Member states of the EU - history

European Union, further expansion.

1951
Six countries sign the Coal and Steel Treaty to run their heavy industries – coal and steel – under a common management. In this way, none can on its own make the weapons of war to turn against the other, as in the past. The six are Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Building on the success of the Coal and Steel Treaty, the six countries expand cooperation to other economic sectors. They sign the Treaty of Rome (1957), creating the European Economic Community (EEC), or ‘ common market ’. The idea is for people, goods and services to move freely across borders.

Member States: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

1973
The six become nine when Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom formally enter the EU.

Member States: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

New Member States: Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

1981
Membership of the EU reaches double figures when Greece joins. 

Member States: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

New Member State: Greece.

1986
Spain and Portugal enter the EU, bringing membership to 12.

Member States: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom and Greece. 

New Member States: Spain and Portugal.

1995
Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU. The 15 members now cover almost the whole of western Europe. In October 1990, Germany was unified and therefore former East Germany became part of the EU.

Member States: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom, Greece, Spain and Portugal.

New Member States: Austria, Finland and Sweden.

2004

Eight countries of central and eastern Europe — the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia — join the EU, finally ending the division of Europe decided by the Great Powers 60 years earlier at Yalta. Cyprus and Malta also become members.

Member States: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland and Sweden.

New Member States: Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Candidate Countries: Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey.

2007

Two more countries from eastern Europe, Bulgaria and Romania, now join the EU, brining the number of member states to 27 countries.

Member States: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.

New Member States: Bulgaria and Romania.

Candidate Countries: Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey.

Marshalling yard - Limmattal in Switzerland

The marshalling yard Limmattal near Zurich (Switzerland) is one of the largest marshalling yards of Europe. It is the most important trainstation in Switzerland.

Limmattal is a major railway hub, with services to and from across Switzerland and neighbouring European countries such as Germany, Italy, Austria and France. Serving up to 3,000 trains per day, Limmattal is one of the busiest railway marshalling yard in the world.

 

Aircraft - means of transportation

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. The Galaxy among the largest military aircraft in the world. It provides the USAF (the United States Air Force) with a heavy intercontinental-range airlift capability.

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy can carry colossal payloads, for example helicopters and tanks.

Lockheed C-130 Hercules meets Lockheed C-5A Galaxy.

Berge Stahl

The MS Berge Stahl is a Norwegian bulk carrier. The Berge Stahl is one of the longest and largest iron ore carrier in the world (only the MS Vale Brasil is bigger).

The next photo shows the MS Vale Brasil (2011). The MS Vale Brasil is the longest ore carrier in the world.

Landslide

A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments. Although the action of gravity is the primary driving force for a landslide to occur, there are other contributing factors affecting the original slope stability.

Infrastructure

The term typically refers to the technical structures that support a society, such as: 

• roads, 

• bridges, 

• water supply, 

• sewers, 

• electrical grids, 

• telecommunications, etc.

It can be generally defined as the set of interconnected structural elements that provide framework supporting an entire structure of development. 

is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function. 

Infrastructure is an important term for judging a country or region's development.

When travelers from abroad come to an another country, they sometimes encounter infrastructure problems. 

Like the world's most dangerous roads in the world in Nepal.

Or the most difficult landing in the world in Bhutan.

How tides are formed

Tides
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels. Roughly every 12 hours, the oceans on each side of the globe rise a little and then fall back. These tides are caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces between the rotation of the Earth and the Moon and the Sun.

Spring Tides 
When the moon is full or new, the gravitational pull of the moon and sun are combined. At these times, the high tides are very high and the low tides are very low. This is known as a spring high tide. Spring tides are especially strong tides. They occur when the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon are in a line. The gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun both contribute to the tides. Spring tides occur during the full moon and the new moon.

Neap Tides 
During the moon's quarter phases the sun and moon work at right angles, causing the bulges to cancel each other. The result is a smaller difference between high and low tides and is known as a neap tide. Neap tides are especially weak tides. They occur when the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun are perpendicular to one another. Neap tides occur during quarter moons.

Tide changes proceed via the following stages:

1	Sea level rises over several hours.	flood tide.
2	The water rises to its highest level.	high tide
3	Sea level falls over several hours.	ebb tide
4	The water stops falling.	low tide