Guyana, Surinam, Guyane

These three countries—two republics and what is usually referred to as a ‘region’ of France—were colonies of England, Holland, and France respectively, although their administration has ebbed and flowed with the tides of W. European wars and diplomacy. Their history and development are more closely linked to the W. Indies than to Spanish or Portuguese possessions in Latin America. The French reached Cayenne in 1604, and the Dutch arrived in 1616, but Britain did not gain a permanent toehold until 1796. The fact that Demerara sugar and cayenne pepper have both entered the language is some sign of their original importance.