The Maluku Islands

The Maluku Islands are an archipelago in Indonesia, and part of the larger Malay Archipelago. They are located on the Australian Plate, lying east of Sulawesi, west of New Guinea, and north of Timor. The islands were also historically known as the "Spice Islands" by the Chinese and Europeans, but this term has also been applied to other islands.
Most of the islands are mountainous, some with active volcanoes, and enjoy a wet climate. The vegetation of the small and narrow islands, encompassed by the sea, is very luxuriant; including rainforests, sago, rice, and the famous spices--nutmeg, cloves and mace , among others. Though originally Melanesian, many island populations, especially in the Banda Islands, were killed in the 17th century. A second influx of Malay immigrants began in the early twentieth century under the Dutch and continued in the Indonesian era.
Politically, the Maluku Islands formed a single province of Indonesia from 1950 until 1999. In 1999 the North Maluku and Halmahera Tengah regency were split off as a separate province, so the islands are now divided between two provinces, Maluku and North Maluku. Between 1999 and 2002 they were known for religious conflicts between Muslims and Christians but have been peaceful in the past years.

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Tank

A tank is a tracked armoured fighting vehicle, designed to engage enemy forces by the use of direct fire. A tank is characterized by heavy weapons and armour, as well as by a high degree of mobility that allows it to cross rough terrain at relatively high speeds. While tanks are expensive to operate and logistically demanding, they are among the most formidable and versatile weapons of the modern battlefield, both for their ability to engage other ground targets and their shock value against infantry.
While tanks are powerful fighting machines, they seldom operate alone, being organized into armoured units in combined arms forces. Without such support, tanks, despite their armour and mobility, are vulnerable to infantry, mines, artillery, and air power. Tanks are also at a disadvantage in wooded terrain and urban environments, which cancel the advantages of the tank's long-range firepower, limit the crew's ability to detect potential threats, and can even limit the turret's ability to traverse.
Tanks were first used in the First World War to break the deadlock of the trenches, and they evolved gradually to assume the role of cavalry on the battlefield. The name tank first arose in British factories making the hulls of the first battle tanks: the workmen were given the impression they were constructing tracked water containers for the British Army, hence keeping the production of a fighting vehicle secret.
During WW1 two major types of tanks evolved; the "male tank" which is the vehicle associated with the word today, and the female tank. The female tank contained a series of smaller weapons located around the hull as opposed to the single large weapon seen on today's tanks, and was mainly designed as an anti-infantry platform. After WW1 ended this type of vehicle was largely replaced by infantry carriers.
Tanks and armour tactics have undergone many generations of evolution over nearly a century. Although weapons systems and armour continue to be developed, many nations have reconsidered the need for such heavy weaponry in a period characterized by unconventional warfare.

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The International System of Units

The International System of Units is the modern form of the metric system. It is the world's most widely used system of units, both in everyday commerce and in science.
The older metric system included several groupings of units. The SI was developed in 1960 from the metre-kilogram-second system, rather than the centimetre-gram-second system which, in turn, had many variants.
The SI introduced several newly named units. The SI is not static; it is a living set of standards where units are created and definitions are modified with international agreement as measurement technology progresses.
With few exceptions, the system is used in every country in the world, and many countries do not maintain official definitions of other units. In the United States, industrial use of SI is increasing, but popular use is still limited. In the United Kingdom, conversion to metric units is official policy but not yet complete. Those countries that still recognize non-SI units have redefined their traditional non-SI units in terms of SI units.

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Military decoration

A military decoration is a decoration given to military personnel or units for heroism in battle or distinguished service. They are designed to be worn on military uniform.
Civil decorations awarded to military personnel should not be considered military decorations, although some orders of chivalry have civil and military divisions. Decorations received by police and fire brigade personnel may sometimes be considered alongside military decorations, on which they may be modelled, although they are strictly not military awards.
Decorations have been known since ancient times. Celts and Romans wore a torc, Dayaks wore and still wear tattoos, etc. Necklaces and bracelets were given during the early middle Ages, evolving into richly jewelled big necklaces, often with a pendant attached.

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