1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Religions
Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%
Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)
Languages
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
Czech 94.9%, Slovak 2%, other 2.3%, unidentified 0.8% (2001 census)
Exports
alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
machinery and transport equipment 52%, raw materials and fuel 9%, chemicals 5% (2003)
External Debt
$504,300,000 $
$101,600,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
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
koruny (CZK) per US dollar - 17.037 (2008 est.), 20.53 (2007), 22.596 (2006), 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.600%
1.150%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
6
Location
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
