List of Dutch West India Company trading posts and settlements explained

This is a list of the trading posts and settlements of the Dutch West India Company (active 1621–1791), including chronological details of possessions taken over from the Dutch state in 1621, and for the period after 1791 when the Dutch government took over responsibility again.

The list runs in geographical sequence from north to south along the West African coast and from north to south through the Americas.

West Africa

Mauritania

• Arguin^[1] (1633–1678 / 1724–1728)
• Portendick^[2]

Senegal

• Portudal
• Rufisque
• Joal
• Gorée(Dutch: Goeree island' (1617 - 1663 / 24 October 1664 – 1677))

Sierra Leone

• Tasso Island (1664; destroyed by Admiral De Ruyter)

Liberia

• Cape Mount

Ghana (Dutch Gold Coast)

1611 - 1872

• Cape Apollonia (Benyin): Fort Apollonia (16.-1768 / 1868–1872) to the English.
• Abacqua (Duma or Egwira): Fort Ruychaver (Jul./Aug. 1654 – 1659)
• Mouth of Ankobra: Fort Elize Carthago (1650)
• Axim

Fort Santo Antonio (February 1642  - 1664 / 1665  - 1872)

• Pokesu or Princess Town (old Dutch spelling: Poquesoe): Fort Hollandia (formerly fort Gross Friedrichsburg) 1725 fort - 1814/1815 abandoned/1687* - 1698/1711  - 1712/1732 - 1804 abandoned
• Dixcove

Fort Metalen Kruis (1868 - 1872)

• Butri

Fort Batenstein (1656-1665 / 166..–1872)

• Takoradi

Fort Witsen

• British Sekondi

1782 - 1785; 1868 - 1872.

• Dutch Sekondi

Fort Oranje, 1640 or 1670/75 - 1872.

• Shama

Fort St. Sebastiaan 1637-1664 / 1664 - 1872

• British Komenda

Fort Komenda (1868–1872)

• Dutch Komenda

Fort Vredenburgh (1688 fort  - 1782 / 1785 - 1872)

• Elmina

Castle St. George d'Elmina, Fort Coenraadsburg on St. Jago Hill, Redoubt De Veer (1810/1811), Redoubt Naglas (1828), Redoubt Java (1828), Redoubt Schomarus (1828), Redoubt Batenstein (1828). (28/29 August 1637  - 6 April 1872)

• Cape Coast Castle, Cabo Corço or Oguaa (Swedish name: Carolusborg or Carlsborg) (16 April 1659.- May 1659/ 22 April 1663. - 3 May 1664 **Cong (Cong Height): - 1659 abandoned / 1661 Danish Fort destroyed by the Dutch)
• Moree

Fort Nassau (1624) (1598 or 1611 / 12  - 1664/1665  - 1782/1785 – 1867 by treaty to the English)

• Cormantin: Fort Amsterdam (1665–1721 / 1785–1867 by treaty to the English)
• Anomabu

(1640–1652)

• Egya

(1647– ? / 1663–1664)

• Apam

Fort Leydsaemheyt or Lijdzaamheid (Patience) (1697/16981782/ 1785–1868)

• Senya Beraku

Fort Goede Hoop, (1667 or 1705/06 – 1782/1785 – 1867/68)

• Ussher Town (Accra): Fort Crèvecœur (1649–1782/ 1786–1868)
• Kpone

(1697 - Apr. 1700 / 1706– ?)

• Keta

Fort Singelenburgh (? - 1737)

• Kumase

(1837–1842 / 1848–1853 / 1859–1869)

Togo

• Petit Popo or Popo / (Anecho or Aneho) (1731–1760)

Benin (Dutch Slave Coast)

• Great Popo(1680– ?)
• Ouidah (1670s. or 1687 / 1702-1724 or 1726)
• Jaquim or Jakri (Godomey) Fort Zelandia (1726–1734)
• Offra (1675–1691)
• Appa (1732–1736)
• Savi
• Allada or Ardra

Nigeria

• Benin (1705–1736)
• Badagri (1737–1748)
• Epe (1732–1755)

West Central Africa

Equatorial Guinea

• Annobón

1641–164?/ 1665–16.. (to Portugal)

São Tomé

• 18 October 1599 – 20 October 1599 / 3 October 1641 – 16 October 1641, nowadays São Tomé and Príncipe

Congo

• Loango (Boary) (1648/ –1686/ 1721–1726)
• Ngoyo or G'oy

Angola

26 August 1641.- 21/24 August 1648.,

• São Paulo de Luanda (Luanda): Fort Aardenburgh (26 August 1641 – 21/24 August 1648) to Portugal.
• São Filipe de Benguela (Benguela): (Sept. 1641 – 1648) to Portugal
• Pinda or Mpinda (Sonyo):-at the mouth of the Congo River (1648) to Portugal
• Ensandeira island:(at the mouth of the Kwanza river) Fort Mols (1645/6–1648) to Portugal
• Malemba (Cabinda)

Americas

North America

See main article: New Netherland settlements. Settlements of the New Netherland colony,^[3] now in the present day U.S. states of:

• New York
• Connecticut
• Pennsylvania
• New Jersey
• Virginia

Caribbean

• St. Maarten
• Curaçao
• St. Eustatius
• Saba
• Bonaire
• Aves Island
• Las Aves
• Tobago
• St. Croix
• Tortuga
• Aruba
• Anguilla
• Tortola c.a.
• Jost van Dyke c.a.
• Virgin Gorda c.a.
• Marie Galante (May 1676)
• Grenada (1675)

South America

Brazil (Dutch Brazil)

• Maranhão
• Ceará
• Rio Grande do Norte
• Paraíba
• Itamaracá
• Pernambuco
• Alagoas
• Fernando de Noronha
• Bahia

Guyana

• Berbice
• Demerara
• Essequibo (colony)

Guyane

• Cayenne
• Approuague
• Oyapoque

Suriname

• Paramaribo
• Sommelsdijk
• Jodensavanne

Notes and References

1. VAN WELIE . RIK . Slave Trading and Slavery in the Dutch Colonial Empire: A Global Comparison . NWIG: New West Indian Guide / Nieuwe West-Indische Gids . 2008 . 82 . 1/2 . 58 . 43390702 . 11 December 2022.
2. Book: Ogot . Bethwell . General history of Africa, abridged edition, v. 5: Africa from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century . 1999 . UNESCO . 0520067002 . 140 . 11 December 2022.
3. Web site: A Brief Outline of the History of New Netherland . The Coins of Colonial and Early America . University of Notre Dame, Department of Special Collections . 18 December 2022.