Suriname is a small country located on the northern edge of South America. It is bordered by French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west and Brazil to the south. It has a total area of 64,000 square miles, which makes it the smallest country in South America. The northern section of Suriname is more developed and is a lowland area. The remainder of the country contains the Amazon Rain Forest and savanna areas.
Suriname was a colony of the Netherlands until it obtained independence in 1975. The economy has been struggling since the Wijdenbosch government took over in 1996. Due to high government spending and low tax revenues, the GDP has decreased followed by inflation caused by monetary expansion. Bauxite is the main export product for the country, with food products including bananas, shrimp and rice also considered main export items. Suriname is expanding its work in its oil and gold reserves recently, but their economy is still struggling.