# Library

# Main Content

Europe :: Greece Print
Page last updated on January 02, 2019
The World Factbook Country/Location Flag Modal
Europe :: Greece Print
Flag Description
nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; a blue square bearing a white cross appears in the upper hoist-side corner; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country; there is no agreed upon meaning for the nine stripes or for the colors

note: Greek legislation states that the flag colors are cyan and white, but cyan can mean "blue" in Greek, so the exact shade of blue has never been set and has varied from a light to a dark blue over time; in general, the hue of blue normally encountered is a form of azure

The World Factbook Country/Location Locator Map Modal
Europe :: Greece Print
The World Factbook Country/Location Photo Gallery Modal
Europe :: Greece
1 / 59
Caption
Countries shown in this late winter satellite image of the southern Balkan Peninsula include Italy (left center edge), Greece (below center), and Turkey (right edge). At upper right is the Black Sea, at center is the Aegean Sea, at upper left is the Adriatic Sea, and at bottom left is the Mediterranean Sea. North of Turkey are Bulgaria and Romania. Moving clockwise from top left are Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, and Albania. North of Albania is Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Scattered fires appear as red dots. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
540x432
47.9 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
2 / 59
Caption
This northwest-looking photo displays the rugged, mountainous landscape of Greece. Two major landform regions are captured in the photo - the northwest-southeast-trending Pindus Mtns. in central Greece north of the Gulf of Corinth and the Peloponnese Peninsula south of the Gulf (center of the photo). This rugged terrain caused the Greeks to become a seafaring people, second only to the Norwegians in Europe. The capital of Athens (lighter area) is barely discernible along the southern edge of the broad peninsula near the eastern edge of the photograph. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x640
58.5 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
3 / 59
Caption
The Parthenon crowns the Acropolis in Athens. The Acropolis is a citadel on a flat, high, rocky outcrop 150 m (490 ft) above sea level and is the highest point in Athens. It preserves a number of ancient structures.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1002
282 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
4 / 59
Caption
Close up of the front of the Parthenon - the temple to ancient Athens' patron deity, Athena.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1199
340 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
5 / 59
Caption
Another view of the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens. Built in the 5th century B.C., it is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1200
383 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
6 / 59
Caption
Sculpted processional riders from the marble frieze of the Parthenon.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1125
167 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
7 / 59
Caption
View of the rear of the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens. The temple, dedicated to the goddess Athena, was built between 447 and 438 B.C. The Acropolis is a citadel on a flat, high, rocky outcrop 150 m (490 ft)above sea level and is the highest point in Athens. It preserves a number of ancient structures.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
50.7 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
8 / 59
Caption
A view from the south of the Erechtheum temple on the Acropolis in Athens.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1125
286 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
9 / 59
Caption
A close up of the Porch of the Caryatids (also known as the Porch of the Maidens) on the southern side of the Erechtheum temple on the Acropolis in Athens.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1125
139 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
10 / 59
Caption
The remains of the Temple of Olympian Zeus (Olympieion) in Athens.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
89 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
11 / 59
Caption
Thirteen of the columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus (Olympieion) in Athens. Originally, 104 columns supported this massive structure, which was begun in 520 B.C. but not fully completed until A.D. 132!
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1200
287 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
12 / 59
Caption
Close up of some of the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus (Olympieion) in Athens.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
576x720
85.2 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
13 / 59
Caption
The Temple of Olympian Zeus (Olympieion) in Athens. Construction began in 520 B.C. but was not completed until A.D. 132 in the reign of Roman Emperor Hadrian. Sixteen of the original Corinthian 104 columns survive (15 standing, one fallen). The Acropolis can be seen in the distance.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
40.8 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
14 / 59
Caption
Hadrian's Arch in downtown Athens was built in A.D. 131 or 132 to honor the Roman Emperor Hadrian, possibly for restoring much of the city and completing the nearby Temple of Olympian Zeus. The Parthenon and Acropolis can be seen in the left background.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
41.5 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
15 / 59
Caption
Entrance arch into the Roman Forum and Tower of the Wind in Athens. This area was used as the principal marketplace and agora by the Romans beginning in the 1st century A.D. It was a commercial and administrative center of the city until the 19th century.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
43.1 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
16 / 59
Caption
The Temple of Hephaestus in the Agora or ancient marketplace in Athens is the best preserved classical temple in Greece. It was dedicated to Hephaestus and Athena. The Agora was founded in the 6th century B.C. and was the heart of the city for 1,200 years.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
72 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
17 / 59
Caption
The Stoa of Attalos in the Agora in Athens was a 2nd century B.C. shopping mall with both arcades divided into shops. Between 1952 and 1956 the American School of Classical Studies reconstructed the building and converted it into a museum. The statues on display were once on temples in the marketplace.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
38.1 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
18 / 59
Caption
The Lysikrates Monument in Athens. The Choragic Monument of Lysicrates was built in 335 to 334 B.C. to commemorate the award of first prize to one of the performances he had sponsored. It stands alongside an ancient street that once led to the Theater of Dionysus and was lined with choragic monuments. (A choregos was a sponsor who paid for and supervised the training of dramatic dance choruses.) The Lysikrates Monument is the only one still standing in part because it was incorporated within the walls of a Capuchin monastery in 1658.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
480x640
52.5 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
19 / 59
Caption
The National Bank of Greece old headquarters building in Athens. The bank was founded in 1841.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
39.1 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
20 / 59
Caption
The marble City Hall building in Athens was constructed between 1870 and 1874.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
41.1 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
21 / 59
Caption
The National Archaeological Museum in Athens was established in 1829; the current museum building was completed in 1889. The museum has the richest collection in the world of Greek artifacts from antiquity.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
627x405
51.7 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
22 / 59
Caption
The Acropolis Museum in Athens opened in 2009. Its mission is to display every artifact found on or near the Acropolis from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine times.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
40.6 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
23 / 59
Caption
The Parliament Building in Athens was originally constructed as the Royal Palace in 1843. It is still on occasion referred to as the Old Royal Palace. It has served as the home of the Greek parliament since 1934.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
37.3 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
24 / 59
Caption
The Presidential Palace in Athens was built between 1891 and 1897 as a royal palace. It was referred to as the New Royal Palace until the abolition of the monarchy in 1924. The building has been occupied by the president of Greece since that time.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
68.8 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
25 / 59
Caption
The Orthodox Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea in downtown Athens is dedicated to Saint Mary. It was built over a pagan temple in about A.D. 1050 making it one of the oldest churches in Athens.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
68.3 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
26 / 59
Caption
A statue of Melina Mercouri in downtown Athens. Mercouri was a world-famous actress who was active in the resistance movement against the military regime in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Later, during the 1980s and 1990s, she served as Minister of Culture. She was born in Athens and was sometimes referred to as the last Greek goddess.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
