Suriname Demographics

Population of Suriname (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of Suriname

Suriname Population
645,256
see live
Yearly Change
+0.84%
Global Share
0.01%
Global Rank
170

Median Age

The median age in Suriname is 28.9 years (2026).

Fertility in Suriname

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility : the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
2.19
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in Suriname

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
74.0
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
77.3
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
70.9
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in Suriname


Infant Mortality
10.3
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
11.9
(per 1,000 live births)


Suriname Urban Population

Currently, 65.8% of the population of Suriname is urban (424,777 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in Suriname is 4 people per km² (11 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 156,000 km² (60,232 sq. miles).

Largest Cities and Urban Communes in Suriname

All 27 cities and urban communes, ranked by population at the census of August 13, 2012 (by General Bureau of Statistics, Suriname).

RankCity or Urban CommunePopulation
1Paramaribo240,924
2Koewarasan27,713
3De Nieuwe Grond26,161
4Lelydorp18,663
5Houttuin15,656
6Kwatta14,151
7Nieuw Nickerie12,818
8Meerzorg12,405
9Moengo10,834
10Saramacca Polder10,217
11Para Noord9,703
12Westelijke Polders8,616
13Smal-Kalden - ParanamPara Oost8,016
14Oostelijke Polders7,153
15Tamanredjo6,601
16OnverwachtPara Zuid6,113
17Jarikaba5,963
18Domburg5,661
19Nieuw Amsterdam5,650
20MariënburgAlkmaar5,561
21Albina5,247
22Brownsweg4,793
23BrokopondoCentrum4,482
24Wageningen2,937
25Groningen2,818
26Groot Henar2,709
27Totness2,150
See all 27 cities and urban communes in Suriname

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64] ) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.