Suriname History and travel information. The People, Tradition, Art and CultureSuriname's earliest people were very dependent on the seas as most people lived along the coasts. The inland forests prevented much settlement, although people did live in these areas. The cultures among these people varied as they spoke different languages, ate different foods, and had different lifestyles. With the later arrival of the Europeans the culture and lifestyle in Suriname has vastly changedSuriname is the second smallest country of the South American continent and the least explored in the world. Situated in the so-called Guiana Shield, it is divided into the northern and southern areas. The northern part consists of lowland coastal zone, including the capital city of Paramaribo, where most of the population resides. The southern part has tropical rainforests covering 80% of the country's land surface along the border with Brazil.