Kingdom of the Netherlands
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 | This article appears to contradict the article Netherlands (terminology). |
Kingdom of the Netherlands Koninkrijk der Nederlanden | |
|---|---|
| Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe (national and royal anthem) | |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | Amsterdam2 |
| Official languages | Dutch1 |
| Government | Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy |
• Monarch | Beatrix |
Jan Peter Balkenende | |
Nelson O. Oduber | |
Emily de Jongh-Elhage | |
| Establishment | |
• Present Kingdom established | October 4 1830 |
• Statute for the Kingdom (federacy) | October 28 1954 |
| Area | |
• Total | 42,679 km2 (16,478 sq mi) (134th) |
• Water (%) | 18.41 |
| Population | |
• July 2006 estimate | 16,785,088 (58th) |
• Density | 393/km2 (1,017.9/sq mi) (23rd) |
| Currency | Euro3 (Netherlands), Aruban florin (Aruba) and Netherlands Antillean gulden (Netherlands Antilles) (€ EUR, AWG and ANG) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 and -4 (CET and AST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 and -4 (CEST and AST) |
| Calling code | 31 |
| ISO 3166 code | NL |
| Internet TLD | .nl4, .aw, .an |
| |
The Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: ⓘ, Papiamento:Reino Hulandes) is a federacy which consists of three constituent countries: the Netherlands in Western Europe, and the Netherlands Antilles (Dutch: Nederlandse Antillen) and Aruba in the Caribbean. The current Kingdom of the Netherlands was constituted with the proclamation of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on October 28, 1954. The Charter specifies the competences of the Kingdom; apart from these competences the constituent countries are autonomous in their internal affairs.[1]
From 1830 to 1954, the "Kingdom of the Netherlands" referred to the Netherlands and its colonial possessions.
History
Before the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands was proclaimed in 1954, Surinam, and the Colony of Curaçao and Dependencies were mere colonies of the Netherlands.
The origin of the administrative reform of 1954 was the famous December 7 1942 radio speech by Queen Wilhelmina. In this speech the Queen, on behalf of the Dutch government in exile in London, expressed a desire to review the relations between the Netherlands and its colonies after the end of the war. After the liberation, the government would be calling a conference to agree on a settlement in which the overseas territories could participate in the administration of the Kingdom on the basis of equality. Initially, this speech had propaganda purposes; the Dutch government had Indonesia in mind, and was hoping to appease public opinion in the US, sceptical towards colonialism.[2]
In 1950 interim provisions on universal suffrage, administrative bodies and ministerial responsibility were introduced in Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles. During a so-called Round Table Conference negotiations took place about the administrative organisation of the Realm. To all participants, the mutual "unity" of the territories was of utmost importance. With a possible inclusion of Indonesia into a new-style Kingdom in mind, a federal structure was designed initially. Above the institutions of the constituent nations, a Kingdom Government (Rijksregering) and Kingdom Parliament (Rijksparlement) would be placed.
As the population and the economies of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles were rather insignificant next to those of the Netherlands, the Dutch government considered this construction to be too heavy. So, the Dutch cabinet did not approve of this kingdom constitution design when it was proposed in October 1948. In a subsequent design, which dropped the term constitution for Charter, Dutch institutions were taken as a starting point for the Kingdom Government, to which representatives of the overseas territories could be added if necessary.
In the final version of the Charter, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles each got a Minister Plenipotentiary based in the Netherlands, who had the right to participate in Dutch cabinet meetings when it discussed matters that applied to the Kingdom as a whole, making this Dutch institution a Kingdom Government in appropriate cases. Delegacies of the States of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles could participate in sessions of the First and Second Chamber of the States-General. An overseas member could be added to the High Council when appropriate, and the government would seek the approval of the States of the Netherlands Antilles and Suriname if legislation affected those nations. According to the Charter, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles were also allowed to alter their constitutions (Staatsregeling). A term expressly not used in the Statute was the term right of self-determination. The right of any of the three nations to leave the political union unilaterally was not recognised; yet it was stipulated the Statute could be dissolved by mutual consultation.[2]
The Statute is a unique document, which compares with difficulty to other types of government. It has many characteristics of a federal state, the main difference being that its members, on the federal level, are not completely equal. The Netherlands, as one of the constituent nations, actually is responsible for the federal affairs. The interests of the overseas constituent nations in matters that are governed by the Kingdom, are subordinate to those of the Netherlands in practice.[2]
Constitution
The Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands functions as the constitution of the Kingdom, and is as such applicable in every part of the Kingdom. It specifies the competences of the Kingdom and defines its institutions. For some specific parts, the Charter refers to articles of the Constitution of the Netherlands.
Each of the three constituent countries within the Kingdom have their own constitution: the Constitution of the Netherlands (Grondwet van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden), the Constitution of the Netherlands Antilles (Staatsregeling van de Nederlandse Antillen), and the Constitution of Aruba (Staatsregeling van Aruba).
States
- The Netherlands is a decentralized unitary state administered by the Monarch and the council of ministers together. The people are represented by the Staten-generaal, which consists of a chamber of representatives and a chamber of senators. The Netherlands is divided into 12 provinces: Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland and Zuid-Holland. The provinces are divided into municipalities.
- The Netherlands Antilles is a decentralized unitary state, with federal characteristics, with as administration the Monarch (represented by the governor) and the (Antillean) council of ministers together. The people are represented by the Staten of the Netherlands Antilles. The Netherlands Antilles is composed of five insular territories: Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten
- Aruba is a centralised unitary state with as administration the Monarch (represented by the governor) and the (Aruban) council of ministers together. The people are represented by the Staten of Aruba.