78.4 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
27 / 59
Caption
This image includes many of the islands of the East Aegean as well as part of mainland Turkey. The largest modern city in the Aegean coast is Izmir, Turkey, situated about one quarter of the image length from the top. The city is the bright coastal area near the greenish waters of Izmir Bay and southeast of the roughly triangular-shaped island of Lesvos. The lengthy island at the bottom of the photo is Crete. North of Crete, the small broken ring of islands are the remnants of the collapsed caldera of Santorini Volcano. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
976x1500
223 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
28 / 59
Caption
This view illustrates the center of Santorini Volcano, located approximately 120 km (75 mi) north of Crete in the Aegean Sea. One of the largest volcanic eruptions in the past 10,000 years occurred approximately 1630 B.C. on this island. The cataclysm created the present-day islands and caldera bay of Santorini Volcano. The caldera rim is clearly visible in this image as a steep cliff forming the western shoreline of the island of Thera, the largest of the remnant islands. The white rooftops of cities and towns also help trace the caldera rim. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
639x435
34.5 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
29 / 59
Caption
Houses perched on top of 300 m (980 ft) cliffs in the city of Fira on Santorini (Thera) Island in the Mediterranean Sea. The cliffs show the many layers of past volcanic eruptions. In ancient times, the island was called "Thera." In the 14th century it was named "Santorini" - in honor of Saint Irene - by the feudal crusader Latin Empire. It was renamed "Thera" in the 19th century but is still commonly called "Santorini." Fira is the principal city on the island. Santorini Island is the southernmost of the Greek Cyclades.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
47.5 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
30 / 59
Caption
Houses and hotels perched on top of 300 m (980 ft) cliffs on Santorini/Thera Island. The cliffs show the many layers of volcanic eruptions over time.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
45.3 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
31 / 59
Caption
Houses in the city of Fira on the island of Santorini/Thera, Greece.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
44.8 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
32 / 59
Caption
View of the 400 m (1300 ft)-deep volcanic caldera off the coast of Santorini/Thera Island. In the foreground is the island of Nea Kameni. In the background is the island of Therasia. Santorini, Nea Kameni, and Therasia were separated by a volcanic eruption termed the Minoan Eruption in about 1630 B.C.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
27.6 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
33 / 59
Caption
Interior view of Panathiniako Stadium, constructed for the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1071
197 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
34 / 59
Caption
Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens was the site of the 1896 Olympic Games. The tablets on the right list the Olympic winners.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
994x1500
190 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
35 / 59
Caption
A view of the Olympic Stadium in Athens. Constructed between 1980 and 1982, it was renovated prior to the 2004 Olympic Games. The stadium's capacity is slightly over 71,000.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1125
197 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
36 / 59
Caption
The Olympic Stadium in Athens during the 2004 Olympic celebrations.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1200
219 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
37 / 59
Caption
An Evzone (member of the Presidential Guard) at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square, Athens.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1200
204 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
38 / 59
Caption
The Acropolis, a flat-topped rock about five hectares in area, overlooks the sprawling city of Athens. Various famous ruins, including the Parthenon (a temple to the goddess Athena), crown its heights.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
75.9 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
39 / 59
Caption
A view of the city of Athens from the Acropolis.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
994x1500
326 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
40 / 59
Caption
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens lies on the south slope of the Acropolis. Built in A.D. 161, the structure still serves as a venue for concert performances.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x951
273 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
41 / 59
Caption
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
994x1500
250 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
42 / 59
Caption
A view of the exterior of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, constructed A.D. 161.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1200
396 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
43 / 59
Caption
The Zappeion in Athens is used as a conference and exhibition center.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
994x1500
305 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
44 / 59
Caption
Olives from across Greece on display at an Athens market.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1262x900
230 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
45 / 59
Caption
A view of the theater at Delphi and the remains of the Temple of Apollo. Delphi was the site of the most famous oracle in the classical Greek world.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1200
499 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
46 / 59
Caption
The Lion Gate at the Late Bronze Age site of Mycenae. The archeological site is located 90 km (55 mi) southwest of Athens on the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, and Orestes all reputedly lived in the royal palace of the fortified city.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x990
227 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
47 / 59
Caption
The monument to Leonidas and the Spartans at Thermopylae, 200 km (125 mi) north of Athens. The memorial structure celebrates a 480 B.C. battle in which a small army of Greeks, led by King Leonidas, held at bay for three days a vastly superior invading Persian force, thus allowing the main part of the Greek army to escape.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1005
196 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
48 / 59
Caption
Boats docked at the island of Poros.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
994x1500
287 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
49 / 59
Caption
Harbor and ship on the island of Patmos, as seen from the shrine of St. John the Evangelist. According to tradition, it was here that the saint, living in exile from Ephesus, wrote the Biblical "Book of Revelations."
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1001
304 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
50 / 59
Caption
Mandraki Harbor at Rhodes, the site of a third century B.C. statue to the Greek sun god, Helios. Standing some 30 m (100 ft) high, it became known as the Colossus of Rhodes, and was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x999
196 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
51 / 59
Caption
The town of Mykonos on the eponymous island in the Aegean Sea. A tourist destination of sandy beaches and diverse night life, Mykonos is well known for its many windmills.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x941
221 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
52 / 59
Caption
Boats in the harbor at Mykonos.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1005
201 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
53 / 59
Caption
A sailing vessel plies the sun-drenched Aegean Sea.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x1125
182 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
54 / 59
Caption
Located 200 km (120 mi) southeast of the mainland, the island of Santorini surrounds a sunken caldera formed by a volcanic explosion that occurred about 1630 B.C. The eruption destroyed and buried Akrotiri, a large Bronze Age Minoan seaport on the island. Excavations begun in 1967 are ongoing.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1500x487
90.5 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
55 / 59
Caption
Picturesque view of Santorini Bay.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
998x1500
173 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
56 / 59
Caption
Rousanou Monastery in the Meteora region was one of 20 monasteries built on natural sandstone pillars in the 14th century by monks taking refuge from the advancing Turks. The only ingress was by ladder or rope and net.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
987x1500
320 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
57 / 59
Caption
Agio Triada Monastery is one of six remaining monasteries in the Meteora region that are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Each of these monasteries is built on a natural sandstone pillar.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1123x1500
288 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
58 / 59
Caption
Grand Meteora Monastery, one of six remaining 14th-century monasteries all located near the town of Kalmbaka in the Meteora region.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1123x1500
229 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
59 / 59
Caption
Varlaam Monastery at the Meteora complex is one of six remaining 14th-century monasteries built on natural sandstone pillars.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1123x1500
442 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
Previous Next

