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 km . 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 .
8-587: Paranam is a town in the Para District , Suriname . Paranam was created in 1938 for a bauxite factory. In 1965, an aluminium smelter was added. The factories closed down in 2017. There used to be a little hamlet called Klein Curaçao at the location. Paranam was created in 1938 when Alcoa began building a plant to support new mining areas along the Suriname River. Built on a former plantation,
16-566: The Lawa Railway and growth of the villages next to the railway line. The railway line was decommissioned in 1986. During World War II American troops were stationed in Suriname. The existing airport at Zorg en Hoop was insufficient, and the airstrip at Zanderij , was upgraded to a major airport. In 1936, a road, currently named Indira Gandhiweg, had been built parallel to the railway line to connect Paramaribo with Onverwacht, which
24-528: The Second World War . Para is home to several indigenous villages from the Carib and Arawak tribes. The main part of the economy is the bauxite mining . Gold also plays a major role in the economy of Para. The main roads and airport have resulted in companies moving into Para. Agriculture is mainly focused on cassava , asparagus bean and pineapples . Tourism has seen a steady growth over
32-696: The Suriname River and the Para Creek . The southern part of the district contained wood plantations, and is still in use by logging companies. In 1968, the District was established, and named after the Para Creek. In 1983, the District was quadrupled in size. The district used to be accessible only by boat. The discovery of gold in Brokopondo and Sipaliwini lead to the construction of
40-519: The facility was called Paranam after the Para and Suriname Rivers which border the mining concession areas. The Paranam mine began operations in 1941. Alcoa operates worldwide through a joint ventures, and the operation in Suriname is called The Suriname Aluminum Company (or Suralco). A market and theatre were built in town, however most workers remained in Paramaribo . In 1965, an aluminium smelter
48-513: The factories could not handle the bauxite from the Bakhuis Mountains . The factories closed down in 2017. Due to the deep water available on the Suriname River, Paranam is a port accessible to oceangoing ships. A pilot is required. Para District The northern part of Para is one of the oldest cultivated areas of Suriname, and has been home to sugar and tobacco plantation since the 17th century which were mainly located along
56-670: Was extended to the airport. In the 1960s, the Avobakaweg was constructed to provide access to the south of the country. The ruins of the city of Jodensavanne are in Para district. Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition established Jodensavanne in the 17th century, but it was destroyed in 1832 by a fire . Jodensavanne was an internment camp for suspected Nazi supporters from the Dutch East Indies during
64-548: Was opened in Paranam which operated on the electricity generated by the Afobaka Dam . The smelter converts bauxite to produce approximately 3,150 metric tons of alumina each day at this location. Paranam became the first location in the world with an integrated system where the earth was transformed into aluminium. In 2015, Alcoa announced that it was going to close the factories, because the local supplies were exhausted, and
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