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Kingdom of the Netherlands
Kingdom of the Netherlands [Koninkrijk der Nederlanden] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) | |
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 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Motto: Je maintiendrai Ik zal handhaven (in French and Dutch: "I will maintain") | |
| Anthem: Het Wilhelmus (Dutch: "The William") File:United States Navy Band - Het Wilhelmus.ogg | |
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| Capital | Amsterdam  (population 743 068)52°22′N 4°53′E / 52.367°N 4.883°E |
| Largest city | Amsterdam |
| Official languages | Dutch |
| Demonym | Dutch |
| Member state of | the European Union |
| Government | Democratic parliamentary constitutional monarchy with federal elements |
• King | Willem-Alexander |
| Mark Rutte | |
• Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba | Edwin Abath |
• Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao | Marvelyne Wiels |
• Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten | Josianne Fleming-Artsen |
| Independence from the Spanish Empire | |
• Declared | July 26, 1581 |
• Recognized | January 30, 1648 |
• Kingdom | October 8, 1954 |
| Area | |
• Total | 42,679 km2 (16,478 sq mi) (135) |
• Water (%) | 20 |
• Borders | 1027 km |
• Coastline | 883.5 km |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 17 100 715 (59) |
• Density | 391/km2 (1,012.7/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2005 estimate |
• Total | US$ 504 818 000 000 (24) |
• Per capita | US$ 27 377 |
| Currency | Euro[nota 1] (€, EUR)Antillean guilder (NAƒ, ANG)Aruban florin (ƒ, AWG)U.S. dollar ($, USD) |
| Time zone | In the Netherlands: CET (UTC +1) In the Caribbean territories: UTC -4 |
• Summer (DST) | In the Netherlands: CEST (UTC +2) In the Caribbean territories: Not applicable |
| Calling code | 31, +599, +297 |
| ISO 3166 code | [[ISO 3166-2:530 / ANT / AN 533 / ABW / AW 528 / NLD / NL|530 / ANT / AN 533 / ABW / AW 528 / NLD / NL]] |
| Internet TLD | .nl, .sx, .an and .aw[nota 2] |
The Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden, <phonos file="Nl-Koninkrijk der Nederlanden2.ogg">[ˈkoːnɪŋkrɛiɡ dɛr ˈneːdərlɑndə(n)]</phonos>; in Papiamento: Reino Hulandes), commonly called the Netherlands,[nota 3] is a transcontinental sovereign state whose form of government is constitutional monarchy.
The four parts of the Kingdom (Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands) are constituent countries (landen in Dutch). In practice, however, most affairs of state are administered by the Netherlands, which accounts for 98 % of the area and population of the kingdom. The countries of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten are dependent on the Netherlands in matters such as foreign affairs and defense, although they are autonomous to a certain degree, with their own parliaments.
The great majority of the territory of the Netherlands, as a constituent country of the Kingdom, is located in Europe, with the exception of the Caribbean Netherlands: three special municipalities (Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius) are located in the Caribbean. Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten are also in the Caribbean.
History
Before 1954, Suriname, Curaçao and the other dependencies were simple colonies of the Netherlands. From that year, relations between the Netherlands, Suriname and Curaçao (until 2010 the Netherlands Antilles) were very tense. Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles obtained the status of country, which gave them a certain autonomy in their internal affairs with respect to the metropolis. Thus, thanks to the new statute, the Netherlands handed over part of its sovereignty to the Kingdom of the Netherlands (in matters of foreign affairs and citizenship).
In 1975, Suriname became an independent republic, separating completely from the Kingdom. In 1986, Aruba, until then part of the Netherlands Antilles, succeeded in becoming a new autonomous State (separate from the Antilles), although it remained part of the Kingdom.
In October 2010 the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved and Curaçao and Sint Maarten attained autonomy that year. This is how we arrive at the present structure of the Kingdom: four entities under a single crown.
Independence of Belgium and Luxembourg
In 1830 Belgium separated from the Kingdom, a step that was recognized by the Netherlands only in 1839 in the Treaty of London. At that moment Luxembourg became a fully independent country in a personal union with the Netherlands. Luxembourg also lost more than half of its territory to Belgium. To compensate the German Confederation for that loss, the rest of the Dutch province of Limburg received the same status that Luxembourg had enjoyed before, as a Dutch province that at the same time formed a duchy of the German Confederation. That state was reversed when the German Confederation ceased to exist in 1867 (replaced briefly by the North German Confederation led by Prussia until the proclamation of a unified German Empire in 1871), with Limburg returning to its status as an ordinary Dutch province.
