Onverwacht, Suriname

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Onverwacht
District capital
Building at Onverwacht station.JPG
Building at the Onverwacht railway station
Suriname location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Onverwacht
The location of Paramaribo in Suriname
Coordinates: 5°35′35″N55°11′38″W / 5.59306°N 55.19389°W / 5.59306; -55.19389
Country Suriname
District Para District
Resort Noord
Elevation
10 m (30 ft)
Population
 (2008)
  Total2,223
Time zone UTC-3 (ART)

Onverwacht (Dutch for "unexpected".) [1] is the capital town of Para District, Suriname. [2]

Contents

Onverwacht started as a wood plantation with the same name and has existed as early as 1667. [3] On 18 May 1881, the plantation was sold to eight former slaves. [3] In 1910 the Lawa Railway passed through the area and a station was opened. [3] In 1936, [4] a road, currently named Indira Gandhiweg, was built parallel to the railway line to connect Paramaribo with Onverwacht. During World War II, the road was extended to Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport. [5] In 1968, Onverwacht became the capital of the newly formed Para District. [6] In 1987, the last train departed and the station at Onverwacht closed. [7]

Notable people

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References

  1. "Ala poewema foe Trefossa". Digital Library for Dutch Literature. 1979. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  2. "Distrikt Para". Suriname.nu (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "Plantage Onverwacht geschiedenis". Pinas Roots (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  4. "De Gids. Almanak voor Suriname 1937". Digital Library for Dutch Literature (in Dutch). 1936. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  5. "Distrikt Para info". Suriname.nu (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  6. "Para". Suriname View (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  7. "De flop van Lely". Parbode (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  8. "Onze sporthelden. Deel 3". Digital Library for Dutch Literature . 1999. Retrieved 13 May 2020.