Language

Suriname has roughly 20 different languages. The official language of the country is Dutch. During the slave period, the Suriname language, or Sranantongo, emerged as a creole language. Suriname's Indians still speak five Indian languages. Suriname is home to a large number of different languages.

The official language is Dutch. It's mostly utilized in schools, government, business, and the media. In 2004, Suriname became the third country to join the Dutch Language Union. Around 60% of Surinamers speak Dutch as a first or second language, with the rest speaking it as a second or third. It is the major home language in two-thirds of the homes in the capital, Paramaribo.

Dutch is only well known in Suriname's interior. The descendants of Javanese (Indonesian) contract laborers speak Javanese. Saramaka, Paramakan, Ndyuka, Aukan, Kwinti, and Matawai are some of the Maroon languages that can be understood with Sranan Tongo.

Carib and Arawak are Amerindian languages spoken by Amerindians. Hakka The descendants of Chinese contract (koelie, coolie) laborers speak Chinese and Cantonese. More recent Chinese immigrants speak Mandarin. Also utilized are English, Spanish, and Portuguese.