Suriname
Capital – Paramaribo
Facts About Suriname
• Population: 529,419 (2011)
– Population density is one of the lowest on earth:
6.9 people per square mile
– around 45 percent of the population living in the
capital district.
– Expected to shrink (People moving to Netherlands)
• Total Area: 63,252 sq. miles
– More than 90 percent is covered by rain forest.
• Currency: Surinamese dollar
3.29 SRD=1 USD
Suriname People and Culture
• Dynamic and diverse
• Heavy Asian and African influence. People can be found from
India, Africa, China and Indonesia as well as people who inhibited
Suriname before it was discovered and populated.
• 90% percent of the people have ancestors who were foreign born.
• If you walk down any street in the city you may hear Dutch ,
Indian, and English spoken.
• It is a wide variation of people and backgrounds, influencing
cultural celebrations found throughout Suriname.
• Generous difference in wealth.
– Full of those living a life full of riches and fame, driving expensive cars
and owning condos with riverfront views.
– On the opposite side, you will also find Javanese Culture suburbs with
little income.
• Suriname Culture is among the few countries with a high diversity
in Culture , but still we remain tolerant and live peacefully among
each other.
Language in Suriname
• The official language is Dutch.
• English is widely used.
• Surinamese Creole, Sranang Tongo (also called Taki-Taki),
Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), and Javanese are also spoken.
People in Suriname
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East Indians – 37%
Creole – 31% (African slaves and Europeans)
Javanese – 15%
Maroons – 10%
Amerindians – 2%
Religion in Suriname
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Christianity – about 40%
Hinduism – about 20%
Islam – about 15%
Amerindian/African Indigenous – about 3.5%
– such as Obeah and Winti.
• Winti is a largely secret religion from West Africa.
• It recognizes a multitude of gods and ghosts, each having its
own myths, rites, offerings, taboos (forbidden acts), and
magical forces.
Government in Suriname
• 10 districts
• Independent republic since 1975
• Its political institutions are defined by the constitution of
1987.
• The National Assembly - fifty-one members - elected for a
five-year term by proportional representation
• The president is elected by a two-thirds majority in the
Assembly.
• National Army played a major role in domestic political affairs
from 1980 to 1992. It was involved in a civil war in the interior
in the 1980s
Fast Facts About Suriname
• Considered a Caribbean country
• Suriname is also rumored to house the most cars per capita in the
entire world.
– The average middle income family owns three or more vehicles
(mixed families tend to share housing).
– Cars are also often left abandoned amidst the jungle vines that
inhibit undeveloped landscapes, or on the side of the road.
• Suriname is rumored to have some of the purest and tastiest drinking
water. The tap water is clean and drinkable in most urban areas.
• Adults below the age of 30 cannot get married in Suriname without
written permission from their parents.