Surinamese dollar

Surinamese dollar
$
The Surinamese dollar (ISO 4217 code SRD) has been the currency of Suriname since 2004. It is divided into 100 cent. The Surinamese dollar is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively Sr$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. In spoken Surinamese Dutch, it is widely referred to by its acronym SRD, with "dollar" generally being understood as meaning the US dollar.

The dollar replaced the Surinamese guilder on 1 January 2004, with one dollar equal to 1,000 guilders. Initially, only coins were available, with banknotes delayed until mid-February, reportedly due to a problem at the printer, the Canadian Bank Note Company.

The old coins denominated in cents (i.e. 1⁄100 guilder) were declared to be worth their face value in the new cents, negating the necessity of producing new coins. Thus, for example, an old 25-cent coin, previously worth 1⁄4 guilder, was now worth 1⁄4 dollar (equivalent to 250 guilders). The rebasing of coins explicitly did not apply to commemorative coins.

Amendment 121 of ISO 4217 gave the currency the code SRD replacing the Suriname guilder (SRG).

The people of Suriname often refer to their currency as SRD to differentiate it from the US dollar, which is also used to quote prices for electronic goods, household furnishings and appliances, and automobiles.

Unlike most currencies in the American continent, Surinamese dollar does not fluctuate freely according to the market value; its value is set by the central bank. As a result, black market exchange rates may differ significantly from the official rate.

* Historical official exchange rates of one U.S. dollar in Surinamese dollars

Country
  • Suriname
    Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname (Republiek Suriname ), is a country in northern South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, and Brazil to the south. At just under 165000 km2, it is the smallest sovereign state in South America.

    It has a population of approximately, dominated by descendants from the slaves and labourers brought in from Africa and Asia by the Dutch Empire and Republic. Most of the people live by the country's (north) coast, in and around its capital and largest city, Paramaribo. It is also one of the least densely populated countries on Earth. Situated slightly north of the equator, Suriname is a tropical country covered in rainforests. Its extensive tree cover is vital to the country's efforts to mitigate climate change and maintain carbon negativity. A developing country with a relatively high level of human development, Suriname's economy is heavily dependent on its abundant natural resources, namely bauxite, gold, petroleum, and agricultural products.