The Republic of Suriname is on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic
Ocean to the north, French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, and Brazil to the south. It is one of a few SIDS that are not actually islands but instead developing nations that rely on its marine resources.

he country’s coastline is approximately 386 km long, much of it consisting of mud banks, sandy beaches, mangrove swamps and salt marshes. Nearly 90% of the human population lives within 100 km of the coast. Suriname has four nature reserves and one Multiple Management Area (MUMA) along its coast. The only Ramsar Wetland in the country, the Coppenamemonding Nature Reserve, covers 12,000 ha of coastal wetland protecting mangrove forests and brackish lagoons, which are habitat for fish, shellfish, breeding scarlet ibis and migratory shorebirds.