Torarica | |
---|---|
Village | |
Coordinates: 5°31′47″N55°03′02″W / 5.529722°N 55.050556°W | |
Country | Suriname |
District | Para District |
Resorts | Oost |
Time zone | UTC-3 (AST) |
Torarica is the original capital of Suriname. It was settled by Portuguese Jews in 1629. One origin offered for its name is as a Portuguese coinage meaning "Opulent Torah". [1] The Portuguese Jews arrived via Holland and Brazil. [2] By 1665, the village of Paramaribo was expanded and quickly outranked Torarica. [3]
The name Torarica is still in use by the Torarica Group, the largest hotel chain of Suriname. A former sugar plantation La Simplicité are located near the old town. [4]
The Republic of Suriname has a number of forms of transport. Transportation emissions are an increasing part of Suriname's contributions to climate change, as part of the Nationally Determined Contributions for the Paris Agreement, Suriname has committed to emissions controls for vehicles and increased public transit investment.
Paramaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on the banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 241,000 people, almost half of Suriname's population. The historic inner city of Paramaribo has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002.
Suriname is divided into 10 districts.
Commewijne is a district of Suriname, located on the right bank of the Suriname River. Commewijne's capital city is Nieuw Amsterdam. Tamanredjo is another major town, while Meerzorg is the most populated.
Brokopondo is a district of Suriname. Its capital city is Brokopondo; other towns include Brownsweg and Kwakoegron.
Para is a district of northern Suriname. Para's capital city is Onverwacht, with other towns including Paranam, and Zanderij. Para has a population of 24,700 and an area of 5,393 km2. The district is the mining and forestry centre of Suriname, with many large bauxite mining operations operating. The district is a mixture of forest and savannas.
Jodensavanne was a Jewish plantation community in Suriname, South America, and was for a time the centre of Jewish life in the colony. It was established in the 1600s by Sephardi Jews and became more developed and wealthy after a group of Jews fleeing persecution in Brazil settled there in the 1660s. It was located in what is now Para District, about 50 km (31 mi) south of the capital Paramaribo, on the Suriname River. Sugarcane plantations were established by forcing Black African people to work as slaves. At its height in around 1700, Jodensavanne was home to roughly 500 plantation owners and 9000 enslaved people. The colony faced regular attacks from Indigenous people, slave revolts, and even raids from the French navy. The community eventually relocated to the capital of Paramaribo. Clearing of grave sites and maintenance of the synagogue ruins has been attempted at various times from the 1940s to the 21st century.
Meerzorg is a town and resort (municipality) in Suriname, located on the eastern bank of the Suriname River, directly opposite the capital Paramaribo. Its population at the 2012 census was 12,405. Since 2000 it has been connected to Paramaribo by the Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge, named after the former President Jules Wijdenbosch.
Johan & Margaretha or sometimes just Margaretha is a resort in Suriname, located in the Commewijne District. Its population at the 2012 census was 756. It is located along a peninsula northeast of Paramaribo. It is named after the coffee plantation Johan & Margaretha which was founded in 1745 by Johan Knöffel. It is safe to assume that his wife was called Margaretha.
Oost is a resort in Suriname, located in the Para District. Its population at the 2012 census was 8,016. The main town in the resort is Paranam. Oost is also home to the former leper colony Bethesda. The Paranam alumina refinery is located near the town of Paranam. The Accaribo area is becoming tourist spot with the main attractions White Beach and Caribo Beach Resort.
Zuid is a resort in Suriname, located in the Para District. Its population at the 2012 census was 6,113. The main ethnic groups are indigenous, Creoles, and mixed race.
Beekhuizen is a former sugarcane plantation and currently a resort in Suriname, located in the Paramaribo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 17,185.
Blauwgrond is a resort in Suriname, located in the Paramaribo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 31,483. Blauwgrond started as a Javanese village to the north of Paramaribo. During the 1960s and 1970s, large scale building projects turned the village into a neighbourhood of Paramaribo, and is mainly known as the Javanese culinary centre with many warungs and restaurants. The resort was called Blauwgrond, because the earth had a bluish colour.
Flora is a resort in Suriname, located in the Paramaribo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 19,538. Flora is both the name of the resort and the neighbourhood within the resort. Flora was founded as a wood plantation in 1809.
Livorno is a resort in Suriname, located in the Paramaribo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 8,209.
De Nieuwe Grond is a resort in Suriname, located in the Wanica District. Its population at the 2012 census was 26,161. Its main ethnic groups are East Indian, and Creoles. The resort is named after a sugar plantation in 1770. The plantation was already abandoned in 1863, when slavery was abolished, because that year, it was up for public auction. The area used to consist of small scale agriculture with a focus on vegetables and rice, but due to its proximity to Paramaribo, it has become a suburban area with a young population. In 2019, a new bigger market opened in the town.
Domburg is a resort in the Wanica District of Suriname, located on the northern coast of South America. Its population at the 2012 census was 5,661.
Centrum is a resort in Suriname, located in the Paramaribo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 20,631. The historical centre of Paramaribo is located within the resort. The city centre is mainly in original condition, contains 291 listed monuments, and has of 2002 been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stolkertsijver is a town in the Commewijne District of Suriname. It is situated on the East-West Link. At Stolkertsijver, a bridge spanning the Commewijne River was built in 1970s.
The history of the Jews in Suriname starts in 1639, as the English government allowed Spanish and Portuguese Jews from the Netherlands, Portugal and Italy to settle the region, coming to the old capital Torarica.