Suriname

No, Suriname isn't smaller than El Salvador. In fact, it's larger. The total area of Suriname is 63,251 square miles [163,821 square kilometers]. Suriname is the smallest country in South America. It ranks 91st in size in the world.

The total area of El Salvador is 8,124 square miles [21,041 square kilometers]. El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. It ranks 152nd in size in the world.

Paramaribo is in both Suriname and Dutch Guiana (not Dutch Guinea). It's the capital and largest city in the Republic of Suriname. Before independence, Suriname was a Dutch colony, and an English colony before that. Under the English, the country was called Surinam and Willoughbyland. Under the Dutch, it was called Dutch Guiana.

Dutch Guinea is an old name for West Papua, Indonesia.

Suriname has four major ecological zones.

One, the old coastal plain consists of remnants of high sandy ridges and clay islands covered with rain forests. They're surrounded by clay and peat soil at sea level, that are covered with freshwater swamps, swamp wood, and swamp forests. This zone covers about 1,660 square miles [4,300 square kilometers].

Two, the Savannah belt is 32.8 to 328 feet [10 to 100 meters] above sea level. Its soil consists of unbleached loams and coarse white sands. The vegetation is rain forest, arid forests, and open savannahs. This zone covers about 3,378 square miles [8,750 square kilometers].

Three, the young coastal plain consists of clay flats at sea level that are covered in estuaries with mangrove forests, coastal lagoons, and brackish swamps. This zone covers about 6,255 square miles [16,200 square kilometers].

Four, the residual uplands are in the interior and cover four-fifths of the land surface. It has hills and mountains rising up to 4,035 feet [1,230 meters] above sea level. Its mainly covered with undisturbed rain forests. This is the largest zone, covering an area of 51,738 square miles [134,000 square kilometers].

Paramaribo is the capital of Suriname.

Specifically, Paramaribo is Suriname's national capital and largest city. About half of the country's total population claim Paramaribo as their place of residence. The Surinamese call their capital by the nickname Par'bo.

"Rise, countrymen, rise!" is an English equivalent of the phrase "Opo kondreman un opo" from Suriname's national anthem.

Specifically, the country's national anthem includes two verses. The first is in Dutch, and the second is in the local language called Sranan Tongo. The above-mentioned phrase is the first line to the anthem's second verse.

Eight (8) hours constitutes an average work day in Suriname.

Specifically, the number may vary depending upon the position and the type of job. But generally, Surinamese think in terms of an eight-hour day six days a week. Their work week will tend to hover around sixty-four hours, with the possibility of a maximum of sixteen hours permitted for overtime at a rate of time-and-a-half.

Suriname produces goods from its abundant natural resources. These natural resources include bauxite, crops, gold, seafood, and timber. Suriname is one of the world's top 10 producers of bauxite.

The Pheda and Afobaka dams on the Brokopondo Reservoir in northern Suriname provide power throughout northern Suriname, including the capital city of Paramaribo.

"Ocelot" (Leopardus pardalis) is an English equivalent of the "hei-tigrikati" of Suriname.

Specifically, the prefix "hei" refers to the aguti (Dasyprocta spp), which is the ocelot's favorite prey. The aguti is a guinea-pig like rodent of Middle America, northern South America, and the West Indies. It is a very fast runner so ocelots always have a workout on their paws when it comes down to chasing their preferred snack of the day.