THE PEOPLE

Most Surinamers live in the narrow, northern coastal plain. The population is one of the most ethnically varied in the world. Each ethnic group preserves its own culture, and many institutions, including political parties, tend to follow ethnic lines. Informal relationships vary: The upper classes of all ethnic backgrounds mix freely; outside of the elite, social relations tend to remain within ethnic groupings. All groups may be found in the schools and workplace.

Nationality: Noun--Surinamer(s). Adjective--Surinamese
Population (1996 est): 405,000
Annual growth rate (1996): .2%
Ethnic groups: Hindustani (East Indian) 37%, Creole 31%, Javanese 15%, Bush Negro
     10%, Amerindians 3%, Chinese 1.7% (percentages date from 1972 census, the last in
     which ethnicity data was collected)
Religions: Hindu, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Dutch Reformed, Moravian and several other
     Christian groups, Jewish, Baha'i
Languages: Dutch (official), English, Sranan Tongo (Creole language), Hindustani, Javanese
Education: Compulsory--ages 6-12. Literacy--95%
Health: Infant mortality rate (1995--30/1,000. Life expectancy (1995--69 years
Work force (100,000): Government--49%. Private sector--35%. Parastatal companies--16%

The Republic of Suriname, the former Dutch Guyana in the middle of the three Guyanas, is situated at the north-eastern coast of South-America, north of Brazil, between 2 and 6 degrees northern latitude, and 54 and 58 degrees western longitude. The nation’s territory covers an area of 163,820 sq. km and has about 405,000 inhabitants. This means that with an average of 2.5 persons per sq. km it is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. Noteworthy is also the slow population growth. In recent years this has been no more than 0.13% per annum. (population size and growth)

The largest portion of the population lives in the fertile coastal plains, where we also find the capital Paramaribo with 300,000 inhabitants. Since the beginning of the seventies there has been an enormous migration of Surinamers to the Netherlands. It is estimated that around 250,000 people of Surinamese descent live in Holland.

The populations is highly mixed, and comprises several racial groups, who came to Suriname at different times from different places. This was the result of the immigration which started after the abolition of slavery on July 1st 1863.

The native Indians (3%) are the indigenous inhabitants;

Negroes (33%) came from the western parts of Central Africa, e.g. Ghana, as
     slaves, from 1621 to 1818;
Bushnegroes (see: Negroes) are descendants from slaves who escaped from
     the plantations and established their own communities in the jungle of
     Suriname;
Creoles, also descendants from the Negro slaves. Within this group there has
     been some ethnic blending;
Hindustani (East-Indians, 35%) came from the west coast of India as
     indentured laborers, from 1873 until 1916;
Javanese (16%), descendants from Java, Indonesia, who also came as
     indentured laborers from 1890 to 1939;
The Chinese (2%) came to Suriname since 1853, first as indentured laborers
     and  later on as free immigrants;
Others (1%) came since1593 as free immigrants: Dutch peasants (1853),      immigrants from Madeira (1853), Lebanon, Guyana, etc.

Just as diverse as the composition of the population is, so too are the spoken languages in the territory. In Suriname not less than fifteen native languages are spoken. The official language is Dutch, while all Surinamers can communicate with one another through the use of the lingua franca, Sranantongo. Other languages are: Hindi, Javanese, Chinese, English, and about nine other tribal languages of the indigenous and the Bushnegroes.

A third of the population lives abroad: in the Netherlands, the Dutch Antilles, the United States and in the immediate neighboring countries. The immense emigration started on the eve of the political independence in 1975 and has ever since continued to a greater or lesser degree. Presently there is an annual average migration of Surinamers of 4,000 people.