10 Facts about Suriname, a Javanese-Speaking Country in America

VIVA – Suriname is a country in South America. The capital city of Suriname is Paramaribo. It turns out, Suriname has a close relationship with Indonesia, especially Java. Suriname and Java have a close history as the country has an ethnic Javanese population of 15% of the population.

1. The Smallest South American Country

With an area of ??only 163.821 square kilometers and a population of only 541.638 individuals as of the 2012 census, Suriname is the smallest country in South America both in area and population.

2. Nearly 50% of Suriname's Population Lives in Paramaribo

Paramaribo is the capital of Suriname and almost half of its population of around 241.000 people live in this city.

3. Suriname Only Has One Cinema

Unlike other countries in general which have several cinemas. In Suriname, there is only one cinema, namely TBL Cinema which is located in Paramaribo.

4. It Is One Of The Two South American Countries with Left Side Driving

While all other countries in South America have right-handed driving, Suriname and Guyana are the only two countries on the continent with left-handed driving.

The official language of Suriname is Dutch, a legacy of the Dutch colonial rule in the country. More than 60% of Surinamese people speak Dutch as their mother tongue, while the rest of the population speaks Dutch as a second language.

Suriname is the only country outside Europe where Dutch is spoken by the majority of the population.

East Indians, Maroons, Creoles, Javanese, Amerindians, Chinese, Whites and many other ethnic communities call Suriname their home. Mixed marriages between different ethnic groups also result in the country having a significant population of mixed ethnic ancestry.

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Suriname

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• Treehugger

Suriname has managed to preserve nature very well. Most of the country's land is covered by pristine tropical rain forests that host a diversity of flora and fauna. Most of these forest areas are protected in the form of natural parks, nature reserves, nature reserves, etc.

Suriname's great ethnic diversity contributes to its rich culture which includes various celebrations and festivals throughout the year. Surinamese people celebrate Holi, Christmas, Java Arrival Day, India Arrival Day, Maroon Day, Diwali, Eid, Good Friday, and many more secular and religious festivals and ceremonies.

Suriname is one of the few locations in the world where a Jewish synagogue is located next to a mosque. The country is also home to places of worship of other religions such as Hindu temples and Christian churches. All religious groups in the country coexist peacefully and religious tolerance is one thing that Suriname teaches the world.

The inner city of Paramaribo, the capital city of Suriname, was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002. It has many buildings of historical importance and religious significance.

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5. The Only Country Outside Europe with Dutch as the Majority Language