Home>Europe>Greece

Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries:
total: 1,210 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km

Coastline: 13,676 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 6 nm

Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources: bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble

Land use:
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 41%
forests and woodland: 20%
other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 13,140 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: severe earthquakes

Environment—current issues: air pollution; water pollution

Environment—international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography—note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Population: 10,707,135 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 878,349; female 818,311)
15-64 years: 67% (male 3,619,982; female 3,587,591)
65 years and over: 17% (male 799,053; female 1,003,849) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.41% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 9.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.44 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.43 years
male: 75.87 years
female: 81.18 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece

Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages: Greek (official), English, French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 98%
female: 93% (1991 est.)

Country name:
conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece
local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
local short form: Ellas or Ellada
former: Kingdom of Greece

Data code: GR

Government type: parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Capital: Athens

Administrative divisions: 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular—nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Ayion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos

Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821) (proclamation of the war of independence)

Constitution: 11 June 1975

Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 10 March 1995 (next to be held by NA March 2000); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS elected president; percent of Parliament vote—NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by NA September 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party—PASOK 41.5%, ND 38.1%, KKE 5.6%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 5.1%, DIKKI 4.4%, Political Spring 2.9%; seats by party—PASOK 162, ND 108, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 10, DIKKI 9; note—seating has subsequently changed as a result of disciplinary actions by PASOK, ND, and DIKKI; 1998 seating is PASOK 162, ND 105, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 10, DIKKI 8, independents 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court, judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council; Special Supreme Tribunal, judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council

Political parties and leaders: New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; Political Spring [Andonis SAMARAS]; Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Democratic Social Movement or DIKKI [Dhimitrios TSOVOLAS]; Rainbow Coalition [Pavlos VOSKOPOULOS]

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandre PHILON
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-5800
FAX: [1] (202) 939-5824
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador R. Nicholas BURNS
embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens
mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
telephone: [30] (1) 721-2951
FAX: [30] (1) 645-6282
consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country

Economy—overview: Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of GDP, although the government plans to privatize some leading state enterprises. Tourism is a key industry, providing a large portion of GDP and foreign exchange earnings. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 4% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as the government has tightened policy with the goal of qualifying Greece to join the EU's single currency (the euro) in 2001. In particular, Greece has cut its budget deficit to just over 2% of GDP and tightened monetary policy, with the result that inflation fell below 4% by the end of 1998—the lowest rate in 26 years. The outlook for 1999 is good with the budget deficit and inflation both expected to decline further, while GDP growth stays near 3% and the current account deficit remains below 2% of GDP.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$143 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$13,400 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 23.5%
services: 68% (1996)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 4.28 million (1998)

Labor force—by occupation: services 59.2%, agriculture 19.8%, industry 21% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 10% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $45 billion
expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: 7.3% (1998 est.)

Electricity—production: 40.028 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 89.16%
hydro: 10.75%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.09% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 41.388 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 1.3 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 2.66 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Exports: $12.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports—commodities: manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels (1998)

Exports—partners: EU 56% (Germany 25%, Italy 11%, UK 8%, France 6%), US 16% (1997)

Imports: $27.7 billion (c.i.f., 1998)

Imports—commodities: manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels, chemicals (1998)

Imports—partners: EU 61% (Italy 16%, Germany 16%, France 8%, UK 7%, Netherlands 5%) US 11% (1997)

Debt—external: $40.8 billion (1997)

Economic aid—recipient: $5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.)

Currency: 1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta

Exchange rates: drachmae (Dr) per US$1—278.78 (January 1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997), 240.71 (1996), 231.66 (1995), 242.60 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Telephones: 5,571,293 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; microwave radio relay carries most traffic; extensive open-wire network; submarine cables to off-shore islands
domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and submarine cable
international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 17 (repeaters 20), shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 64 (in addition, there are about 1,000 low-power repeaters and two stations in the US armed forces network) (1997)

Televisions: 2.3 million (1993 est.)

Railways:
total: 2,548 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 23 km double track)
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack type railway for steep grades)

Highways:
total: 117,000 km
paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,594 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 80 km; system consists of three coastal canals; including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; and three unconnected rivers

Pipelines: crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km

Ports and harbors: Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos

Merchant marine:
total: 810 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,798,431 GRT/44,056,618 DWT
ships by type: bulk 307, cargo 66, chemical tanker 19, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 12, container 45, liquefied gas tanker 5, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 229, passenger 15, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 17, short-sea passenger 76, specialized tanker 3 (1998 est.)

Airports: 78 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways:
total: 63
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)

Military branches: Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, National Guard, Police

Military manpower—military age: 21 years of age

Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 2,707,628 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,071,670 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 79,376 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $4.04 billion (1998 est.)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%

Disputes—international: complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over name; in September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions; Athens also lifted its economic embargo on The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Illicit drugs: a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece

Source: 1999 CIA World Factbook