Suriname

[bex77]

Continuing with the magnificent Kate Orman's suggestion that
when you hear the name of country in the news that you don't
know much about, you should look it up and post 5 facts about
it, tonight's entry is about Suriname, pronounced SUR-EH-NOM.
Sounds like someplace in Southeast Asia, but SURPRISE! It is
in South America!

According to the CIA's excellent almanac of country facts:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ns.html

Learn more
Location: Northeast coast of South America, with Gyuana to the
West, French Guiana to the East, and Brazil to the South.

Area: slightly larger than the U.S. State of Georgia

Climate: tropical, mostly rainforest

Government: Granted independence from the Netherlands in 1975.
In and out of military coups/rule but has had a democratic government
since 1991. (Formerly Duth Guiana)

Capital: Paramaribo

Population: 438,414 (July 2005 est)

Ethnic groups: 37% Hindustani from India,
31% Creole
15% Javanese
10% "Maroons" - Former slaves from Africa
2% Amerindian
2% Chinese
1% White
2% other

Religions: 27% Hindu, 25% Protestant Christian (mostly Moravian)
23% Roman Catholic Christian, 20% Muslim,
5 % indigenous beliefs