Suriname

Sighting Suriname

1498

Christopher Columbus sights the coast of Suriname.

First setelments

1593

Spanish explorers visit the area and name it Suriname, after the country's earliest inhabitants, the Surinen.

Permanent settlements

1602

First permanent European settlement, established by British at Paramaribo by Lord Francis Willoughby

British trade with Netherlands

1667

British gave up their part of Suriname to The Netherlands in exchange for New Amsterdam, which today is New York City.

Slavery is abolished

1863

Slavery abolished leading to indentured labourers to be brought in from India, Java, China to worked on plantations basically as a different form of slavery.

Aluminum mining

1916

Aluminum Company of America, or Aloca, began mining bauxite, the principal ore of aluminum, which gradually became Suriname's main export

Coup in Suriname

1982

Armed forces seize power in a coup led by Lieutenant-Colonel Desi Bouterse and set up a Revolutionary People's Front; 15 opposition leaders charged with plotting a coup and executed; Netherlands and US respond by cutting off economic aid.

Presidental elections

1991

Johan Kraag became interim president. He was an alliance of opposition parties. Ronald Venetiaan was then elected president.

Another President!

1996

Jules Wijdenbosch, an ally of Bouterse, was elected president.

Flooding in Suriname

2006

Flooding, caused by severe rain, leaves more than 20,000 people homeless. President Venetiaan says lowland areas are in "total chaos".