Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A former Dutch colony in Southeast Asia: "Dutch East Indies" refers to the territories in the Indonesian archipelago that were under Dutch colonial rule from the early 17th century until the mid-20th century.
   • The historical name for modern Indonesia: It is the name for the region that became the independent Republic of Indonesia after 1945.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Dutch East Indies was a major producer of spices and rubber. (The former Dutch colony was a significant source of these commodities.)
  • Many historical records from the Dutch East Indies are preserved in archives. (Documents from that colonial period are kept for study.)

Advanced Usage

• Historical and academic context: The term is primarily used in historical, political, and economic discussions about colonialism and Southeast Asia.
  • The economic policies of the Dutch East Indies had long-lasting effects. (The financial rules from that colonial era impacted the region for a long time.)

Variants and Related Words

• Netherlands East Indies: A synonymous historical name.
• Dutch East India Company (VOC): The trading company that established early Dutch control in the region.
• Indonesia: The modern sovereign nation that succeeded the Dutch East Indies.

Synonyms

• Netherlands East Indies: The full formal name.
• The Indies: A broader, less specific historical term for the region.

Related Phrases

• "Former Dutch East Indies": Used to specify the historical entity as opposed to modern Indonesia.
  • Archaeologists studied sites in the former Dutch East Indies. (They examined locations in what was once that colony.)

Noun

1. a republic in southeastern Asia on an archipelago including more than 13,000 islands; achieved independence from the Netherlands in 1945; the principal oil producer in the Far East and Pacific regions