Anne Dreisbach

Named for the earliest inhabitants, the Surinen Indians, this small republic, on the northeast coast of South America was once known as Dutch Guiana. The population of Hindustani date back to the from nothern India in the late 1800s. The Creoles are a mix of European and African slaves.

Frought with political instability after gaining independence from the Netherlands in 1975, there has been some movement towards an actual democracy. Free elections were held in 1991 and by 1997 the former military dictator was actually indicted for cocaine trafficking. Unemployment and a poor economy offers little to the country's populace of a half million souls.

Area:
63,039 square miles

Population:
396,813 (1990)

Major Religions:
Hinduism, Islam, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism

Official Language:
Dutch