Suriname ⁱ/ˈsɜrɨnɑːm/ (Dutch: Suriname, Dutch pronunciation: [ˌsyriˈnaːmə]; Sarnami: शर्नम् Sarnam, Sranan Tongo: Sranangron or Sranankondre), officially the Republic of Suriname (Dutch: Republiek Suriname, Dutch pronunciation: [ˌrepyˈblik ˌsyriˈnaːmə]), is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as Dutch Guiana. Suriname achieved independence from the Netherlands on 25 November 1975.