- Introduction :: Greece
- Background: This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.
  Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and other anti-communist and communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a group of military officers seized power, establishing a military dictatorship that suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country. In 1974 following the collapse of the dictatorship, democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 2001. Greece has suffered a severe economic crisis since late 2009, due to nearly a decade of chronic overspending and structural rigidities. Beginning in 2010, Greece entered three bailout agreements - with the European Commission, the European Central Bank (ECB), the IMF, and the third in 2015 with the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) - worth in total about $300 billion. The Greek Government formally exited the third bailout in August 2018.
- Geography :: Greece
- Location: This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
  Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
  Geographic coordinates: This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the centroid or center point of a country expressed in degrees and minutes; it is based on the locations provided in the Geographic Names Server (GNS), maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on behalf of the US Board on Geographic Names.
  39 00 N, 22 00 E
  Map references: This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. Note that boundary representations on these maps are not necessarily authoritative. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.
  Europe
  Area: This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines.
  total: 131,957 sq km
  land: 130,647 sq km
  water: 1,310 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Area - comparative: This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
  slightly smaller than Alabama
  Area comparison map:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Europe :: Greece Print
  Image Description

  slightly smaller than Alabama

  Land boundaries: This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. When available, official lengths published by national statistical agencies are used. Because surveying methods may differ, country border lengths reported by contiguous countries may differ.
  total: 1,110 km
  border countries (4): Albania 212 km, Bulgaria 472 km, Macedonia 234 km, Turkey 192 km
  Coastline: This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.
  13,676 km
  Maritime claims: This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and definitive descriptions: territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its . . . more
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  Climate: This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.
  temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
  Terrain: This entry contains a brief description of the topography.
  mountainous with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
  Elevation: This entry includes both the mean elevation and the elevation extremes.
  mean elevation: 498 m
  elevation extremes: 0 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea
  2917 highest point: Mount Olympus

  note: Mount Olympus actually has 52 peaks but its highest point, Mytikas (meaning "nose"), rises to 2,917 meters; in Greek mythology, Olympus' Mytikas peak was the home of the Greek gods

