Since the 16th century, people from Zeeland have left their marks on the world. Remarkable stories and locations include Asia, Africa and North- and South America.
Thousands and thousands of ships have left the ports of Zeeland, in order to travel to faraway destinations. Zeeland was home to many companies and trading posts including large chartered companies such as Dutch East India Company (VOC), Dutch West India Company (WIC) and the Middelburgse Commercie Compagnie (MCC).
People from Zeeland founded several colonies, settlements, cities and communities overseas, for instance in South-Africa, Suriname, North-America and Brazil. In the 19th and 20th century many people from Zeeland moved to the North-American continent.
