republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
constitutional democracy
Independence date
25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)
Religions
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%
Languages
French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)
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
alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
External Debt
$504,300,000 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
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
