Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)
Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%
Languages
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school
Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
Exports
semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals
alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
External Debt
$397,300,000,000 $
$504,300,000 US
Exchange Rate
South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - 1,101.7 (2008 est.), 929.2 (2007), 954.8 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004)
Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar - 2.745 (2007), 2.745 (2006), 2.7317 (2005), 2.7336 (2004), 2.6013 (2003) note: in January 2004, the government replaced the guilder with the Surinamese dollar, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.700%
0.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
31
0
Location
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
Area
99,720 km sq
163,820 km sq
Coastline
2,413 km
386 km
Climate
temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
