The culture

Suriname's ethnic mix is reflected in the religious allegiances of its people. The most important Christian denominations are Roman Catholic and Moravian Brethren, but many Christian groups also practice traditional African beliefs such as obeah and winti. About 80% of the East Indian population is Hindu.

Although Dutch is the official language, the vernacular Sranan (also known as Surinaams), an English-based creole, is widely spoken. Hindi, Javanese, Chinese and Saramaccan and various Amerindian languages are also spoken. Gamelan offers an insight into the cultural life of the Indonesian community. Sculpture and carvings express the values of the Amerindian and Bush Negro populations. Suriname's food is an exotic mix of East Indian, Indian, Javanese, Creole and Chinese cuisines; the cheapest eateries are warungs, Javanese food stalls serving fried noodle and rice dishes.