  Natural resources: This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance, such as rare earth elements (REEs). In general, products appear only if they make a significant contribution to the economy, or are likely to do so in the future.
  lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
  Land use: This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for three different types of land use: agricultural land, forest, and other; agricultural land is further divided into arable land - land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest, permanent crops - land cultivated for crops like citrus, coffee, and rubber that are not replanted after each harvest, and includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, and permane . . . more
  agricultural land: 63.4% (2011 est.)
  arable land: 19.7% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 8.9% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 34.8% (2011 est.)
  forest: 30.5% (2011 est.)
  other: 6.1% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land: This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.
  15,550 sq km (2012)
  Population distribution: This entry provides a summary description of the population dispersion within a country. While it may suggest population density, it does not provide density figures.
  one-third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters
  Natural hazards: This entry lists potential natural disasters. For countries where volcanic activity is common, a volcanism subfield highlights historically active volcanoes.

  severe earthquakes

  volcanism: Santorini (367 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; although there have been very few eruptions in recent centuries, Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are classified as historically active

  Environment - current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain). Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxi . . . more
  air pollution; air emissions from transport and electricity power stations; water pollution; degradation of coastal zones; loss of biodiversity in terrestrial and marine ecosystems; increasing municipal and industrial waste
  Environment - international agreements: This entry separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, 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
  Geography - note: This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere.
  strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
- People and Society :: Greece
- Population: This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account t . . . more
  10,761,523 (July 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 84
  Nationality: This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.
  noun: Greek(s)
  adjective: Greek
  Ethnic groups: This entry provides an ordered listing of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.
  Greek 91.6%, Albanian 4.4%, other 4% (2011)

