Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%
Languages
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
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
petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
External Debt
$10,430,000,000 $
$504,300,000 US
Exchange Rate
nairas (NGN) per US dollar - 117.8 (2008 est.), 127.46 (2007), 127.38 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89 (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
1.500%
0.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
4
0
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
Area
923,768 km sq
163,820 km sq
Coastline
853 km
386 km
Climate
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