Decolonization
The administrative reform of 1954 was prompted by the Statute of Westminster of 1931 and the Atlantic Charter of 1941 (which establishes "the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they will live and the desire for a permanent system of general security"), signed by the Netherlands on January 1, 1942. Queen Wilhelmina proposed changes in a radio speech of December 7, 1942. In it the Queen, on behalf of the Dutch Government in exile in London, expressed her desire to revise the relations between the Netherlands and its colonies after the end of the war. After the liberation, the Government would convene a conference to agree on an arrangement in which the overseas territories could participate in the administration of the Kingdom on the basis of equality. At first this speech had propaganda purposes; the Dutch Government had in mind the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and hoped to appease public opinion in the United States, which had become skeptical toward colonialism. With the independence of Indonesia, a federal constitution was considered too cumbersome, since the economies of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles were insignificant compared with that of the Netherlands. Through the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, promulgated in 1954, a composite State was created (also known as the "tripartite Kingdom of the Netherlands"), consisting of the continental Netherlands, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles. Under the provisions of the Charter, both former colonies were granted internal autonomy. Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles each obtained a minister plenipotentiary based in the Netherlands, who had the right to participate in the meetings of the Dutch cabinet where matters of the Kingdom as a whole were discussed when they pertained directly to Suriname or the Netherlands Antilles. The delegates of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles could participate in the sessions of the First and Second Chambers of the States General. A foreign member could be added to the Council of State when appropriate. Under the Charter, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles could alter their Fundamental Law (Staatsregeling). The right of the two autonomous countries to leave the Kingdom unilaterally was not recognized; however, it stipulated that the Charter could be dissolved through mutual consultation. Before the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands was proclaimed in 1954, Suriname, Netherlands New Guinea and the Netherlands Antilles (formerly the "Colony of Curaçao and Subordinate Islands") were colonies of the Netherlands.
Suriname was a constituent country within the Kingdom from 1954 to 1975, while the Netherlands Antilles were a constituent country from 1954 to 2010. Since then Suriname has become an independent republic, and the Netherlands Antilles were divided into six. Three are constituent countries: Aruba (since 1986), Curaçao and Sint Maarten (since 2010); and three are special municipalities of the Netherlands proper: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Netherlands New Guinea was a dependent territory of the Kingdom until 1962, but it was not an autonomous country and was not mentioned in the Charter.[1]
In 1969 an unorganized attack on the Antillean island of Curaçao provoked serious riots and looting, during which part of the historic center of the city of Willemstad was destroyed by fire. Order was restored by Dutch marines. In the same year Suriname saw serious political instability, with the Surinamese prime minister, Jopie Pengel, threatening to request military support to break a teachers' strike.
In 1973 a new Dutch cabinet under the Labour leader Joop den Uyl took power. In the Government's policy statement, the cabinet declared the wish to set a date for the independence of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles with their respective Governments. The Antillean Executive did not commit itself, nor did the Sedina cabinet of Suriname (1969-1973). The Surinamese elections of 1973 brought to power the National Party Combination (Nationale Partij Kombinatie), with Henck Arron as prime minister. The new Government declared that Suriname would be independent before 1976. This was notable, since independence had not been an issue during the election campaign. The Den Uyl Government in The Hague now had a willing partner in Paramaribo to carry out its plans for the independence of Suriname. Despite the vehemence and resistance of the Surinamese opposition, Den Uyl and Arron reached an agreement and, on November 25, 1975, Suriname became independent.[2][3]
In January 1986 Aruba separated from the Netherlands Antilles and became a constituent country of the Kingdom in its own right. In October 2010 the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved, and Curaçao and Sint Maarten became the newest constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Government
The Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands decides what is considered a matter of the kingdom and which body must deal with that matter.
Affairs
The affairs of the kingdom include:
Administration
The King or Queen, together with the council of ministers (Rijksministerraad), holds the administration of the kingdom. The council of ministers is made up of the council of ministers of the Netherlands and two ministers representing the Caribbean islands.
The laws applicable within the kingdom are known as Kingdom Laws (Rijkswetten). A clear example of a kingdom law is that of Dutch citizenship.
