Excelsior (Latin) ("Ever Upward") | |||||
| Anthem | "Het Strijdlied van de Republiek / Battle Hymn of the Republic" | ||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
New York | ||||
| Other cities | Nimeguen, Wiltwyk, Beverwyk | ||||
| Language | Dutch, English | ||||
| Religion | Protestantism | ||||
| Demonym | New Netherlander | ||||
| Government | Unitary Presidential Republic | ||||
| Established | 13 June 1862 | ||||
| Independence | from United States | ||||
| Currency | New Netherlands dollar | ||||
The Republic of the New Netherlands (Dutch: Republiek den Nieuw-Nederland), informally called the New Netherlands (Dutch: Niew-Nederland), is a sovereign nation in North America: it borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Philadelphia and Pennsylvania to the south, Quebec to the north, and New England to the northeast. Apart from its mainland portion, it also includes Long Island and a few minor islands.
The territory which forms the New Netherlands was historically the centre of Dutch colonization in the New World, before being annexed by Great Britain and later becoming a part of the United States. However, the Dutch language remained widely spoken by much of the population. During the last stages of the American Civil War, the former states which today are part of the New Netherlands (New York and New Jersey) chose to secede from the Union, thus creating the New Republic.
The New Netherlands' geography is generally characterized by hills and numerous lakes and rivers in the north, while the southern area is mostly flat. Today, the New Netherlands are officially bilingual, but in some areas (especially around the capital, New York) Dutch is prevalent, while in the northern areas and in the countryside English is more commonly spoken. The country has a highly developed and diversified economy, with industry, agriculture and naval trade being the most important sectors of the economy.