Suriname

Languages:

Suriname, a small country on the northeastern coast of South America, has Dutch as its official language, which is used in administration, education, and media. The country is linguistically diverse, with numerous indigenous languages and creole languages spoken by various ethnic communities. Some of the most widely spoken languages include Sranan Tongo, a local English-based creole, and Sarnami Hindustani, a variant of Bhojpuri. Other languages spoken in Suriname include Javanese, Caribbean Hindustani, and various Amerindian languages.

Religion:

Religion in Suriname is diverse, with the majority of the population adhering to Christianity (48.4%). Among Christians, Roman Catholics constitute the largest denomination, followed by various Protestant and Evangelical groups. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and other significant religious communities include Hindus (22.3%), Muslims (13.9%), and practitioners of traditional African religions and indigenous faiths. The remaining portion of the population, approximately 15.4%, identifies as non-religious or as having no specific religious affiliation.

Ethnic Groups:

Hindustani (also known locally as East Indians; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 27.4%, Maroon (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 21.7%, Creole (mixed White and Black) 15.7%, Javanese 13.7%, mixed 13.4%, other 7.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2012 est.)