List of Dutch West India Company trading posts and settlements

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

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

Caribbean

South America

Brazil (Dutch Brazil)

Guyana

Guyane

Suriname

References

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

[1] VAN WELIE, RIK (2008). "Slave Trading and Slavery in the Dutch Colonial Empire: A Global Comparison". NWIG: New West Indian Guide / Nieuwe West-Indische Gids. 82 (1/2): 58. JSTOR 43390702. Retrieved 11 December 2022.

[2] Ogot, Bethwell (1999). General history of Africa, abridged edition, v. 5: Africa from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. UNESCO. p. 140. ISBN 0520067002. Retrieved 11 December 2022.

[3] "A Brief Outline of the History of New Netherland". The Coins of Colonial and Early America. University of Notre Dame, Department of Special Collections. Retrieved 18 December 2022.

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