over 40,000 acres in all crops.
Gold was first discovered in 1876 along the east ern edge of the territory, but the mining of it has been not a little interfered with by the contest over the boundary line. In 1900 the production of gold was $522,000. practically the whole being exported. The total of all exports for the col ony in 1900 was 5.540,000 guilders ($2.216.000) ; of all imports 6,170,000 guilders ($2,468,000). The colonial fleet consists of 464 ships with 280.
113 registered tons. The trade is with the United States, Great Britain, and (chiefly) Holland. There are no railways and only a few miles of telegraph lines.
The Colony has a Crown Governor. with a coun cil of four members nominated by the Queen. The Colonial Assembly, or 'States,' consists of four representatives named by the Governor, together with one representative elected for every two hun dred electors. There are 16 districts for admin istrative purposes. The laws are those of the Netherlands. In 1901 the colonial revenues were 2,324,000 guilders ($929,000) ; the expenditures, 2,705,000 guilders ($1,082,000) ; subvention from the mother country, 381,000 guilders ($152,400). The official language is Dutch, but English is much used. The population in 1899 numbered 82,300, of whom 12,000 were Indians and Bush negroes, and 1200 were Israelites. The population for the most part belong to the Moravian and the Re formed Lutheran churches. The natives are of little service for industrial purposes except as workers in the forests. In 1899 there were 53 common schools, with 7200 children in attendance. The high schools numbered three. Paramaribo (q.v.) is the capital and only important. town.