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{{Infobox country|conventional_long_name=Republic of Tauland|native_name=<small> ''Republiek van Taulandt''|capital=[[New Hague]]|largest_city=[[Zeelandia]]|official_languages=[[Dutch language|Dutch]]|languages_type=Lingua franca|languages=[[Tauaans]]|image_map=Taulandt Physical Map.png|image_flag=Flag_of_Taulandt.jpeg|map_width=300px|flag_width=200px|common_languages=Chinese varieties <br> Loetsjaans [[Corean language|Corean]] <br> Various others|ethnic_groups={{unbulleted list
| {{nowrap|65% Taulanders}}
| 21% Chinese
| 4% Ljoetsjoeans
| 10% others
}}|demonym=Taulander|established_event1=Establishment of the Dutch Formosa Colony|established_date1=1624|established_event2=Elevation to Dominion|established_date2=1816|established_event3=Independence from the Netherlands|established_date3=1891}}
'''
In the early 17th century, Dutch attempts to colonize the island of Formosa were successful, creating a rapidly-expanding colony that would last for almost two centuries. In 1816, the Formosa Colony became the Dominion of Tauland following the tumultuous [[Augustine Wars|Augustine period]]. Eventually, in 1891, Tauland gained complete sovereignty from the Netherlands, becoming the first Asiatic ex-colony to achieve independence.
== Terminology ==
The name Tauland, emerging in 1739, comes from the now-extinct indigenous Formosan language Siraja. ''Ta'u'', as recorded in the 17th century, means 'human' or 'man'. This was then added to the Dutch suffix ''-land'' to create the name Tauland, literally meaning 'place of the humans'. In Chinese characters, the ''Tau-'' is often rendered with the character 桃 ('peach blossom'). Thus, the name of the country has often been mistakenly said to mean the 'land of the peach blossoms'. Another common misconception, particularly among Europeans, is that ''Tau-'' comes from the Cross of Tau, a Christian symbol resembling the Greek letter 𝜏 (Greek: ταυ, ''tau'').
Older names still used include ''Taywan'' (臺灣), which was recorded as the Chinese name for the island since at least 1635. ''Formosa'', literally 'beautiful' in Latin and first applied by Portuguese and Spanish sailors, is still used to refer to the island in certain languages and in poetic or literary contexts.
== Geography ==
The main island, known variously as Formosa, Taywan, or Tauland proper, makes up approximately 96% of the Republic's land area, measuring around 3.58 million hectares. Smaller islands include the Pescadores in the west, the Loetsjoe archipelago of the northeast, and the southernmost territory of the Paracel Islands.
The country mostly lays on and near the Tropic of Cancer, giving it a largely marine, humid subtropical climate with small tropical pockets in the very south. The highest parts of the country, along the Tauland Range (Dutch: ''Taulandt Bergen''; Chinese: 大山, ''Tàa Sāan'', lit. 'Big Mountains'), the primary mountain range of the country, have a colder polar climate. Running across the entire body of Tauland proper, the Range's most recognizable features include Mount Jade as well as its diverse flora & fauna.
== History ==
{{Main|History of Tauland}}
== Government and Politics ==
{{Infobox government|government_name=Government of Tauland|nativename=<small>''Regering van Tauland''|government_form=Constitutional republic|date=1891|legislature=States-General|leader_title=Raadspensionaris|headquarters=[[New Hague]]}}
Tauland is a unitary, parliamentary constitutional republic. Its government evolved from the 17th century colonial administration of the Dutch East India Company, morphing into a semi-independent constitutional monarchy under the Netherlands in the 19th century. In 1891, Tauland achieved its final governmental form as a sovereign parliamentarian democracy modeled on the revolutionary [[Amerikaener|Amerikaener republics]].
'''Executive'''
Tauland's head of state and government is called the Raadspensionaris, elected by popular vote. Unlike many other heads of governments in the “Staten generaal system” the Readpensionaris of Tauland has quite a bit of executive power. He dictates, together with the council of foreign affairs the foreign affairs of Tauland, as well as being the commander in chief of the Tauland Defense Force.
