Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%
Languages
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy
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
clothing and textiles, electric components, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, citrus fruits, vegetables, fish
alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
External Debt
$29,420,000,000 $
$504,300,000 US
Exchange Rate
Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 7.526 (2008 est.), 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (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
4.800%
1.200%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
0
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
Area
446,550 km sq
163,820 km sq
Coastline
1,835 km
386 km
Climate
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior
