The islands of the Netherlands Antilles fall into two conveniently-named groups. The SSS islands are in the Eastern Caribbean and a part of the Windward Islands chain. They are Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten. The ABC Islands are Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao and are part of the Leeward Islands – close to Venezuela in the Southern Caribbean.
The Dutch also acquired territories on the mainland of South America – gained then lost in the Anglo-Dutch Wars. However, Suriname (Dutch Guiana) remained in Dutch hands.
Suriname issued stamps in 1873 and as with the East Indies, these are functional designs produced to serve the colony – and without one eye on the collectors’ market. Curacao's stamps appeared the same year. The territory's official name
