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|currency=Gulden
|Population=25,313,981}}
The '''Netherlands''' (Dutch: ''Nederland)'', officially the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is a country primarily located in Western Europe with numerous small overseas territories. TheIt Europeanis one of the 3 constituent countries of the [[Kingdom of the Netherlands]] (the two others being the Union of Ceylon & New Batavia). The Netherlands consists of 15 provinces, bordering [[Rhenia]] to the east, [[France]] to the southwest, and the North Sea. Amsterdam is the country's most populous city and nominal capital, while Antwerp is the second busiest port in Europe while Rotterdam is Europe's largest port and one of the largest ports in the world.
The European part of the Netherlands is one of the three constituent countries of the kingdom, the two others being Ceylon, New Batavia. Amsterdam is the country's most populous city and nominal capital, while Antwerp is the second busiest port in Europe while Rotterdam is Europe's largest port and one of the largest ports in the world.
The Netherlands is home to the largest diaspora of Southeast Asians resulting from colonialism in Southeast Asia and the East Indies Independence Crisis in the late 20th century. After the fight for independence in the Dutch East Indies, nearly two million Southeast Asian refugees entered the Netherlands, culturally reshaping the country. By the 21st century, they have already integrated and have contributed to Dutch society, setting Dutch culture apart from its neighbors.
=== Political culture ===
=== Structure of the Kingdom ===
Structure of the Kingdom of the Netherlands circa 1990:
The kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden;) commonly known as the Netherlands, or Dutch union, is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territories in Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia and with several cities scattered around Asia & Africa and small island territories scattered around the world. While the majority of its land area is in Asia the largest and most densely populated part of the kingdom is in Europe, in the Netherlands proper as it is called.
The three constituent countries of the Kingdom—The Netherlands, Nieuw Batavia, and Ceylon. They participate on a basis of equality as partners in the Kingdom, while the smaller cities and islands operate either as counties within constituent countries of the Kingdom or are special districts, this may vary. Due to the wide diversity of the population, land area economic power, and military power, the kingdom has developed institutions that are a blend of federal confederation methods of governance being a sui generis.
Confederation in the sense that the constituent countries have their parliament and limited powers, federal due to a common foreign policy military police, and economic policy. From a practical perspective within the Kingdom, the Netherlands is the premier source of tax revue, economic power, military force, and governance. This often in practice leaves the Netherlands to decide the common policies of the Kingdom.
Despite this structures are in place such as the Raad der Staaten, which consists of the elected leaders of the three constituent countries and is presided over by the monarch. This body dictates common foreign policy and economic policy, however, due to the balance of power the Dutch side often has a stronger voice. However, all members of the kingdom have an equal say in policy and have a great deal of domestic autonomy with their parliaments and constituents. This is a unique structure that some say is only possible due to modern technologies and a shared history and economic & military dependency upon each other.
The vast majority of the nation’s land area is located in Oceania in Nieuw Batavia while the Netherlands is the economic and population juggernaut of the Kingdom, with Ceylon being second. There are several city enclaves around the world that have special autonomous status and are equal to the constituent countries in most factors. The total population of the Kingdom is roughly around 58 million.
=== Administrative divisions ===
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