  note: data represent citizenship; Greece does not collect data on ethnicity

  Languages: This entry provides a listing of languages spoken in each country and specifies any that are official national or regional languages. When data is available, the languages spoken in each country are broken down according to the percent of the total population speaking each language as a first language. For those countries without available data, languages are listed in rank order based on prevalence, starting with the most-spoken language.
  Greek (official) 99%, other (includes English and French) 1%
  Religions: This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below. Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in 1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all peoples on the earth so that justice and peace m . . . more
  Greek Orthodox (official) 81-90%, Muslim 2%, other 3%, none 4-15%, unspecified 1% (2015 est.)
  Age structure: This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group as follows: 0-14 years (children), 15-24 years (early working age), 25-54 years (prime working age), 55-64 years (mature working age), 65 years and over (elderly). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older population . . . more
  0-14 years: 13.72% (male 760,615 /female 716,054)
  15-24 years: 9.68% (male 531,957 /female 509,671)
  25-54 years: 42.18% (male 2,259,672 /female 2,279,464)
  55-64 years: 13.28% (male 699,205 /female 729,655)
  65 years and over: 21.14% (male 997,359 /female 1,277,871) (2018 est.)
  population pyramid:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Europe :: Greece Print
  Image Description
  This is the population pyramid for Greece. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
  For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
  Dependency ratios: Dependency ratios are a measure of the age structure of a population. They relate the number of individuals that are likely to be economically "dependent" on the support of others. Dependency ratios contrast the ratio of youths (ages 0-14) and the elderly (ages 65+) to the number of those in the working-age group (ages 15-64). Changes in the dependency ratio provide an indication of potential social support requirements resulting from changes in population age structures. As fertility lev . . . more
  total dependency ratio: 52.7 (2015 est.)
  youth dependency ratio: 22.2 (2015 est.)
  elderly dependency ratio: 30.5 (2015 est.)
  potential support ratio: 3.3 (2015 est.)
  Median age: This entry is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. Currently, the median age ranges from a low of about 15 in Niger and Uganda to 40 or more in several European countries and Japan. See the entry for "Age structure" for the importance of a young versus an older age structure and, by implication, a low versus a high . . . more
  total: 44.9 years
  male: 43.8 years
  female: 45.9 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Population growth rate: The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as . . . more
  -0.07% (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 203
  Birth rate: This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.
  8.3 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 218
  Death rate: This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining . . . more
  11.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 21
  Net migration rate: This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population chan . . . more
  2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 41
  Population distribution: This entry provides a summary description of the population dispersion within a country. While it may suggest population density, it does not provide density figures.
  one-third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters
  Urbanization: This entry provides two measures of the degree of urbanization of a population. The first, urban population, describes the percentage of the total population living in urban areas, as defined by the country. The second, rate of urbanization, describes the projected average rate of change of the size of the urban population over the given period of time. Additionally, the World entry includes a list of the ten largest urban agglomerations. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising th . . . more
  urban population: 79.1% of total population (2018)
  rate of urbanization: 0.22% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
  Major urban areas - population: This entry provides the population of the capital and up to six major cities defined as urban agglomerations with populations of at least 750,000 people. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising the city or town proper and also the suburban fringe or thickly settled territory lying outside of, but adjacent to, the boundaries of the city. For smaller countries, lacking urban centers of 750,000 or more, only the population of the capital is presented.
  3.156 million ATHENS (capital), 811,000 Thessaloniki (2018)
  Sex ratio: This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertilit . . . more
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  Mother's mean age at first birth: This entry provides the mean (average) age of mothers at the birth of their first child. It is a useful indicator for gauging the success of family planning programs aiming to reduce maternal mortality, increase contraceptive use – particularly among married and unmarried adolescents – delay age at first marriage, and improve the health of newborns.
  29.8 years (2014 est.)
  Maternal mortality rate: The maternal mortality rate (MMR) is the annual number of female deaths per 100,000 live births from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management (excluding accidental or incidental causes). The MMR includes deaths during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, for a specified year.
  3 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 182
  Infant mortality rate: This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.
  total: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  male: 5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  female: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 181
  Life expectancy at birth: This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.
  total population: 80.8 years (2018 est.)
  male: 78.2 years (2018 est.)
  female: 83.6 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 40
  Total fertility rate: This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replaceme . . . more
  1.44 children born/woman (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 207
  Health expenditures: This entry provides the total expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP. Health expenditures are broadly defined as activities performed either by institutions or individuals through the application of medical, paramedical, and/or nursing knowledge and technology, the primary purpose of which is to promote, restore, or maintain health.
  8.1% of GDP (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 55
  Physicians density: This entry gives the number of medical doctors (physicians), including generalist and specialist medical practitioners, per 1,000 of the population. Medical doctors are defined as doctors that study, diagnose, treat, and prevent illness, disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans through the application of modern medicine. They also plan, supervise, and evaluate care and treatment plans by other health care providers. The World Health Organization estimates that f . . . more
  6.26 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
  Hospital bed density: This entry provides the number of hospital beds per 1,000 people; it serves as a general measure of inpatient service availability. Hospital beds include inpatient beds available in public, private, general, and specialized hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In most cases, beds for both acute and chronic care are included. Because the level of inpatient services required for individual countries depends on several factors - such as demographic issues and the burden of disease - there is . . . more
  4.3 beds/1,000 population (2015)
  Drinking water source: This entry provides information about access to improved or unimproved drinking water sources available to segments of the population of a country. Improved drinking water - use of any of the following sources: piped water into dwelling, yard, or plot; public tap or standpipe; tubewell or borehole; protected dug well; protected spring; or rainwater collection. Unimproved drinking water - use of any of the following sources: unprotected dug well; unprotected spring; cart with small tank or . . . more
  improved: urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved: urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access: This entry provides information about access to improved or unimproved sanitation facilities available to segments of the population of a country. Improved sanitation - use of any of the following facilities: flush or pour-flush to a piped sewer system, septic tank or pit latrine; ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine; pit latrine with slab; or a composting toilet. Unimproved sanitation - use of any of the following facilities: flush or pour-flush not piped to a sewer system, septic tank . . . more
  improved: urban: 99.2% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 98.1% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 99% of population (2015 est.)
  unimproved: urban: 0.8% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 1.9% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 1% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calculated by dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend by the total adult population at yearend.
  0.2% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and children) alive at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS.
  14,000 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 91
  HIV/AIDS - deaths: This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children who died of AIDS during a given calendar year.
  <100 (2017 est.)
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate: This entry gives the percent of a country's population considered to be obese. Obesity is defined as an adult having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater to or equal to 30.0. BMI is calculated by taking a person's weight in kg and dividing it by the person's squared height in meters.
  24.9% (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 54
  Literacy: This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measu . . . more
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
  total population: 97.7% (2015 est.)
  male: 98.5% (2015 est.)
  female: 96.9% (2015 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): School life expectancy (SLE) is the total number of years of schooling (primary to tertiary) that a child can expect to receive, assuming that the probability of his or her being enrolled in school at any particular future age is equal to the current enrollment ratio at that age. Caution must be maintained when utilizing this indicator in international comparisons. For example, a year or grade completed in one country is not necessarily the same in terms of educational content or qualit . . . more
  total: 18 years (2014)
  male: 18 years (2014)
  female: 18 years (2014)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: This entry gives the percent of the total labor force ages 15-24 unemployed during a specified year.
  total: 47.3% (2016 est.)
  male: 44.3% (2016 est.)
  female: 50.7% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
- Government :: Greece
