Lelydorp

Marienburg on the map of Suriname

Marienburg ( Sranan Tongo: Kofidjompo Kofi jumped ) is the main town and a resort in the district Wanica in the Republic of Suriname. It lies about 18 km south of Paramaribo and has 15 576 inhabitants. It is hereby to Paramaribo the settlement with the largest population in Suriname.

History

The site was constructed in the early 20th century. It is named after Cornelis Lely governor. The Sranan name Kofidjompo got the place because of the fugitive slave Kofi ( born on a Friday ) just escaped his pursuers by jumping over a stream. As 1903-1912 a railway from Paramaribo to Dam was built to tap the gold fields at the headwaters of Suriname, Kofidjompo was an important holding station at the originally 173 km long track. To prove the builders of the railway, engineer and governor Lely honor the place in Marienburg was renamed. The route Paramaribo to Marienburg was already in the 1950s and 1960s, among other things, shut down by the expansion of the road network to Johan Adolf Pengel Airport.

Administration Centre

Marienburg is the administrative center of the district office of the District Commissioner and Wanica. The population consists predominantly of Surinamese Javanese and Indian origin. The now grown into a small town with about 15,500 inhabitants place is equipped with all the associated public facilities such as, inter alia, Police stations, fire departments, hospitals, schools and sports complexes. Thus, the old name will not be forgotten, in 1983 was awarded a place in the center the name Kofidjompo.

Twinning

• Netherlands Lelystad (Netherlands)