Paramaribo
/ˌpærəˈmærɪboʊ/noun
The capital and largest city of Suriname, on the Suriname River near the Atlantic coast.
Did you know?The city’s name is generally traced to an Indigenous settlement or people, but scholars have not established a securely proven literal translation or single language of origin.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-European contact
Indigenous South America
Paramaribo (reconstructed origin)
“An Indigenous place-name or ethnonym; the original meaning and language remain disputed.”
17th Century
Dutch
Paramaribo
“Name used by Dutch colonists for the settlement and surrounding locality on the Suriname River.”
1650
English/Dutch colonial usage
Fort Willoughby / Paramaribo
“The English settlement founded near the existing Indigenous locality; the area was later administered by the Dutch.”
18th Century
Dutch
Paramaribo
“Established colonial town and administrative center of Dutch Guiana.”
Modern English
English
Paramaribo
“The capital city of independent Suriname since 1975.”