Mercator
Conformal, cylindrical. Meridians and parallels form a rectangular grid, and the spacing between parallels grows toward the poles, so polar regions are hugely enlarged.
South America · SUR · Country profile
Suriname: true size, area and map scale
Explore the country's geographic outline, see it in different projections and compare it with a familiar scale.
Simplified outline · Natural Earth163,820 km²
- Total surface area
- 163,820 km² 2024 edition
- Population
- 639,850 2025 data
- Population density
- 4 per km² Population ÷ land area
- Land area
- 160,508 km² 2023 data
- Capital
- Paramaribo South America
- Country code
- SUR ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 / UN M49
Explore the shape
Country shape under different projections
The same country, different ways to show the Earth. Each outline opens a map with this country selected.
Globe (Orthographic)
Neither equal-area nor conformal, perspective azimuthal. It looks like a photograph of the globe from space: only one hemisphere is visible, and areas near the edge of the disk are squeezed hard.
Equal Earth
Equal-area, pseudocylindrical. Parallels are straight lines, the poles are flat lines, and the sides of the map are gently rounded, much like Robinson.
Outlines fit their tiles. They show changes in shape, not areas at a shared scale. The Mercator value estimates area inflation at the country's centre.
Understand the scale
How large is Suriname?
A familiar reference, a similar area and a different latitude. Both outlines in each preview share the same scale.
SurinameOther country
Compare outlines on the map
A familiar reference
Suriname vs Poland
Area ratio (Poland / Suriname): about 1.9.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
Similar area
Suriname vs Tunisia
Tunisia: 163,610 km². Compare their areas.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
A different latitude
Suriname vs Greenland
See how location affects the impression of size.
Compare size 1:1The numbers in context
Suriname: true size, population, and map scale without illusions
Suriname covers 163,820 km², ranking 92 out of 200 by area in this dataset. Its scale becomes clearer when placed beside neighbors or a familiar reference country, because a wall map can flatten our intuition. Within South America, that places it 12 out of 13.
Suriname covers about 52% of the area of Poland. This comparison is deliberately simple: Poland works as an easy reference point, and then it makes sense to move toward a similarly sized country. By area, the closest match is Tunisia.
More about area, population and location
The population is approximately 639,850 people, with an average density of 4/km². Suriname ranks 165 out of 197 by population and 191 out of 197 by density. That is very sparse settlement: open space matters as much as the population count itself.
Within its continent, Suriname represents about 0.92% of the area and about 0.15% of the population covered by this dataset. Its continental population rank is 12 out of 12, so area alone does not tell the full story.
South America stretches across many latitudes, making it useful for seeing how maps shift intuition between the equator and the continent's south. That is why Suriname is best read through several lenses: raw numbers, an equal-scale outline, a comparison with Poland, and a matchup with Tunisia. Then the map stops being a picture and starts becoming a tool for discovery.
If you want to remember the scale quickly, compare Suriname with a country of similar area and a country of similar population. By population, Montenegro is a useful next clue.
#92AreaArea rank among 200 countries and territories with a verified area.
#12ContinentSuriname covers about 0.92% of the area in South America.
#165PopulationAbout 639,850 people; continental rank 12 of 12.
4/km²DensityAverage people per square kilometer; density rank: #191 of 197.TunisiaClosest scaleThe most natural same-area outline comparison.The numeric values are used as comparative references for learning scale. Rankings include only countries and territories with a verified value in the selected sources.
Test your intuition
From map to challenge
Questions and sources
Frequently asked questions about size and location
What is the actual area of Suriname?
Suriname covers 163,820 km². In this dataset, that ranks 92 out of 200 by area, and 12 out of 13 within its continent. Suriname covers about 52% of the area of Poland.
How many people live in Suriname, and how dense is it?
The population is approximately 639,850 people, with an average density of 4/km². Suriname ranks 165 out of 197 by population and 191 out of 197 by density. That is very sparse settlement: open space matters as much as the population count itself.
What should I compare Suriname with to understand its scale?
Two comparisons work especially well: Suriname vs Poland as a familiar reference point, and Suriname vs Tunisia because their areas are very close. For population, Montenegro is another useful comparison.
Do world maps show Suriname at the right scale?
South America stretches across many latitudes, making it useful for seeing how maps shift intuition between the equator and the continent's south. That is why a country's position on the map can mislead, while same-scale outline comparison usually gives a better intuition than a classic atlas.
Why can Suriname look different in different map projections?
Every projection moves a globe onto a flat surface and must trade something away: shape, area, direction, or distance. On this page, you can compare the impression created by Mercator, orthographic, and equal-area views.
How should I use this page to remember the size of Suriname?
Start with the numbers, open a 1vs1 comparison with a similar country, and then try the size-illusion quiz. That sequence combines facts, visuals, and play, making the scale easier to remember.
Take a closer look at the data
Each value keeps its own reference year or source edition. Boundaries are simplified and are not suitable for geodetic measurements.
Keep exploring
Choose another perspective
Geometry: Natural Earth / world-atlas, public domain. Outlines simplified and transformed into map projections. Sources, licences and data coverage.