Precise data about the Surinamese economy are not always available, especially because of the large informal sector that runs from street vending and casual labor through illegal mining and drug trafficking. Mining is the predominant sector in the official economy, as it has been for most of the 20th century. Along with quarrying, it generated 14.5 percent of the GDP in 1998. Altogether, industry contributed 22 percent of the GDP, while agriculture contributed 13 percent and services 65 percent.
| Communications | ||||||||
| Country | Telephonesa | Telephones, Mobile/Cellulara | Radio Stationsb | Radiosa | TV Stationsa | Televisionsa | Internet Service Providersc | Internet Usersc |
| Suriname | 64,000 | 4,090 | AM 4; FM 13; shortwave 1 | 300,000 | 3 (2000) | 63,000 | 2 | 10,000 |
| United States | 194 M | 69.209 M (1998) | AM 4,762; FM 5,542; shortwave 18 | 575 M | 1,500 | 219 M | 7,800 | 148 M |
| Brazil | 17.039 M | 4.4 M | AM 1,365; FM 296; shortwave 161 (1999) | 71 M | 138 | 36.5 M | 50 | 8.65 M |
| Guyana | 70,000 (2000) | 6,100 (2000) | AM 3; FM 3; shortwave 1 | 420,000 | 3 | 46,000 | 3 | 3,000 |
| aData is for 1997 unless otherwise noted. | ||||||||
| bData is for 1998 unless otherwise noted. | ||||||||
| cData is for 2000 unless otherwise noted. | ||||||||
| SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2001 [Online]. | ||||||||