Suriname population pyramid 2026
Latin America and the Caribbean · South America
645,256 people in 2026 (projected). Every five-year band under 30 in Suriname’s pyramid holds about 53,000–55,000 people, a near-vertical base built by a steady number of births.
- 2026 population
- 645.3Krank 170 of 237
- Median age
- 28.9 yearsoldest rank 146
- Fertility rate
- 2.19births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Transitional8.5% age 65+
Suriname population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Suriname age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 25.0% of the population, while 8.5% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 66.4% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Suriname’s age structure as transitional; the guide to population pyramid types explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 50.5: about 51 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (37.7 children and 12.8 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Suriname’s population pyramid
Independence and the move to the Netherlands
Suriname’s population doubled between 1950 and 1975, to about 391,000, but then grew to only about 477,000 by 2000. The difference was emigration. Around independence from the Netherlands in 1975, and in the years that followed, a large share of the population moved to the Netherlands, where people of Surinamese origin now form one of the largest minority communities. The UN estimates net emigration of about 128,000 people between 1950 and 1999, equivalent to roughly a third of the 1975 population.
The 1975 pyramid shows how concentrated the losses were among young adults: the 25–29 band was less than half the size of the 15–19 band, a far steeper step than fertility alone would produce. Since 2000 net emigration has been much smaller, about 12,000 in total to 2023.
A column-shaped base
Fertility fell from about 6.6 children per woman in 1960 to 3.2 in 1990 and about 2.2 today, while the number of women of childbearing age kept rising. The two effects have offset each other for three decades, so the six bands from 0–4 to 25–29 are almost identical in size, giving the lower half of the 2026 chart the straight sides more typical of a stationary pyramid. Above 30 the familiar taper resumes. A bulge at ages 40–44, born about 1982–86, stands about 8% wider than its neighbours and is more pronounced among men; the chart alone does not reveal its cause.
Women predominate strongly at older ages, with only 72 men per 100 women at ages 70–74, reflecting a gap of more than six years between female (77.3) and male (70.9) life expectancy.
Suriname’s 2026 profile is closest to those of the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama. Under the UN medium scenario the population grows slowly to about 734,000 by 2050 and peaks at about 753,000 in 2071.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Suriname’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2076. People aged 65 and older are projected to outnumber children under 15 by 2065.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Suriname is projected to record 10,815 births (about 30 births a day) and 4,505 deaths, a natural increase of 6,310. Net migration adds −965 people, ranking #168 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 272,158 births, 99,982 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −12,168. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −21,191 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 77.3 years52.7 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 70.9 years49.1 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 16.8 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 10.3per 1,000 births · 98 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 11.9per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.6 yearssex ratio at birth 104.0
Women in Suriname are projected to live 6.4 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 98 to 10.3 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #109 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.6 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Suriname
The median age of 28.9 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 2.19 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 74.0 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 645,256 | #170 | Largest first |
| Median age | 28.9 years | #146 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 2.19 | #93 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +0.8% | #110 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 74.0 years | #138 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 8.5% | #132 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Suriname
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10–14 | 55,128 | 8.5% | 28K / 27.1K |
| 2 | 15–19 | 54,700 | 8.5% | 27.8K / 26.9K |
| 3 | 20–24 | 53,858 | 8.3% | 27.2K / 26.6K |
| 4 | 25–29 | 53,459 | 8.3% | 26.9K / 26.5K |
| 5 | 0–4 | 53,366 | 8.3% | 27.2K / 26.2K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Suriname has 322,087 males and 323,170 females. That is 99.7 males per 100 females, ranking #81 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.9% of the population and females for 50.1%. There are 1,083 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 71.1 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 104.0 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Suriname has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 195,565 in 1950 to 645,256 in 2026, a change of 230%. Over the same span, median age moved from 17.9 to 28.9 years.
