Tauland

Taulandt
Republiek van Taulandt
Taulandt


Location of Taulandt
Motto	Simul ad future
Established	1624
Capital	New Hague
Largest City	New Hague (metropolis) Zeelandia (urban)
Government Type	Republic
Area	≈41,000 km
Languages	Tauland Dutch Tauaans Banlam Others
Currency	Taulandse daalder (TLD)

Tauland (Dutch: Taulandt, Chinese: 桃國), officially the Republic of Tauland and formerly Formosa, is a country in East Asia. Neighboring countries include China to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south. New Hague is the capital and has the largest metropolitan area in the country. Other major cities include Zeelandia, Hollandia, Hoodstadt, Schuylerstadt, and Kustadt.

Austronesians settled the island of Formosa around 6,000 years ago. Tauland was first mentioned by Chinese scholars during the Three Kingdoms era. Chinese people began settling in Tauland in the 16th century. In the 17th century, the Dutch colonized the island. Three hundred years later, the islands gained independence as the sovereign nation of Tauland.

Etymology

The name Tauland consists of two parts: tau (Siraja: tayw) and land (Dutch: landt). It was formerly called Dutch Formosa during its early colonial years, coming from the Portuguese name for the island - Ilha Formosa, or 'beautiful island'. It is unknown when the name was first used to refer to the island. The earliest mention the name Tauland was in 1739, when it was mentioned colloquially in a colonial document. However, it was not until the 19th century that 'Tauland' become a common name for the nation. The name was officially adopted in the Treaty of Batavia in 1891. Several renderings of the name Tauland exist in Banlam (thokok), Corean (도란, toran), Japanese (Tōgoku), and other languages.

Dating from at least 1635, the Chinese name Tayowan (臺灣) is used colloquially by Chinese speakers. The nation may also be referred to poetically as Ljoetsjoe (琉求), though in modern times the name almost exclusively refers to the Ljoetsjoe Archipelago within Tauland.

Geography

The main island, known historically as Formosa or Tayowan, makes up 96% of the area controlled by Tauland, measuring 35,808 square kilometers and lying some 180 kilometers across the Tauland Strait from the southeastern coast of mainland China. Smaller islands include the Pescadores, the Ljoetsjoe Archipelago, and the territory of the Paracel Islands.

The main island is a tilted fault block, characterized by the contrast between the eastern two-thirds, consisting mostly of five rugged mountain ranges parallel to the east coast, and the flat to gently rolling plains of the western third, where the majority of Tauland's population reside.

The eastern mountains, known simply as the Tauland Bergen, are heavily forested and home to a diverse range of wildlife. There are several peaks over 3,500 m, the highest being Mount Jade at 3,952 m. The tectonic boundary that formed these ranges is still active, and the island experiences many earthquakes, a few of them highly destructive. There are also many active submarine volcanoes in the Tauland Strait.

Climate

Tauland lies on the Tropic of Cancer, and its general climate is marine tropical. The northern and central regions are subtropical, whereas the south is tropical and the mountainous regions are temperate. The average rainfall is 100 inches per year for the island proper; the rainy season is concurrent with the onset of the summer monsoon in May and June. The entire island experiences hot, humid weather from June through September. Typhoons are most common in July, August and September. During the winter, the northeast experiences steady rain, while the central and southern parts of the island have sunshine.

History

Government and Politics

Tauland is a constitutional republic, a decentralised unitary state with elements from a parliamentary representative democracy. Tauland's current system of government has been described as the evolution of the colonial Staten-Generaal with a strong centralized government.

Legislature

The country has a bicameral legislature known as the Staten der Formosa or the Staten der Tauland;

The lower house known as the House of Citizens (Huis van de Burghers) which is directly elected per popular vote,
and the House of Lords (Huis der Heeren) which are appointed by provincial estates.

Executive

Tauland's executive branch is called the Raadspensionaris, which is elected by popular vote.

Administrative divisions

Tauland is divided into 9 administrative regions including one overseas region and one overseas territory: Haagland, Heuveland, Schuylerland, Tusschenland, Nieuw Zeeland, Oosvanberg, Bergen, the Loetsjoe Islands, and the territory of the Paracels.

Economy

Demographics

Ethnicity and race

Tauland is a multiethnic society.

Taulanders

Miscegenation (Inter marriage) is commonplace and has resulted in the formation of an ethnic group known simply as the Taulanders, who make up around two-thirds of the total national population. Most have Han Chinese, Dutch, and Aboriginal ancestries. Taulanders are usually trilingual in Dutch, Tauaans, and a third non-Germanic language. They are mainly Protestant Christians but also practice Buddhism and Daoism.

Chinese

Chinese Taulanders are descendants of immigrants from mainland China from the 16th century to the 19th century. Most are from the Banlam region and the Leunggwong region and thus speak Banlam or Cantonese along with the two official languages. Most have syncretic practices combining Buddhism, Christianity, and Chinese salvationist religions. They make up one-fifth of the population.

Aboriginals

Taulander aboriginals make up around 2.5-5% of the country and are descendants of Malayo-Polynesians. They often speak a Formosan language such as Tayal, Paywan, or Pangtsja. Since the 18th century, aboriginals have been staunchly Christian, specifically adhering to the Calvinist tradition. Animism is also common amongst rural aboriginal communities. A few aboriginals have Ljoetsjoean ancestry from 19th century intermarriages.

Coreans

Coreans have been living in Tauland since the 17th century, specifically since the Battle of Chiangtung Bridge in 1652 when several soldiers settled around Hollandia. As a separate community they make up around 3%, while 10% of Taulanders have some kind of Corean ancestry. Corean spoken on Tauland is heavily influenced by the Tsjalla dialect and the Chinese languages. Most Taulander Coreans practice Catholicism or Protestantism, while a fraction are Buddhist.

Ljoetsjoeans

Ljoetsjoeans make up 4-5% of the country and mostly live in the Ljoetsjoean Archipelago. They usually speak one of the Ljoetsjoean dialects and Tauaans. Buddhism is the majority religion and is syncretised with indigenous shamanism.

Maynillamannen

A small minority from the Philippines exists along the southern shore and in urban areas, most of them descendants of late-19th century emigrants due to the Philippine Revolution. Maynillamen - as they are called - speak Tauaans and Dutch usually along with Spanish, Ilocano, Tagalog, or Pangasinan. Roman Catholicism is their dominant religion while a few adhere to the Protestant churches.

Culture

Language

Dutch dialects

Tauland Standard Dutch (TSD) is a dialect of European Dutch that possesses a unique vocabulary and a distinct phonology. There is no significant grammatical difference between Tauland Standard Dutch and European Dutch. It is the language of education and government.

Tauland Colloquial Dutch (TCD), or Tauaans, is the indigenous creole of Tauland and is used as a lingua franca.