- Country name: This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
  conventional short form: Greece
  local long form: Elliniki Dimokratia
  local short form: Ellas or Ellada
  former: Hellenic State, Kingdom of Greece
  etymology: the English name derives from the Roman (Latin) designation "Graecia," meaning "Land of the Greeks"; the Greeks call their country "Hellas" or "Ellada"
  Government type: This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.): Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition. Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority. Authoritarian - a form of government in whic . . . more
  parliamentary republic
  Capital: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  name: Athens
  geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
  Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted. Geographic names conform to spellings approved by the BGN with the exception of the omission of diacritical marks and special characters.
  13 regions (perifereies, singular - perifereia) and 1 autonomous monastic state* (aftonomi monastiki politeia); Agion Oros* (Mount Athos), Anatoliki Makedonia kai Thraki (East Macedonia and Thrace), Attiki (Attica), Dytiki Ellada (West Greece), Dytiki Makedonia (West Macedonia), Ionia Nisia (Ionian Islands), Ipeiros (Epirus), Kentriki Makedonia (Central Macedonia), Kriti (Crete), Notio Aigaio (South Aegean), Peloponnisos (Peloponnese), Sterea Ellada (Central Greece), Thessalia (Thessaly), Voreio Aigaio (North Aegean)
  Independence: For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. For a number of countries, the establishment of statehood . . . more
  3 February 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire); note - 25 March 1821, outbreak of the national revolt against the Ottomans; 3 February 1830, signing of the London Protocol recognizing Greek independence by Great Britain, France, and Russia
  National holiday: This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.
  Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
  Constitution: This entry provides information on a country’s constitution and includes two subfields. The history subfield includes the dates of previous constitutions and the main steps and dates in formulating and implementing the latest constitution. For countries with 1-3 previous constitutions, the years are listed; for those with 4-9 previous, the entry is listed as “several previous,” and for those with 10 or more, the entry is “many previous.” The amendments subfield summarizes the process of am . . . more
  history: many previous; latest entered into force 11 June 1975 (2016)
  amendments: proposed by at least 50 members of Parliament and agreed by three-fifths majority vote in two separate ballots at least 30 days apart; passage requires absolute majority vote by the next elected Parliament; entry into force finalized through a "special parliamentary resolution"; articles on human rights and freedoms and the form of government cannot be amended; amended 1986, 2001, 2008 (2016)
  Legal system: This entry provides the description of a country's legal system. A statement on judicial review of legislative acts is also included for a number of countries. The legal systems of nearly all countries are generally modeled upon elements of five main types: civil law (including French law, the Napoleonic Code, Roman law, Roman-Dutch law, and Spanish law); common law (including United State law); customary law; mixed or pluralistic law; and religious law (including Islamic law). An addition . . . more
  civil legal system based on Roman law
  International law organization participation: This entry includes information on a country's acceptance of jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and of the International Criminal Court (ICCt); 59 countries have accepted ICJ jurisdiction with reservations and 11 have accepted ICJ jurisdiction without reservations; 122 countries have accepted ICCt jurisdiction. Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups explains the differing mandates of the ICJ and ICCt.
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Citizenship: This entry provides information related to the acquisition and exercise of citizenship; it includes four subfields: citizenship by birth describes the acquisition of citizenship based on place of birth, known as Jus soli, regardless of the citizenship of parents. citizenship by descent only describes the acquisition of citizenship based on the principle of Jus sanguinis, or by descent, where at least one parent is a citizen of the state and being born within the territorial limits of the . . . more
  citizenship by birth: no
  citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Greece
  dual citizenship recognized: yes
  residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
  Suffrage: This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
  17 years of age; universal and compulsory
  Judicial branch: This entry includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing j . . . more
  highest courts: Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or Areios Pagos (consists of 56 judges including the court presidents); Council of State (supreme administrative court) consists of the president, vice president, 42 privy councillors, and 98 associate and reporting judges, organized into 5- and 7-member chambers; Hellenic Court of Audit (government audit and enforcement) consists of the president, 5 vice presidents, 20 councillors, and 90 associate and reporting judges
  judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by presidential decree on the advice of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which includes the president of the Supreme Court, other judges, and the prosecutor of the Supreme Court; judges appointed for life following a 2-year probationary period; Council of State president appointed by the Greek Cabinet to serve a 4-year term; other judge appointments and tenure NA; Court of Audit president appointed by decree of the president of the republic on the advice of the SJC to serve a 4-year term with an age limit of 67
  subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal and Courts of First Instance(district courts)
  Executive branch: This entry includes five subentries: chief of state; head of government; cabinet; elections/appointments; election results. Chief of state includes the name, title, and beginning date in office of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name, title of the top executive designated to manage the executive branch of the government, a . . . more
  chief of state: President Prokopios (Prokopis) PAVLOPOULOS (since 13 March 2015)
  head of government: Prime Minister Alexios TSIPRAS (since 21 September 2015); note - Vasiliki THANOU-CHRISTOFILOU served as interim prime minister beginning on 27 August 2015 for less than a month after the resignation of Alexios TSIPRAS on 20 August 2015; she was Greece's first female prime minister; before the brief interregnum, Alexios TSIPRAS had served as prime minister since 26 January 2015
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
  elections/appointments: president elected by Hellenic Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 18 February 2015 (next to be held by February 2020); president appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Hellenic Parliament
  election results: Prokopios PAVLOPOULOS (ND) elected president by Parliament - 233 of 300 votes
  Legislative branch: This entry has three subfields. The description subfield provides the legislative structure (unicameral – single house; bicameral – an upper and a lower house); formal name(s); number of member seats; types of constituencies or voting districts (single seat, multi-seat, nationwide); electoral voting system(s); and member term of office. The elections subfield includes the dates of the last election and next election. The election results subfield lists percent of vote by party/coalition an . . . more
  description: unicameral Hellenic Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; 280 members in multi-seat constituencies and 12 members in a single nationwide constituency directly elected by open party-list proportional representation vote; 8 members in single-seat constituencies elected by simple majority vote; members serve up to 4 year); note - only parties surpassing a 3% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; parties need 10 seats to become formal parliamentary groups but can retain that status if the party participated in the last election and received the minimum 3% threshold
  elections: last held on 20 September 2015 (next to be held by October 2019); note - snap election called because of upheaval in the governing SYRIZA party over the third bailout deal with international creditors
  election results: percent of vote by party - SYRIZA 35.5%, ND 28.1%, Golden Dawn 7%, PASOK-DIMAR 6.3%, KKE 5.6%, The River 4.1%, ANEL 3.7%, EK 3.4%, other 6.3%; seats by party - SYRIZA 145, ND 75, Golden Dawn 18, PASOK-DIMAR 17, KKE 15, The River 11, ANEL 10, EK 9; composition - men 241, women 59, percent of women 19.7%
  Political parties and leaders: This entry includes a listing of significant political parties, coalitions, and electoral lists as of each country's last legislative election, unless otherwise noted.
  Anticapitalist Left Cooperation for the Overthrow or ANTARSYA [collective leadership]
  Coalition of the Radical Left or SYRIZA [Alexios (Alexis) TSIPRAS]
  Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Dimitrios KOUTSOUMBAS]
  Democratic Left or DIMAR [Athanasios (Thanasis) THEOCHAROPOULOS]
  Greek Solution {Kyriakos VELOPOULOS]
  Independent Greeks or ANEL [Panagiotis (Panos) KAMMENOS]
  Movement for Change or KINAL (includes PASOK, DIMAR, KIDISO)
  Movement of Democratic SOcialists or KIDISO [Georgios PAPANDREOUS]
  Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Foteini (Fofi) GENIMMATA]
  Movement of Democratic Socialists or KIDISO [Georgios PAPANDREOU]
  New Democracy or ND [Kyriakos MITSOTAKIS]
  People's Association-Golden Dawn [Nikolaos MICHALOLIAKOS]
  Popular Unity or LAE [Panagiotis LAFAZANIS]
  The River (To Potami) [Stavros THEODORAKIS]
  Union of Centrists or EK [Vasileios (Vasilis) LEVENTIS]
  International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
  Diplomatic representation in the US: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery address, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations. The use of the annotated title Appointed Ambassador refers to a new ambassador who has presented his/her credentials to the secretary of state but not the US president. Such ambassadors fulfill all diplomatic functions except meeting with or appearing at functions attended by the president until such time as they formally present their credentials at a White Hou . . . more
  chief of mission: Ambassador Theocharis LALAKOS (since 27 June 2016)
  chancery: 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Tampa (FL), San Francisco
  consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston
  Diplomatic representation from the US: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  chief of mission: Ambassador Geoffrey R. PYATT (since 24 October 2016)
  embassy: 91 Vasillisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens
  mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
  telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951
  FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282
  consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
  Flag description: This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
  nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; a blue square bearing a white cross appears in the upper hoist-side corner; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country; there is no agreed upon meaning for the nine stripes or for the colors

