What happened to old Zealand?
Old Zealand, also spelled as “Zealand” or “Sealand,” was a historic region in the Netherlands. It is not commonly referred to today because it was largely submerged due to a series of floods and land reclamation projects over the centuries.
The region of Zealand, or Zeeland in Dutch, was originally a collection of islands and peninsulas located in the southwestern part of the Netherlands. Over time, the Dutch people undertook extensive land reclamation efforts to drain and reclaim land from the sea, creating polders (land reclaimed from bodies of water) and dikes to protect against flooding.
As a result of these efforts, much of the original geography of Zealand changed dramatically. The region was transformed from a collection of islands and marshy areas into a more contiguous landmass. Cities like Middelburg and Vlissingen, which were once coastal towns on separate islands, became part of the larger, reclaimed landmass.
Today, Zealand is a province of the Netherlands known for its picturesque landscapes, including polders, dikes, and a network of rivers and canals. It is also a popular tourist destination.
The name “Zealand” is also associated with New Zealand, which was named after the Dutch province by the explorer Abel Tasman in the 17th century when he discovered the land. New Zealand is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and is entirely unrelated to the original Zealand in the Netherlands.
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