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For a tiny country, Dutch exploration and influence is kind of incredible.
I mean, the Dutch founded what grew into arguably the richest/most important city on earth (NYC), their African Cape colony grew into the wealthiest place in Africa (S. Africa), their Java colony grew into a nation of a quarter-billion people and a rising economic power (Indonesia).
Dutch East India Company was amazing. What a legacy for this mercantile empire.
What really amazes me is that the Dutch discovered Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Wallis and Futuna, Sakhalin, Kuril Islands, Easter Island and the Falkland Islands.
All those places are on the other side of the world. They were also the first Westerners in Korea.
For a tiny country, Dutch exploration and influence is kind of incredible.
I mean, the Dutch founded what grew into arguably the richest/most important city on earth (NYC), their African Cape colony grew into the wealthiest place in Africa (S. Africa), their Java colony grew into a nation of a quarter-billion people and a rising economic power (Indonesia).
Dutch East India Company was amazing. What a legacy for this mercantile empire.
It makes you wonder why the Dutch couldn't hold on to their success and eventually had to have the British and others take over almost everything.
It makes you wonder why the Dutch couldn't hold on to their success and eventually had to have the British and others take over almost everything.
Maybe the Netherlands didn't have the scale to compete long-term? Don't know. I frankly don't have strong knowledge of that period of European history.
It would just seem difficult for a small country like Netherlands to compete longer-term with countries like France, UK, Germany, places with vastly greater population, size and natural resources. Even if Netherlands was the richest place on earth for a decent timeframe, just too small?
100s: Roman Empire, Han Empire in Asia
200s: Roman Empire
300s: Roman Empire
400s: Gupta Empire possibly, they controlled most of India
500s: Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)
600s: not sure, maybe the Byzantine Empire
700s: Tang Dynasty
800s: Tang Dynasty
900s: Byzantine Empire
1000s: Song Dynasty
1100s: not sure, none seemed like global powers
1200s: Mongol Empire
1300s: not sure, Black Death in Europe and the Mongols pushed out of China
1400s: Spain, Ming Dynasty peak
1500s: Spain, probably the start of real global powers
1600s: France
1700s: Great Britain
1800s: Great Britain
1900s: USA
2000s: USA, so far
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