The King or Queen is the head of State of the kingdom. As he resides in the Netherlands, two governors are appointed as representatives of the royal house before the island governments.
Constitution
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is applicable in any part of the kingdom.
Each of the four member countries has its own constitution, so there are four constitutions: the Constitution of the Netherlands (Grondwet van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden), the Constitution of Curaçao (Staatsregeling van Curaçao), the Constitution of Sint Maarten (Staatsregeling van Sint Maarten) and the Constitution of Aruba (Staatsregeling van Aruba). Each of the four territories also has its own administration, its own parliament and its own citizenship, and together they form a sui generis arrangement that has the characteristics of a federal State, a confederation, a federation and a union with a Monarch as head of state, represented separately by governors. The institutions of the Kingdom are for the most part in the Netherlands, with a representation (the Governor of Aruba, the Governor of Curaçao, the Governor of Sint Maarten and a representative of the Dutch State) in the overseas territories.
Countries
- The Netherlands is a decentralized unitary State administered by a Monarch and a council of ministers. The people are represented in the Staten-Generaal, which consists of a House of Representatives and a senate. The Netherlands is divided into twelve provinces: Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe, Overijssel, Gelderland, Utrecht, Flevoland, North Holland, South Holland, Zeeland, North Brabant and Limburg, and since October 10, 2010 it includes the special municipalities of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius.[4][5][6]
- Aruba has been a centralized unitary State since 1986 with its own government (represented by the Prime Minister of Aruba)[4][5][6] and council of ministers. The monarch of the Netherlands is represented by the Governor of Aruba. The people are represented in the Parliament of Aruba. Aruba has no administrative divisions.
- Curaçao has been a centralized unitary State since 2010 with its own government (represented by the Prime Minister of Curaçao)[4][5][6] and council of ministers. The monarch of the Netherlands is represented by the Governor of Curaçao. The people are represented in the Parliament of Curaçao. Curaçao has no administrative divisions.
- Sint Maarten has been a centralized unitary State since 2010 with its own government (represented by the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten)[4][5][6] and council of ministers. The monarch of the Netherlands is represented by the Governor of Sint Maarten. The people are represented in the Parliament of Sint Maarten. Sint Maarten has no administrative divisions.
| Country | No. of inhabitants | Area | Density | Currency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Netherlands | 16 770 000 (January 2014) | 41 526 km² | 393 inhab./km² | Euro (EUR) and U.S. dollar (USD)[7] |
|
Curaçao | 141 766 (2009) | 444 km² | 319 inhab./km² | Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) |
|
Aruba | 103 065 (2010) | 193 km² | 534 inhab./km² | Aruban florin (AWG) |
|
Sint Maarten | 40 917 (2010) | 34 km² | 1 203 inhab./km² | Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) |
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Euler diagram of the kingdom
European Union
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is one of the members of the European Union. The territories of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten have a special status as overseas territories of the EU (Outermost Region of the European Union). As citizenship is granted by the kingdom, the citizens of the three territories are EU citizens.
Notes
- ↑ Formerly the Dutch guilder (ƒ,
NLG). - ↑ Also
.eu. - ↑ Not to be confused with the Netherlands, a constituent country of the Kingdom.
References
- ↑ Peter Meel, Tussen autonomie en onafhankelijkheid. Nederlands-Surinaamse betrekkingen 1954–1961 (Between autonomy and independence. Dutch-Surinamese relations 1954–1961; Leiden: KITLV 1999).
- ↑ Gert Oostindie, De parels en de kroon. Het koningshuis en de koloniën (The pearls and the crown. The royal house and the colonies; Amsterdam: De Bezige Bij , 2006).
- ↑ Gert Oostindie and Inge Klinkers, Knellende Koninkrijksbanden. Het Nederlandse dekolonisatiebeleid en Caraïben, 1940–2000 , II, 1954–1975 (Tight bonds of the Kingdom. Dutch decolonization policy in the Caribbean; Amsterdam: University Press 2001).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Netherlands Antilles no more". Retrieved October 10, 2010.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Dutch Caribbean islands get new status Dutchnews". Archived from the original on October 12, 2010. Retrieved October 10, 2010.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "El final de las Antillas Holandesas Radio Nederland" (in español). Archived from the original on October 16, 2010. Retrieved October 10, 2010.
- ↑ "Introducción del dólar estadounidense en los municipios especiales".