  note: Greek legislation states that the flag colors are cyan and white, but cyan can mean "blue" in Greek, so the exact shade of blue has never been set and has varied from a light to a dark blue over time; in general, the hue of blue normally encountered is a form of azure

  National symbol(s): A national symbol is a faunal, floral, or other abstract representation - or some distinctive object - that over time has come to be closely identified with a country or entity. Not all countries have national symbols; a few countries have more than one.
  Greek cross (white cross on blue field, arms equal length); national colors: blue, white
  National anthem: A generally patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.
  name: "Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Liberty)
  lyrics/music: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS

  note: adopted 1864; the anthem is based on a 158-stanza poem by the same name, which was inspired by the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Ottomans (only the first two stanzas are used); Cyprus also uses "Hymn to Liberty" as its anthem

- Economy :: Greece
- Economy - overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.

  Greece has a capitalist economy with a public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP about two-thirds that of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 18% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP.

  The Greek economy averaged growth of about 4% per year between 2003 and 2007, but the economy went into recession in 2009 as a result of the world financial crisis, tightening credit conditions, and Athens' failure to address a growing budget deficit. By 2013, the economy had contracted 26%, compared with the pre-crisis level of 2007. Greece met the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criterion of no more than 3% of GDP in 2007-08, but violated it in 2009, when the deficit reached 15% of GDP. Deteriorating public finances, inaccurate and misreported statistics, and consistent underperformance on reforms prompted major credit rating agencies to downgrade Greece's international debt rating in late 2009 and led the country into a financial crisis. Under intense pressure from the EU and international market participants, the government accepted a bailout program that called on Athens to cut government spending, decrease tax evasion, overhaul the civil-service, health-care, and pension systems, and reform the labor and product markets. Austerity measures reduced the deficit to 1.3% in 2017. Successive Greek governments, however, failed to push through many of the most unpopular reforms in the face of widespread political opposition, including from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public.

  In April 2010, a leading credit agency assigned Greek debt its lowest possible credit rating, and in May 2010, the IMF and euro-zone governments provided Greece emergency short- and medium-term loans worth $147 billion so that the country could make debt repayments to creditors. Greece, however, struggled to meet the targets set by the EU and the IMF, especially after Eurostat - the EU's statistical office - revised upward Greece's deficit and debt numbers for 2009 and 2010. European leaders and the IMF agreed in October 2011 to provide Athens a second bailout package of $169 billion. The second deal called for holders of Greek government bonds to write down a significant portion of their holdings to try to alleviate Greece’s government debt burden. However, Greek banks, saddled with a significant portion of sovereign debt, were adversely affected by the write down and $60 billion of the second bailout package was set aside to ensure the banking system was adequately capitalized.

  In 2014, the Greek economy began to turn the corner on the recession. Greece achieved three significant milestones: balancing the budget - not including debt repayments; issuing government debt in financial markets for the first time since 2010; and generating 0.7% GDP growth — the first economic expansion since 2007.

