Paramaribo is the capital of Suriname, located in the Paramaribo district, with a population of roughly 250,000 people. It lies on the Suriname River, approximately 15 km inland from the Atlantic Ocean.
Paramaribo is centred around the onafhankelijksplein which contains both the Presidential Palace and the National Assembly. Immediately the square is Palmentuind, a Park. Other notable places are the Surinaams museum, Numismatisch Museum, Fort Zeelandia (There is a wide variety of religious buildings in the city owing its ethnic diversity. There are two synagogues, a mosque, two mandirs, a Dutch Reformed church and a Roman Catholic cathedral. It is thought to be the largest wooden building in the Americas, however it is currently closed for repairs and restoration.
There are many hotels in the city, the main one being the Torarica Hotel, which also has a casinon and is generally regarded as the best and largest hotel in Suriname. Others include the Ambassador, Combi Inn, De Luifel, Eco-Resort, Fanna Guesthouse, Guesthouse Amice, Hotel Savoie, Krasnapolsky, Lisa's Guesthouse, Solana Guesthouse and YMCA Guesthouse.
