General

The Financial Services sector accounted for about 11% of GDP in 2003. The sector is composed of the Central Bank of Suriname (CBvS), 8 commercial banks, 1 development bank, 10 life and general insurance companies, 31 pension funds, foreign exchange bureaus (cambio’s), a stock market and 2 credit co-operatives. The non-bank financial institutions represent less than a third of financial sector assets. Banks and insurance companies provided for 2.8% of formal employment in 2003.