Future status
A joint commission has proposed major reforms for the Netherlands Antilles. On November 28, 2005, an agreement was signed between the Dutch government and the governments of each island that would put into effect the commission's findings by 15 December 2008.[3] Under these reforms, Curaçao and Sint Maarten will form a status aparte (therefore becoming two new countries inside the Kingdom of the Netherlands).[4] Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius will become directly part of the Netherlands as a public body (openbaar lichaam),[5] the same thing as special municipalities (bijzondere gemeente).[6] These municipalities will resemble ordinary Dutch municipalities in most ways (they will have a mayor,[6] aldermen and a municipal council for example), and will have to introduce most law of the Netherlands; as Dutch law is introduced, current laws of the Netherlands Antilles will still be in force.[5] There are, however, some derogations for these islands, due to their distance. Social security, for example, will not be on the same level as it is in the Netherlands and the islands are not obliged to introduce the euro.[6]
Additionally, the Kingdom government would consist of the government of the Netherlands and one mandated minister per Caribbean country. The special municipalities would be represented in the Kingdom Government by the Netherlands, as they can vote for the Dutch parliament; however at first, citizens in the special municipalities will be able to vote in elections to the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament.[5] New laws will extend voting rights to the First Chamber.[5] They will also elect MEPs.[6]
For Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius, The Netherlands has proposed that a study be conducted[5] on acquiring the status of Outermost Region (OMR), also called Ultra Peripheral Region (UPR). The study would also look into how the islands would fare under UPR.[5]
European Union
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a member of the European Union. However Antilles and Aruba are not considered part of the EU, but rather have the status of OCTs (overseas countries and territories; in Dutch LGOs, landen en gebiedsdelen overzee). Since citizenship is handled by the kingdom, and not distinguished for the three countries, citizens from all three countries are also EU citizens.
Government
| Part of the Politics series |
![Azure, billetty Or a lion with a coronet Or armed and langued Gules holding in his dexter paw a sword Argent hilted Or and in the sinister paw seven arrows Argent pointed and bound together Or. [The seven arrows stand for the seven provinces of the Union of Utrecht.] The shield is crowned with the (Dutch) royal crown and supported by two lions Or armed and langued gules. They stand on a scroll Azure with the text (Or) "Je Maintiendrai" (French for "I will maintain".)](/wiki/File:State_coat_of_arms_of_the_Netherlands.svg?lang=en) |
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The Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands decides what is considered to be a Kingdom affair and constitutes bodies that execute these affairs.
Affairs
Article 3 of the Charter specifies that "without prejudice to provisions elsewhere in the Charter, Kingdom affairs shall include":[7]
- Maintenance of the independence and the defence of the Kingdom;
- Foreign relations;
- Netherlands nationality;
- Regulation of the orders of chivalry, the flag and the coat of arms of the Kingdom;
- Regulation of the nationality of vessels and the standards required for the safety and navigation of seagoing vessels flying the flag of the Kingdom, with the exception of sailing ships;
- Supervision of the general rules governing the admission and expulsion of Netherlands nationals;
- General conditions for the admission and expulsion of aliens;
- Extradition.
Paragraph 2 of Article 3 specifies that "other matters may be declared to be Kingdom affairs in consultation".[7]
Administration
The King or Queen and the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom (Dutch: Rijksministerraad) together form the administration of the kingdom. The Council of Ministers of the Kingdom consists of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands (Dutch: Ministerraad) completed by one Ministers Plenipotentiary (Dutch: Gevolmachtigd minister) from the Netherlands Antilles and one from Aruba. The Dutch Prime Minister chairs the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom.[1]
Laws applicable to the whole Kingdom are known as Kingdom Laws (Dutch: Rijkswetten). An example of such a law is the Kingdom Law regarding Dutch citizenship (Dutch: Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap).
The Dutch King or Queen is the head of state of the kingdom. Because the Dutch King or Queen resides in the Netherlands, two governors are appointed to represent him or her in both Island governments.
Legislature
The legislature of the kingdom consists of the parliament of the Netherlands and the administration of the kingdom together. Articles 14, 16 and 17 of the Charter give some participation to the parliaments of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.
Geography
The highest point is Mount Scenery (862 m) on the small island of Saba, Netherlands Antilles.
Population, area, and currency
| component | population (July 2006 est.) |
area (km²) |
pop. dens. (per km²) |
currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aruba | 103,891 | 193 | 538 | Aruban Florin |
| Netherlands | 16,491,461 | 41,526 | 397 | euro |
| Netherlands Antilles | 221,736 | 800 | 277 | Netherlands Antilles Gulden |
| total | 16,817,088 | 42,519 | 396 |
Figures per island:
Curaçao (pop. 134,000, 2004 est., 444 km²) Sint Maarten (33,000, 2004 est., 34 km²), Bonaire (10,000, 2004 est., 288 km²), Sint Eustatius (2,500, 2004 est., 21 km² ), Saba (1,400, 2004 est., 13 km²).
References
- ^ a b "Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles: Political relations within the Kingdom of the Netherlands". Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties. Retrieved 2007-10-13.
- ^ a b c Peter Meel, Tussen autonomie en onafhankelijkheid. Nederlands-Surinaamse betrekkingen 1954-1961 (Leiden: KITLV 1999)
- ^ Staff reporter (2007-02-13). "Agreement on division of Netherlands Antilles" (HTML). Government.nl. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (2005-11-28). "Official start of constitutional reform for Netherlands Antilles". Retrieved 2006-10-21.
- ^ a b c d e f The Daily Herald (2006-10-12). "St. Eustatius, Saba, Bonaire and The Hague Reach Historic Agreement". Retrieved 2006-10-21. Cite error: The named reference "carib" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c d Radio Netherlands (2006-10-12). "Caribbean islands become Dutch municipalities". Retrieved 2006-10-21.
- ^ a b Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands
