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.
Surinam Airways, also known by its initials SLM, is the flag carrier of Suriname, based in Paramaribo. It operates regional and long-haul scheduled passenger services. Its hub is at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport (Zanderij). Surinam Airways is wholly owned by the Government of Suriname.
Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, also known as Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport, and locally referred to simply as JAP, is an airport located in the town of Zanderij and hub for airline carrier Surinam Airways, 45 kilometres (28 mi) south of Paramaribo. It is the larger of Suriname's two international airports, the other being Zorg en Hoop with scheduled flights to Guyana, and is operated by Airport Management, Ltd./ NV Luchthavenbeheer.
Surinam Airways Flight 764 was an international scheduled passenger flight from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands to Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport in Suriname on a Surinam Airways DC-8-62. On Wednesday 7 June 1989, the flight crashed during approach to Paramaribo-Zanderij, killing 176 of the 187 on board. It is the deadliest aviation disaster in Suriname's history.
Lelydorp is the capital city of Wanica District, located in Suriname. With a population of 18,663 (2012), it is the second largest city in Suriname, after Paramaribo.
Apoera, also Apura, is a town in western Suriname. The village has a population of 777 people as of 2020. It is the final destination of the Southern East-West Link. 24 kilometres (15 mi) north-west on the other side of the Courantyne River lies the Guyanese village of Orealla. The village is home to the Lokono tribe, but has been westernized. Due to the influx of people of Guyana, the languages used are English, and Sranan Tongo. Dutch is rarely spoken and the native language has all but disappeared. According to the oral tradition, Apoera was founded around 1920 by the Gordon family.
Brownsweg is a town and resort in Suriname in the Brokopondo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 4,793.
Ruud "Rudy" Degenaar was a Dutch footballer. He died at the age of 25, when on 7 June 1989 he was killed in the Surinam Airways Flight PY764 air crash in Paramaribo.
Frits Goodings was a Dutch footballer who played for FC Utrecht and FC Wageningen. He died at the age of 25, when on 7 June 1989 he was killed in the Surinam Airways Flight PY764 air crash in Paramaribo.
Virgall Joemankhan was a Dutch footballer. During his career, he played for AFC Ajax and Cercle Brugge. He died at the age of 20, when on 7 June 1989, he was killed in the Surinam Airways Flight PY764 air crash in Paramaribo.
Elfried Romeo Veldman was a Dutch footballer who played as a forward. During his career he served De Graafschap. He died two days after his 23rd birthday, when on 7 June 1989 he was killed in the Surinam Airways Flight PY764 air crash in Paramaribo. He was the older brother of retired footballer and Dutch International John Veldman.
Nick Stienstra was a Dutch-Surinamese footballer and coach. During his playing career he played for SV Robinhood. He was killed at the age of 34 in the Surinam Airways Flight PY764 air crash in Paramaribo on 7 June 1989.
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.
Sabakoe is an Amerindian hamlet in Para District, Suriname, located near Zanderij. It is also the Surinamese name of little blue herons, which is used as the logo of Surinam Airways.
Bernharddorp is an indigenous village of Lokono and Kalina Amerindians in the resort of Noord in the Para District in Suriname.
Witsanti is an indigenous village of Lokono and Kalina Amerindians in the resort of Zuid in the Para District in Suriname. The village is located on the John F. Kennedyweg near the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport.
Cabendadorp is an indigenous village of Kalina Amerindians in the resort of Zuid in the Para District in Suriname. The village is located on the Afobakaweg south of the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport.
Hollandse Kamp is an indigenous village of Lokono Amerindians in the resort of Zuid in the Para District in Suriname. The village is located south of the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport.
Berlijn is a village and former wood plantation in the resort of Zuid in the Para District in Suriname. It is located on the Para Creek, and about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport.
The history of Suriname during World War II was mainly focused on protecting the bauxite industry and guarding the borders with French Guiana which was part of Vichy France. From November 1941 onwards, 2,000 American troops were stationed in Suriname who transformed Airstrip Zanderij into a major airport, and constructed defensive works. No actual battles took place in Suriname. There was a political crisis in 1943, because Governor Johannes Kielstra used the state of emergency to imprison political opponents.
Suriname 
