Suriname

LOCATED IN THE northeast of the South American mainland, Suriname, formerly a Dutch colony, has a land area of 63,251 sq. mi. (163,270 sq. km.), with a population of 458,000 (2006 est.) and a population density of 7 people per sq. mi. (2.7 people per sq. km.). With 97 percent of the land covered in forests, and a relatively small timber industry, there is little arable land available.

For electricity production, in 2001, 64.2 percent of the country's electricity came from hydropower, with the remaining 35.8 percent coming from fossil fuels. Much of the hydropower comes from a number of hydroelectric plants in the country. Although most provide electricity for the government, some were constructed to provide electricity for specific businesses, such as the Brokopondo Reservoir ...