União Europeia: as várias camadas do bloco europeu - Visual Capitalist

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European Union

The European Union (EU) is a unique economic and political union between 27 European countries.

First created as the European Economic Community in the aftermath of WW2, the organization’s main focus was to foster economic cooperation. The idea was simple: countries that trade with one another and become economically interdependent are more likely to avoid conflict.

Beginning with six countries in 1958, the European Economic Community has since added 21 more countries (the UK left the EU in 2020), with a primary focus on single or internal markets.

Here are the countries that comprise the European Union:

Here are the countries that comprise the European Union:

Number	Countries	Year of Accession
1	Austria	1995
2	Belgium	Founder
3	Bulgaria	2007
4	Croatia	2013
5	Cyprus	2004
6	Czech Republic	2004
7	Denmark	1973
8	Estonia	2004
9	Finland	1995
10	France	Founder

11	Germany	Founder
12	Greece	1985
13	Hungary	2004
14	Ireland	1973
15	Italy	Founder
16	Latvia	2004
17	Lithuania	2004
18	Luxembourg	Founder
19	Malta	2004
20	Netherlands	Founder

21	Poland	2004
22	Portugal	1986
23	Romania	2007
24	Slovakia	2004
25	Slovenia	2004
26	Spain	1986
27	Sweden	1995

 As of 2021, NATO officially recognizes three aspiring NATO members: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine. Ukraine has voiced its desire to join NATO since 2014 but hasn’t met its political and military criteria.

Eurozone

The eurozone is a geographic and economic region that consists of countries that have adopted the euro as their national currency. Approximately 340 million people live in the euro area.

Today, the eurozone consists of 19 countries of the European Union. Here they are:

1	Austria	1999
2	Belgium	1999
3	Cyprus	2008
4	Estonia	2011
5	Finland	1999
6	France	1999
7	Germany	1999
8	Greece	2001
9	Ireland	1999
10	Italy	1999

11	Latvia	2014
12	Lithuania	2015
13	Luxembourg	1999
14	Malta	2008
15	Netherlands	1999
16	Portugal	1999
17	Slovakia	2009
18	Slovenia	2007
19	Spain	1999