Nieuw Nickerie

Nieuw Nickerie[2] (pronounced 'Niekérie') is the third largest city in Suriname with a population estimated at 12,818.[1] It is the capital city of the Nickerie district, and the terminus of the East-West Link.[3]

Nieuw Nickerie
Resort and City
Street in Nieuw Nickerie
Nieuw Nickerie
Location in Suriname
Coordinates: 05°56′N 56°59′W
CountrySuriname
DistrictNickerie
Area
 • Total30 km2 (10 sq mi)
Elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2012 census)
 • Total12,818[1]
ClimateAm

Nieuw Nickerie lies on the mouth of the Nickerie river on the Atlantic coast, opposite the mouth of the Corantijn river (Courantyne) and the Guyanese town of Corriverton (Springlands), to which a ferry service operates.[4] A bridge between Apoera and Orealla in Guyana is still being planned.[5] Major Henk Fernandes Airport, also known as Nieuw Nickerie Airport,[6][7] is located near the city.[8]

History

In 1718, Dietzel became the first known person to settle in the area. In 1797, governor Juriaan François Frederici approved the first plantation in Nickerie. A large number of Scottish and English settlers arrived in the area during the British Occupation,[3] and primarily grew cotton and coffee.[9] Nieuw Nickerie was built in 1879 after the former center of the district, Nieuw Rotterdam, was destroyed by floods.[10] Nieuw Nickerie was originally planned on a polder created in 1869, but was moved further in land.[11] In 1940s a sea dike was built to protect the area.[9]

The name Nickerie is probably based on Neekeari which was first reported by Teenstra in 1596 for an indigenous tribe living the area.[11] The name also appears in Robert Dudley's The Voyage of Robert Dudley to the West-Indies, 1594-1595.[12]

Economy

The main industries are bananas and rice. Nickerie is the largest rice producer of Suriname.[3] The town contains a market and several hotels, including the Hotel Ameerali, Hotel de President, Hotel Tropical, Hotel de Vesting and Residence Inn. The first Surinamese hospital outside of Paramaribo,[13] Mungra Medical Centre, is located on the Annastraat in Nieuw-Nickerie.

Nickerie has a harbour, but the entrance depth is 3.7 metres and can carter to ships up to 6,000 tonnes. The harbour has been upgraded in 2012, but will be upgraded further.[14]

Nieuw Nickerie is started to develop as a tourist area. There are quite a number of hotels in the city, and the nearby Bigi Pan Nature Reserve opened opportunities for ecotourism.[15]

Notable people

Climate

References

  1. "2012 Census Resorts Suriname" (PDF). Spang Staging. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  2. Nieuw Nickerie, Nickerie, Suriname at GEOnet Names Server. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  3. "Over Nickerie". Nickerie.net (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  4. "Transport". Ministry of Transport, Communication and Tourism (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  5. "Guyana Shield Hub" (PDF). IIRSA.org. 2011-07-25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  6. Airport information for SMNI at Great Circle Mapper.
  7. Accident history for ICK at Aviation Safety Network
  8. "Weg naar vliegveld Nickerie wordt alvast geëgaliseerd" (in Dutch). Dagblad Suriname. 26 August 2005. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011.
  9. "Distrikt Nickerie". Suriname.nu (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  10. "Monuments". Suriname.nu (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  11. "Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië - Page 509 - Nickerie" (PDF). Digital Library for Dutch Literature (in Dutch). 1916. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  12. "The voyage of Robert Dudley, afterwards styled Earl of Warwick and Leicester and Duke of Northumberland, to the West Indies, 1594-1595". Internet Archive. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  13. "Gouvernement Besluiten - Hospitaal Commissie". De Surinamer via Delpher (in Dutch). 31 March 1907. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  14. "Algemene Haven Nieuw Nickerie". Haven Beheer (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  15. "STRUCTUUR ANALYSE DISTRICTEN 2009-2013" (PDF). Planning Office Suriname (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  16. "Clarence Breeveld overleden". Suriname Herald (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  17. "Benito Kemble". World Football. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  18. "Jaggernath Lachmon". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  19. "Ken MONKOU". Sporting Heroes. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  20. "Klimatafel von Nickerie / Surinam" (PDF). Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.