Here are some of the key areas the Dutch ruled:
* Indonesia: This was the most extensive and longest-lasting of Dutch colonies, lasting from the 17th century until 1949.
* South Africa: The Dutch East India Company established a settlement at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652, which eventually led to the establishment of the Dutch colony of Cape Colony.
* Sri Lanka (Ceylon): The Dutch controlled parts of Sri Lanka from the 17th century until 1796.
* Brazil: The Dutch briefly ruled parts of northeast Brazil in the 17th century.
* Suriname: This South American country was a Dutch colony from the 17th century until independence in 1975.
* Curaçao: This Caribbean island was a Dutch colony from the 17th century until it became a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010.
* Other Caribbean islands: The Dutch also had colonies on other Caribbean islands, including Aruba, Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius.
* Taiwan: The Dutch briefly controlled Taiwan in the 17th century.
It's important to note that the Dutch had different levels of control in these areas, and some were colonies while others were trading posts or settlements.