SURINAME

Suriname is the smallest South American country. It was a former colony of the Netherlands. It is located to the north of Belize and to the west of Guyana.

FACTS

MOTTO - “Justice – Piety – Loyalty”

DATE OF INDEPENDENCE: November 25, 1975

POPULATION: 442,000

CAPITAL: Paramaribo

SIZE / AREA: 63,037 Square Miles

MAJOR LANGUAGES: Dutch (Official), English, Sranang Tongo ( Taki-Taki), Hindi, Javanese

MAJOR RELIGIONS: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity

ETHNIC GROUPS: Hindustani (East Indian) 27%, Creole 18%, Javanese 15%, Maroon 15%, Mixed 12.5%, Amerindians 3.7%, Chinese 1.8% (percentages from 2004 census).

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: $2.898 Billion

MONETARY UNIT: Surinam Dollar

MAIN EXPORTS: Bauxite, Alumina, Crude Oil, Gold, Timber, Sugar

PRESIDENT: Ronald Venetiaan