Who were Suriname's colonizers?

Answer 1

Suriname was colonized by the Netherlands. The area was discovered by English, French and Spanish explorers in the 16th century. In the 17th century plantation colonies were established there by the Dutch and the English. The Dutch gained control of the area in 1667.

Answer 2

The Netherlands was the home country of most of Suriname's European colonizers. But it wasn't the first country to explore or settle the future Republic. Specifically, English, French and Spanish speakers explored the area in the 16th century.

It was only in the 17th century that colonization schemes were carried out and settlement took place. The first settlers were English speakers, in 1630. They quickly were followed, and succeeded, by Dutch speakers. In fact, by the Treaty of Breda of July 31, 1667, the future Suriname became an area of predominantly Dutch settlement in exchange for the future New York becoming an area of predominantly English settlement.