<P> Between 1590 and 1712 the Dutch also possessed one of the strongest and fastest navies in the world, allowing for their varied conquests, including breaking the Portuguese sphere of influence on the Indian Ocean and in the Orient, as well as a lucrative slave trade from Africa and the Pacific . </P> <P> The republic was a confederation of seven provinces, which had their own governments and were very independent, and a number of so - called Generality Lands . The latter were governed directly by the States General (Staten - Generaal in Dutch), the federal government . The States General were seated in The Hague and consisted of representatives of each of the seven provinces . The provinces of the republic were, in official feudal order: </P> <Ol> <Li> The Duchy of Guelders (Gelderland in Dutch) </Li> <Li> The County of Holland </Li> <Li> The County of Zeeland </Li> <Li> The Lordship of Utrecht (formerly the Episcopal principality of Utrecht) </Li> <Li> The Lordship of Overijssel </Li> <Li> The Lordship of Frisia </Li> <Li> The Lordship of Groningen and Ommelanden . </Li> </Ol> <Li> The Duchy of Guelders (Gelderland in Dutch) </Li>

The seven provinces that became the united provinces