Anthony van Diemen (also Antonie, Antonio, Anton, Antonius; 1593 – 19 April 1645) was a Dutch colonial governor.

[2] Governor Jan Pieterszoon Coen found van Diemen to be a talented official and by 1626 he was Director-General of Commerce and member of the Council for the Indies.

[3] Van Diemen is best remembered for his efforts to foster exploration of the "Great South Land" (Australia), resulting in "the final and most ambitious Dutch voyages of the century".

Believing he had found a large territory, Tasman named it Van Diemen's Land in honour of his patron.

In 1842, the venomous Australian and southern Papuan, elapid Whip Snake genus Demansia was named in honour of van Diemen by J. E. Gray of the British Museum in London.