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Religion in Suriname is characterized by a range of religious beliefs and practices due to its ethnic diversity. According to the most recent census (2012), 48.4 percent of the population is Christian (the largest groups being the Catholic Church, Pentecostalism, and the Moravian Church), 22.3 percent is Hindu, 13.9 percent is Muslim, 1.8 percent follows Winti, and 0.8 percent is Javanist. In addition 2.1 percent of the population follows other faiths (including Jehovah's Witnesses), 7.5 percent are atheist or agnostic, and 3.2 percent did not answer the question about their religion.
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Indigenous religions are practiced by the Amerindian and Afro-descendant Maroon populations. Amerindians, found principally in the interior and to a lesser extent in coastal areas, practice shamanism, worship of all living things, and their rites are led by medicine men, or piaiman. Maroons, who inhabit the interior, worship nature through a practice that has no special name, and they also worship their ancestors through a rite called Winti. Citizens of Amerindian and Maroon origin who classify themselves as Christian often simultaneously follow indigenous religious customs, with the acknowledgment of their Christian church leaders.
The negligible Jewish community numbers 181, and there are also small numbers of Bahá'ís and Buddhists. Other groups include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the World Islamic Call Society. "No religion in Suriname has any problem with any other religion", quips Guido Robles, a prominent Jewish businessman in Paramaribo. "All the problems are caused by the politicians."
Many political parties, including six of the eight governing coalition parties, have strong ethnic ties, and members tend to adhere to or practice one faith. For example, within the governing coalition, the majority of members of the mostly ethnic-Creole National Party of Suriname (NPS) is Moravian, members of the mostly ethnic-Indian United Reformed Party are Hindu, and those of the mostly ethnic-Javanese Pertjaja Luhur Party tend to be Muslim. However, parties have no requirement that political party leaders or members adhere to a particular religion.
Religion for Suriname in 2004 and 2012
The religious demography of Suriname as per the 2004 Census is as follows:
Christianity
The dominant religion in Suriname is Christianity, both in the form of Roman Catholicism and various denominations of Protestantism, the Anglican Church being the oldest. According to the 2012 census data 48.4% of the population of Suriname is Christian and the Pentecostal churches are the largest Protestant denomination.
Hinduism
Hindus are mostly concentrated in Northern coastal regions of Suriname: Nickerie, Wanica and Saramacca, where they constitute the largest religious group. Most of the Hindus of Suriname are of Indian descent. According to the 2012 census of Suriname, Hindus constitute 22.3% of the population. There are several hindu temples in Suriname.
Islam
According to the most recent census, the Muslim population of Suriname represents about 13.9% of the country's total population, giving the country the highest proportion of Muslims on the American continent.
Muslims that first came to Suriname consisted of indentured laborers from South Asia and Indonesia, from whom today most Muslims in Suriname are descended.
Judaism
There has been a Jewish community in Suriname since 1639, when the English government allowed Sephardi Jews to settle the region. The Jewish community is currently struggling due to dwindling funds and membership.