Verwantschapslanden

Former colonial possessions of the Dutch Empire

Verwantschapslanden (Dutch pronunciation: [vɛrˈʋɑntsxɑpsˌlɑndə(n)]; English: Kindred Countries) is an umbrella term used by some cultural institutions to refer to countries that were once, either fully or partly, Dutch colonial possessions. Besides the Netherlands itself, the countries that are usually included are: Aruba, Curaçao, Indonesia, Sint Maarten, South Africa, and Suriname. Additionally, under some definitions, this list can also be expanded to include Brazil, Ghana, Guyana, Malaysia, Mauritius, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Sri Lanka, and the United States.

See also

• Commonwealth of Nations
• Community of Portuguese Language Countries
• Dutch Empire
• Organisation internationale de la Francophonie