Doing business in Marowijne
Marowijne in the north-east borders French Guiana. The capital is Albina on the Marowijne (Maroni) River, but Moengo, with 10,834 inhabitants (2012), is the largest town. The district had 18,294 inhabitants.
On this page (8)
- Economy: Gold (Merian), border trade with French Guiana, former bauxite.
- Local licences: the district commissioner (food and drink, events, street stalls, Nuisance Act).
- National: KKF registration, FIN tax number and taxes; the rules are the same everywhere in Suriname.
- Figures: census 2012 (ABS), the latest official count.
Economy and employers
Moengo began as a bauxite town; Suralco stopped mining bauxite in Suriname in 2015. A major employer in the area is now the Merian gold mine, owned by Newmont (75%) and Staatsolie (25%), about 66 km south of Moengo and producing since October 2016. Albina lives off border traffic and trade with Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. Galibi on the coast has Indigenous villages and beaches where sea turtles nest.
Access and infrastructure
The East-West Link runs from Meerzorg to Albina (138 km). Since 1969 a car ferry has crossed the Marowijne from Albina to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni in French Guiana. In 2023 a new landing at Albina was built with EU funds for a larger ferry. There is a customs post in Albina. Many passengers cross the river by dugout boat (korjaal).
Opportunities for business
- Services for travellers and trade between Suriname and French Guiana: transport, food, accommodation, storage.
- Supplying the mine: transport, maintenance, catering, security, through the mine's supplier procedure.
- Nature and cultural tourism towards Galibi, together with the villages.
- Technical training (mechanic, welder, heavy equipment operator) for mining jobs.
These are possibilities that fit the district economy, not a promise of customers. Test an idea first with conversations and numbers. Writing a business plan
Practical: where to arrange what
Customs: Albina customs post. Local licences: district commissioner's office Marowijne. KKF registration and tax matters are handled in Paramaribo. If you also serve customers in French Guiana, French and EU rules apply to your service or product there.
The district commissioner's forms, fees and processing times are not published centrally. Check them with the office before you rent or invest. How district government works: Business by district.
Ressorts
Marowijne is divided into 6 ressorts:
- Albina
- Galibi
- Moengo
- Moengotapoe
- Patamacca
- Wanhatti
Guides that help next
- Start a business
- Business licences
- Buying land and property
- Business financing
- Hiring staff
- Tenders
- Gold and oil price
- EU rules for Surinamese suppliers
- Become an oil and gas supplier
- Importing goods
Other districts
- Paramaribo
- Wanica
- Nickerie
- Coronie
- Saramacca
- Commewijne
- Para
- Brokopondo
- Sipaliwini
- Compare all districts
Sources
- ABS: Definitieve resultaten Census 8, bevolking en oppervlakte per district
- City Population: districten en ressorten met censuscijfers van het ABS
- Newmont: Merian
- Daily Herald: Merian in productie in district Marowijne (2016)
- Pulitzer Center: Paranam en het einde van Suralco (2017)
- Overheid: start nieuwe steiger Albina (June 2023)
- Oost-Westverbinding: route, bruggen en veerdiensten (Wikipedia)
Population and area: ABS (General Bureau of Statistics), Eighth Census 2012 (final results). The ninth census has been carried out, but ABS has not published results yet; the current population is likely different.
Checked on 26 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.