Commewijne District
Template:Short description Template:Infobox settlement Commewijne is a district of Suriname, located on the right bank of the Suriname River. Commewijne's capital city is Nieuw Amsterdam. Tamanredjo is another major town, while Meerzorg is the most populated.<ref name="census"/>
The district has a population of 31,420 and an area of 2,353 km2.<ref name="census"/>
One of the most populated of Suriname's districts, Commewijne relies primarily on agriculture for its income, with plantations dating back to the first Dutch colonisation of the area in the 17th century.<ref name="nu1">Template:Cite web</ref> In the 21st century, Meerzorg has been designated as a regional centre, and suburban area for Paramaribo, and is the site of many building projects. Nieuw Amsterdam has been steadily growing as well.<ref name="planning">Template:Cite web</ref>
History
In 1621, the Dutch West India Company started to explore the Guianas, and traded with the indigenous people. When a force reporting to Francis Willoughby landed on Commewijne, there was already a small Dutch settlement who were trading with the indigenous people, and a group of Jews had arrived in Suriname in 1632. Surinam was conquered in 1667 by Abraham Crijnssen for the Dutch West India Company.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Commewijne became the main location for plantations during the 18th century.<ref name="nu1"/> A monument to the independence of Suriname is located in Fort Nieuw-Amsterdam.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Forts
Template:Main Fort Nieuw-Amsterdam is located in Nieuw Amsterdam. On 10 October 1712, Jacques Cassard captured the plantation Meerzorg for France, and threatened Paramaribo across the Suriname river.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To protect Paramaribo and Commewijne from future attacks, Fort Nieuw-Amsterdam was constructed, and opened in 1747.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Several other small colonial forts were constructed. The redoubts Frederiksdorp, Braamspunt, and Leiden were the first towns connected to a telephone line after Paramaribo to Nieuw-Amsterdam in 1888.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The scale of the other forts was small, because when August Kappler visited Frederiksdorp in 1854, three soldiers were stationed there.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Resorts
Commewijne is divided into 6 resorts (ressorten):
Villages
Nature and tourism
The Braamspunt Nature Reserve is located in Commewijne, because it is an important nesting ground for the leatherback sea turtles, and the green sea turtles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The former plantation of Frederiksdorp is located near Johan & Margaretha, and has in 2004 been designated at as a monument.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Transport
Commewijne used to be isolated from Paramaribo, In 1931, a ferry opened between Meerzorg en Paramaribo,<ref name="jagtlust">Template:Cite web</ref> but to improve access to the eastern part of Suriname, the Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge was opened on 20 May 2000 replacing the ferry. The bridge is part of the East-West Link.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2020, plans were announced to build a bridge between Laarwijk and Domburg in order to develop the area, and relieve traffic congestion between Wanica and Commewijne.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Economy
The economy is still largely built around agriculture, and the industry in the district are mainly related to agriculture as well.<ref name="planning"/> The closure of the sugarcane factory Mariënburg in 1986 caused a regional decline.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Meerzorg is becoming a centre for trade. Companies and banks have started to open offices or moved to the town.<ref name="planning"/>
References
External links
- District Commewijne at Suriname.nu (in Dutch)
Template:Resorts of Suriname Template:Surinamese District Commewijne