The under-15 share changed from 41.9% to 25.0%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 3.8% to 8.5%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Suriname’s population is projected to grow by about 14%, reaching 733,904 in 2050. The median age changes from 28.9 to 35.8 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 6.5 percentage points to 15.0%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 19.9%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 752,896 in 2071. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 195,565 | 17.9 | 6.21 | 50.7 | 8,441 | 3,735 | −631 | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 263,918 | 17.0 | 6.59 | 56.6 | 11,844 | 3,674 | +544 | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 379,442 | 14.5 | 5.53 | 59.5 | 12,803 | 3,979 | +3,791 | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 375,377 | 17.3 | 3.79 | 60.7 | 10,956 | 3,953 | −7,390 | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 412,492 | 19.8 | 3.22 | 62.1 | 12,429 | 3,382 | −6,471 | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 476,643 | 23.0 | 3.05 | 64.4 | 12,163 | 3,840 | +1,516 | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 549,923 | 25.4 | 2.69 | 69.6 | 11,393 | 3,905 | −1,138 | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 612,316 | 27.5 | 2.31 | 72.3 | 10,833 | 4,193 | −296 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 628,886 | 28.1 | 2.25 | 73.6 | 10,879 | 4,182 | −988 | +0.9% |
| 2024* | 634,431 | 28.4 | 2.23 | 73.8 | 10,882 | 4,340 | −1,166 | +0.8% |
| 2026* | 645,256 | 28.9 | 2.19 | 74.0 | 10,815 | 4,505 | −965 | +0.8% |
| 2030* | 665,652 | 30.1 | 2.11 | 74.6 | 10,671 | 4,859 | −963 | +0.7% |
| 2040* | 707,160 | 33.1 | 1.98 | 76.1 | 10,103 | 5,864 | −629 | +0.5% |
| 2050* | 733,904 | 35.8 | 1.89 | 77.5 | 9,416 | 6,797 | −684 | +0.3% |
| 2060* | 747,612 | 38.2 | 1.85 | 79.1 | 8,926 | 7,343 | −609 | +0.1% |
| 2070* | 752,827 | 40.4 | 1.81 | 80.5 | 8,409 | 7,804 | −461 | +0.0% |
| 2080* | 748,838 | 42.4 | 1.78 | 81.9 | 7,813 | 8,313 | −536 | -0.1% |
| 2090* | 732,503 | 44.1 | 1.76 | 83.2 | 7,264 | 8,752 | −568 | -0.3% |
| 2100* | 709,006 | 45.4 | 1.74 | 84.5 | 6,786 | 8,809 | −481 | -0.3% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 27,165 | 26,201 | 53,366 | 8.3% |
| 5–9 | 27,046 | 26,069 | 53,115 | 8.2% |
| 10–14 | 28,023 | 27,105 | 55,128 | 8.5% |
| 15–19 | 27,770 | 26,930 | 54,700 | 8.5% |
| 20–24 | 27,233 | 26,625 | 53,858 | 8.3% |
| 25–29 | 26,910 | 26,549 | 53,459 | 8.3% |
| 30–34 | 23,279 | 22,668 | 45,947 | 7.1% |
| 35–39 | 21,835 | 21,048 | 42,883 | 6.6% |
| 40–44 | 22,379 | 20,726 | 43,105 | 6.7% |
| 45–49 | 18,545 | 18,108 | 36,653 | 5.7% |
| 50–54 | 18,059 | 17,535 | 35,594 | 5.5% |
| 55–59 | 16,659 | 16,448 | 33,107 | 5.1% |
| 60–64 | 14,382 | 15,075 | 29,457 | 4.6% |
| 65–69 | 9,986 | 11,626 | 21,612 | 3.3% |
| 70–74 | 6,220 | 8,659 | 14,879 | 2.3% |
| 75–79 | 3,588 | 5,330 | 8,918 | 1.4% |
| 80–84 | 1,858 | 3,567 | 5,425 | 0.8% |
| 85–89 | 838 | 1,887 | 2,725 | 0.4% |
| 90–94 | 260 | 764 | 1,024 | 0.2% |
| 95–99 | 47 | 218 | 265 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 4 | 35 | 39 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Suriname’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Dominican Republic98% overlap · median age 28.7
- Mexico98% overlap · median age 30.0
- Panama97% overlap · median age 30.6
- Morocco97% overlap · median age 30.1
- Myanmar97% overlap · median age 30.4
- Indonesia96% overlap · median age 30.7
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Suriname.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Suriname Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/suriname/
MLA
“Suriname Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/suriname/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Suriname Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/suriname/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Suriname in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Suriname's population in 2026 is projected at 645,256.
What is the median age in Suriname?
The projected median age in Suriname in 2026 is 28.9 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Suriname?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 2.19 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Suriname's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 14%, from 645.3K to 733.9K.
What share of Suriname is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 8.5% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 15.0%.
How many babies are born in Suriname each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 10,815 births and 4,505 deaths in 2026, about 30 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 6,310.
What is life expectancy in Suriname for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 77.3 years for women and 70.9 years for men, a gap of 6.4 years in favour of women.
Does Suriname have more immigrants or emigrants?
Suriname is projected to lose about 965 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −12,168.
What is the sex ratio in Suriname?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 99.7 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.