Suriname Religion and Languages

By | March 5, 2021

According to franciscogardening, Suriname is a small country located in the northeast corner of South America, between Guyana and French Guiana. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east, Brazil to the south, and Guyana to the west. The population of Suriname is estimated to be around 590,000 people with an area of 163,820 square kilometers. The climate in Suriname ranges from tropical rainforest in the interior to semi-arid savannas in the coastal regions. The official language of Suriname is Dutch and its currency is called Surinamese Dollar (SRD).

Suriname has a diverse culture with influences from many different cultures including Indigenous peoples, African descendants, Dutch settlers, East Indians, Chinese and Javanese. It also has a wide variety of religions including Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. The economy of Suriname relies heavily on its natural resources such as gold mining and timber production as well as its agricultural sector which produces rice and other crops. Other industries include manufacturing and tourism. Education is highly valued in Suriname with many universities throughout the country offering quality education for those interested in pursuing higher education.

Population

In 2019, Suriname had a population density of 4 residents per km2. The majority of the population is in the coastal region, with strong concentration around the capital and the lower course of the Suriname River. About 66 percent of the population lives in the cities, of which Paramaribo is the most dominant.

According to Countryaah, Suriname’s indigenous population, in 2007, accounted for 3.7 percent of the population, a total of just over 18,000. akuriyo, arawak, kaliña, trío (tiriyó) and wayana. These, along with the maroons, live along the larger inland rivers. They live on burning, hunting and fishing.

Today, the maroons make up 15 percent of the population. Asian groups, such as descendants of Indians and Pakistanis (27 percent) and Indonesians (15 percent), make up the rural population along the coast and estuaries, while Europeans are found in cities. The dominant ethnic unit is the Creole (30 percent), a mix of blacks, Europeans and Asians. Of these, 18 percent speak sranan, a local Creole language.

Language

Official Language of Suriname

Dutch is an official language but is the mother tongue of only a small part of the population. Most people in Suriname understand and use sranan, an English-based Creole language. Otherwise, Hindi is spoken in a local form called sarnami (about 25% of the population) and Javanese (15%) and the Creole languages ​​Ndjuka and saramaccan (each 5%), the latter mixed English- and Portuguese-based. In addition, smaller groups still use arawak and carib language.

  • Follow abbreviationfinder to see what is the meaning of SR in geography. It can stand for Suriname. Click this site to see other possible meanings of this acronym.

Religion

The dominant belief is Dutch colonial Protestantism with Calvinist orientation. The Ecumenical Church Community Council of Churches supported the independence movement in 1975. There are reformers, Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists. About 20% are Catholics. Jews, Hindus and Indonesian Muslims came through later immigration. Ecumenism is most noticeable in social work against poverty and marginalization. A mixture of Afro and indigenous religious movements is strong, e.g. Winti. Interreligious dialogue between these and the Christians is increasing.

Suriname Population by Religion