Dutch colonisation of the Guianas

Dutch colonies of the Guianas
1621–1959 [a]
Flag Coat of arms
Dutch controlled Guiana at its greatest extent in dark green; claimed but uncontrolled land shown in light green.
Capital	Paramaribo
Common languages	Dutch
Religion	Dutch Reformed Church
Historical era	Colonial period
• Established	1621
• First Anglo-Dutch War	1652–1654
• Second Anglo-Dutch War	1665–1667
• Third Anglo-Dutch War	1672–1674
• Treaty of Westminster	1674
• Fourth Anglo-Dutch War	1780–1785
• United Kingdom gained control of the three colonies Demerara, Berbice and Essequibo, the colony Suriname remains under Dutch control	1959
• Disestablished	1959 [a]
Currency	Dutch guilder, Surinamese guilder
Preceded by Succeeded by Dutch West India Company Demerara Berbice Essequibo (colony) Suriname (Dutch colony) State of Maranhão (colonial) New Andalusia Province British Guiana Suriname (Dutch colony) Kingdom of Brazil French Guiana

The Dutch began their colonisation of the Guianas, the coastal region between the Orinoco and Amazon rivers in South America, in the late 16th century. The Dutch originally claimed all of Guiana (also called De wilde kust, the "Wild Coast") but—following attempts to sell it first to Bavaria and then to Hanau and the loss of sections to Portugal, Britain, and France—the section actually settled and controlled by the Netherlands became known as Dutch Guiana (Dutch: Nederlands-Guiana).

The colonies of Essequibo and Demerara were controlled by the Dutch West India Company, while Berbice and Surinam were controlled by the Society of Berbice and the Society of Suriname, respectively. Cayenne also came under brief periods of Dutch control. After the Napoleonic Wars in 1814, Britain gained control of the three colonies (Demerara, Berbice, and Essequibo) west of the Courantyne River, which became British Guiana and then modern Guyana. The remaining colony, Suriname (also called "Dutch Guiana"), remained under Dutch control until its independence in 1975.
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