
Population growth in Suriname
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Suriname increased from 287,870.00 to 612,985.00 people. This is a growth of 112.9 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Suriname was recorded in 2015 with 4.01 percent. The biggest decrease in 1974 with -0.89 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Suriname rose by 2.82 years from 2012 to 2020 from 28.18 to 31.00 years (median value).
Around 66 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 1.1 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Suriname
Population development in Suriname since 1960
(Data given in 1000 inhabitants)Year | Population Suriname | Change Suriname | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | 296,000 | 2.79 % | 44.8 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
1962 | 304,000 | 2.70 % | 44.4 ‰ | 10.7 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
1963 | 312,000 | 2.65 % | 43.8 ‰ | 10.4 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
1964 | 320,000 | 2.67 % | 43.1 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
1965 | 329,000 | 2.71 % | 42.3 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
1966 | 338,000 | 2.80 % | 41.3 ‰ | 9.6 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
1967 | 348,000 | 2.81 % | 40.3 ‰ | 9.4 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
1968 | 357,000 | 2.55 % | 39.3 ‰ | 9.2 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
1969 | 364,000 | 1.97 % | 38.3 ‰ | 9.0 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
1970 | 368,000 | 1.20 % | 37.3 ‰ | 8.9 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
1971 | 369,000 | 0.35 % | 36.3 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
1972 | 368,000 | -0.36 % | 35.3 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
1973 | 365,000 | -0.82 % | 34.3 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
1974 | 362,000 | -0.89 % | 33.2 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
1975 | 359,000 | -0.67 % | 32.3 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
1976 | 358,000 | -0.36 % | 31.4 ‰ | 7.8 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
1977 | 358,000 | -0.08 % | 30.8 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
1978 | 358,000 | 0.13 % | 30.3 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
1979 | 359,000 | 0.20 % | 30.0 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
1980 | 360,000 | 0.20 % | 29.8 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
1981 | 360,000 | 0.17 % | 29.7 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
1982 | 361,000 | 0.22 % | 29.7 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
1983 | 362,000 | 0.38 % | 29.7 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
1984 | 365,000 | 0.67 % | 29.6 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
1985 | 369,000 | 1.07 % | 29.4 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
1986 | 374,000 | 1.49 % | 29.2 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
1987 | 381,000 | 1.84 % | 28.9 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
1988 | 389,000 | 2.06 % | 28.6 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
1989 | 397,000 | 2.11 % | 28.3 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
1990 | 405,000 | 2.04 % | 28.0 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
1991 | 413,000 | 1.93 % | 27.6 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
1992 | 421,000 | 1.85 % | 27.2 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
1993 | 428,000 | 1.75 % | 26.7 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
1994 | 435,000 | 1.65 % | 26.2 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
1995 | 442,000 | 1.55 % | 25.8 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
1996 | 448,000 | 1.44 % | 25.3 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
1997 | 454,000 | 1.33 % | 24.9 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
1998 | 460,000 | 1.25 % | 24.4 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
1999 | 465,000 | 1.21 % | 24.1 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
2000 | 471,000 | 1.20 % | 23.7 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
2001 | 477,000 | 1.20 % | 23.4 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
2002 | 482,000 | 1.19 % | 23.1 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
2003 | 488,000 | 1.18 % | 22.8 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
2004 | 494,000 | 1.18 % | 22.4 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
2005 | 499,000 | 1.17 % | 22.0 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
2006 | 505,000 | 1.17 % | 21.7 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
2007 | 511,000 | 1.17 % | 21.3 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
2008 | 517,000 | 1.16 % | 21.0 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
2009 | 523,000 | 1.16 % | 20.7 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
2010 | 529,000 | 1.15 % | 20.5 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
2011 | 535,000 | 1.14 % | 20.2 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
2012 | 541,000 | 1.13 % | 20.0 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
2013 | 547,000 | 1.12 % | 19.8 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
2014 | 553,000 | 1.09 % | 19.3 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 575,000 | 4.01 % | 19.1 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
2016 | 581,000 | 1.04 % | 18.9 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
2017 | 588,000 | 1.05 % | 18.8 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 594,000 | 1.05 % | 18.6 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
2019 | 600,000 | 1.11 % | 18.4 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
2020 | 607,000 | 1.13 % | 18.3 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
2021 | 613,000 | 0.98 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |

Birth and death rate in Suriname
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Suriname increased by about 6,760 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 7.0 per 1,000 people (~ 4,220 deaths) and the birth rate was 18.3 per 1,000 people (~ 11,000 births). As a result, around 20 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 4,029 in Suriname. The number of births was 10,939 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate