# Democracy Unit

> research institute in Suriname

**Wikidata**: [Q115281888](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115281888)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/democracy-unit

## Summary
The Democracy Unit is a research institute located in Paramaribo, Suriname, established on April 24, 2001. As an organization whose primary purpose is conducting research, it operates specifically within the Surinamese context to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation.

## Key Facts
- **Inception:** Founded on April 24, 2001
- **Location:** Paramaribo, Suriname
- **Classification:** Research institute (organization whose primary purpose is research)
- **Coordinates:** Latitude 5.815416666666667, Longitude -55.218472222222225
- **Country:** Suriname
- **Sitelink Count:** 2
- **Wikipedia Language Presence:** Dutch (nl) and Wikimedia Commons
- **Commons Category:** Democracy Unit (Suriname)
- **Wikidata Description:** Research institute in Suriname

## FAQs
### Q: Where is the Democracy Unit located?
The Democracy Unit is based in Paramaribo, the capital city of Suriname, situated at precise coordinates 5.815416666666667 latitude and -55.218472222222225 longitude.

### Q: What type of organization is the Democracy Unit?
It is classified as a research institute, which is an organization whose primary purpose is to conduct research and generate new knowledge through systematic investigation.

### Q: When was the Democracy Unit founded?
The Democracy Unit was established on April 24, 2001.

## Why It Matters
The Democracy Unit represents a specialized research institution within Suriname's intellectual infrastructure. As a research institute, it contributes to the country's capacity for generating knowledge specific to its democratic and societal development. Research institutes serve as dedicated engines of discovery, providing spaces where focused investigation can occur without the competing obligations found in universities or commercial entities. Within the Surinamese context, such an organization plays a role in addressing national challenges and contributing to the broader understanding of democratic processes in the region.

## Notable For
- Being a dedicated research institute operating specifically in Suriname
- Maintaining a focused organizational mission centered on research activities
- Operating in Paramaribo since 2001
- Having digital representation across both Dutch Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons

## Body

### Organizational Identity and Classification
The Democracy Unit is formally classified as a research institute, placing it among organizations whose primary purpose is to conduct research. This classification distinguishes it from universities that balance teaching and research missions, from companies that pursue research for commercial ends, and from think tanks that primarily focus on policy-oriented research to influence government decisions. As a research institute, the Democracy Unit exists specifically to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation within its area of focus.

### Geographic Location and Establishment
The organization is situated in Paramaribo, the capital city of Suriname, a country located on the northeastern coast of South America. Its precise geographic coordinates are latitude 5.815416666666667 and longitude -55.218472222222225. The Democracy Unit was officially founded on April 24, 2001, establishing it as an organization with over two decades of operation within the Surinamese context.

### Digital Presence and Documentation
The Democracy Unit maintains a limited but specific presence across digital knowledge platforms. With a sitelink count of 2, the organization has representation on Dutch Wikipedia (nl) and Wikimedia Commons. A dedicated Commons category exists under the label "Democracy Unit (Suriname)," serving as a structured repository for media and documentation related to the institute. The Wikidata entry for the organization provides a concise description identifying it as a "research institute in Suriname," which captures its essential organizational identity and national context.

### Context Within Research Infrastructure
Research institutes like the Democracy Unit represent a distinct organizational form in the landscape of knowledge-producing institutions. Unlike universities that combine teaching and research missions, research institutes exist purely to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation. In the context of Suriname, such an organization contributes to the nation's capacity for independent knowledge production and focused inquiry. Research institutes are formally classified under multiple knowledge organization systems, including library cataloging systems that distinguish them from scientific societies, learned societies, think tanks, and research centers. The Geonames feature code S.ITTR is used for geographic identification of such research institutes, and these organizations are mapped to schema.org/ResearchOrganization for structured data purposes.