'''Legislature'''
The country has a bicameral legislature known as the States-General (Dutch: Staten der Tauland). It consists of a lower house called the House of Citizens (Huis van de Burghers), which is directly elected by the popular vote. The upper house, the House of Lords (Huis der Heeren), has its members appointed by provincial estates.
==== Administrative divisions ====
Tauland is divided into nine first-level administrative divisions.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Name
! colspan="2" |Cities
! rowspan="2" |Creation
! rowspan="2" |Type
! rowspan="2" |Map
|-
!Capital
!Largest
|-
|Haagland
|HL
| colspan="2" |New Hague
|
| rowspan="7" |Province
| rowspan="9" |
|-
|Heuveland
|HV
|Heuvelstad
|Hollandia
|
|-
|Schuylerland
|SY
|Schuylerstad
|Oosthaven
|
|-
|Tusschenland
|TC
|Toekoe
|Tenghoe
|
|-
|New Zeeland
|NZ
| colspan="2" |Zeelandia
|
|-
|Oostvanberg
|OB
|Zuiderzee
|Lonckjouw
|
|-
|Bergen
|BR
| colspan="2" |New Arnhem
|
|-
|Loetsjoe
|LT
| colspan="2" |Nafa
|
|Overseas region
|-
|Pracel
|PC
| colspan="2" |Rotzele
|
|Overseas territory
|}
==== Governmental institutions ====
===== Tauland Defense Force =====
The Tauland Defence force (TDF) is the military organization responsible for the defence of the Republic of Tauland and its national interests. It consists of the Tauland air force, Taulandse vloot and de Landmacht. It has an active strength of 120,000 with a suspected reserve consisting of 800,000 and is supported by the department of defence and several other civilian agencies.
During Tauland her first decades of independence it realized quickly that it needed a combined and integrated armed service. This led to the creation of the joint board in 1904 which was dominated by the Navy, due to Tauland her reliance on foreign trade. Over time with the introduction of the air force, and the advent of new technologies the navy her dominance became less. It was only n 1939 that the joint staff was created, creating an equal integrated command structure.
The TDF is technologically sophisticated but relatively small, compared to its neighbours. Although the 120,000 full-time active-duty personnel look impressive. Compared to its neighbours Tauland her military is small, to offset this it focuses on quality. This has created a situation where even the conscripts are better trained than most full-time soldiers in the region. The TDF is supported by a significant budget by worldwide standards and can deploy forces around the regions and support independent operations.
== Culture ==
{{Main|Culture of Tauland}}Tauland's society is primarily built upon the Hokkien, Dutch, Loetsjaan, and Formosan cultures with influences from surrounding peoples such as the Hakka, Cantonese, and Giangnam peoples of China, the Ilocano and Tagalog of the Philippines, as well as the Coreans and the Japanese. Due to its diversity and unique status as a Eurasian creole culture, it is locally referred to as the ''Tong-Si kultuur'' (東西文, 'East–West culture').
==== Ethnicity and race ====
Like [[New Batavia]] and [[Macau]], Taulanders are perceived by its own citizens and by foreigners as a Eurasian population. Around two-thirds of Taulanders are of mixed ancestry, primarily Germanic, Chinese, and Formosan, with lesser admixture from Corea, Japan, and surrounding nations. One of their defining features is their multilingualism and their historic affiliation with Protestantism, particularly the Reformed Church. The remaining one-third of Tauland's residents consist of mainly Chinese, Formosan, Corean, Loetsjaan, Viet, and Indonesian peoples.
====
Two distinct languages dominate the Republic of Tauland — Dutch and [[Tauaans]]. The official form of Dutch used in Tauland is considered akin to the language spoken in the Netherlands, with only a handful of features unique to the island. It is the primary language of government, education, law, diplomacy, and the media. On the other hand, Tauaans, a Sino–Dutch creole, is the lingua franca of Tauland and is spoken by the vast majority of the population. As a creole, Tauaans has a number of sociolects and registers which may vary based on the speaker's background and social circumstance.
==See also==
{{Nations of the World }}
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