The European Union is a semi-political and economic union of several states within Europe, that operate externally together. It has an area of 5,856,898.65 sq km. The official name is the Union of European States. It was formed by Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and West Poland as the European Steel and Coal Community in 1952, then as an economic coalition in 1956, later expanded through the European Atomic Energy Commission (Euratom) later that same year. In 1959, the European Economic Community (EEC) enlarged to accept Denmark and the Free County of Burgundy.