Catholic Church in Suriname

By Type (1)

Episcopal Sees (Dioceses) Diocese (1)

By Rite

Roman Rite (1): Paramaribo

by Type | by Name | by Ecclesiastical Province
Changes in Dioceses | Vacant Dioceses | Former Dioceses

Apostolic Nunciature: Suriname

Conference of Bishops: Antilles Episcopal Conference (A.E.C.)

International Meeting of Bishops’ Conferences: Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano (C.E.L.A.M.)

Area: 156,000 km²

Population: 591,919

Former Name: Dutch Guiana

Neighbouring Countries: ← Guyana , → French Guiana , ↓ Brazil

Cultural Summary

Religions: Protestant 23.6% (includes Evangelical 11.2%, Moravian 11.2%, Reformed .7%, Lutheran .5%), Hindu 22.3%, Roman Catholic 21.6%, Muslim 13.8%, other Christian 3.2%, Winti 1.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 1.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 3.2%

Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is the native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

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%

Motto: Justitia, pietas, fides (Latin) (Justice, piety, loyalty)