In 1650 England established the first European settlement – Suriname – on the Suriname river but transferred sovereignty to the Dutch in 1667 in the Treaty of Breda, by which the British acquired New York . Colonization was confined to a narrow coastal strip, until the abolition of slavery in 1863, African slaves furnished the labour for the plantation economy. After 1870 labourers were brought in from the former British India and Dutch East Indies .

In 1948, the colony was integrated into the Kingdom of the Netherlands and two years later was granted full home rule other than foreign affairs and defense. On November 25, 1975 Suriname became independent Republic and the Dutch Government among others agreed to provide Suriname development aid. On February 25, 1980 , army sergeants led by Desi Bouterse staged a coup and instituted a military government, which urged the Dutch government to suspend the development aid. In 1992 democracy was restored.