  Despite the nascent recovery, widespread discontent with austerity measures helped propel the far-left Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) party into government in national legislative elections in January 2015. Between January and July 2015, frustrations grew between the SYRIZA-led government and Greece’s EU and IMF creditors over the implementation of bailout measures and disbursement of funds. The Greek government began running up significant arrears to suppliers, while Greek banks relied on emergency lending, and Greece’s future in the euro zone was called into question. To stave off a collapse of the banking system, Greece imposed capital controls in June 2015, then became the first developed nation to miss a loan payment to the IMF, rattling international financial markets. Unable to reach an agreement with creditors, Prime Minister Alexios TSIPRAS held a nationwide referendum on 5 July on whether to accept the terms of Greece’s bailout, campaigning for the ultimately successful "no" vote. The TSIPRAS government subsequently agreed, however, to a new $96 billion bailout in order to avert Greece’s exit from the monetary bloc. On 20 August 2015, Greece signed its third bailout, allowing it to cover significant debt payments to its EU and IMF creditors and to ensure the banking sector retained access to emergency liquidity. The TSIPRAS government — which retook office on 20 September 2015 after calling new elections in late August — successfully secured disbursal of two delayed tranches of bailout funds. Despite the economic turmoil, Greek GDP did not contract as sharply as feared, boosted in part by a strong tourist season.

  In 2017, Greece saw improvements in GDP and unemployment. Unfinished economic reforms, a massive non-performing loan problem, and ongoing uncertainty regarding the political direction of the country hold the economy back. Some estimates put Greece’s black market at 20- to 25% of GDP, as more people have stopped reporting their income to avoid paying taxes that, in some cases, have risen to 70% of an individual’s gross income.

  GDP (purchasing power parity): This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States in the year noted. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measur . . . more
  $299.3 billion (2017 est.)
  $295.3 billion (2016 est.)
  $296 billion (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 56
  GDP (official exchange rate): This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at official exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis- . . . more
  $200.7 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate: This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent. The growth rates are year-over-year, and not compounded.
  1.4% (2017 est.)
  -0.2% (2016 est.)
  -0.3% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 176
  GDP - per capita (PPP): This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.
  $27,800 (2017 est.)
  $27,400 (2016 est.)
  $27,300 (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 75
  Gross national saving: Gross national saving is derived by deducting final consumption expenditure (household plus government) from Gross national disposable income, and consists of personal saving, plus business saving (the sum of the capital consumption allowance and retained business profits), plus government saving (the excess of tax revenues over expenditures), but excludes foreign saving (the excess of imports of goods and services over exports). The figures are presented as a percent of GDP. A negative . . . more
  10.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
  9.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
  9.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 159
  GDP - composition, by end use: This entry shows who does the spending in an economy: consumers, businesses, government, and foreigners. The distribution gives the percentage contribution to total GDP of household consumption, government consumption, investment in fixed capital, investment in inventories, exports of goods and services, and imports of goods and services, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. household consumption consists of expenditures by resident households, and by nonprofit insti . . . more
  household consumption: 69.6% (2017 est.)
  government consumption: 20.1% (2017 est.)
  investment in fixed capital: 12.5% (2017 est.)
  investment in inventories: -1% (2017 est.)
  exports of goods and services: 33.4% (2017 est.)
  imports of goods and services: -34.7% (2017 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin: This entry shows where production takes place in an economy. The distribution gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other private economic activities that do not prod . . . more
  agriculture: 4.1% (2017 est.)
  industry: 16.9% (2017 est.)
  services: 79.1% (2017 est.)
  Agriculture - products: This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important.
  wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
  Industries: This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.
  tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
  Industrial production growth rate: This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).
  3.5% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 85
  Labor force: This entry contains the total labor force figure.
  4.769 million (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 84
  Labor force - by occupation: This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by sector of occupation. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other economic activities that do not produce material goods. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete and may range from 99-101 percent due to rounding. more
  agriculture: 12.6%
  industry: 15%
  services: 72.4% (30 October 2015 est.)
  Unemployment rate: This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
  21.5% (2017 est.)
  23.6% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 189
  Population below poverty line: National estimates of the percentage of the population falling below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of poverty vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations.
  36% (2014 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share: Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons.
  lowest 10%: 26.7% (2015 est.)
  highest 10%: 26.7% (2015 est.)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index: This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The index is the ratio of (a) the area between a country's Lorenz curve and the 45 degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area under the 45 degree line. The more nearly equal a country's income distribution, the closer its . . . more
  36.7 (2012 est.)
  35.7 (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 86
  Budget: This entry includes revenues, expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  revenues: 97.99 billion (2017 est.)
  expenditures: 96.35 billion (2017 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues: This entry records total taxes and other revenues received by the national government during the time period indicated, expressed as a percent of GDP. Taxes include personal and corporate income taxes, value added taxes, excise taxes, and tariffs. Other revenues include social contributions - such as payments for social security and hospital insurance - grants, and net revenues from public enterprises. Normalizing the data, by dividing total revenues by GDP, enables easy comparisons acr . . . more
  48.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): This entry records the difference between national government revenues and expenditures, expressed as a percent of GDP. A positive (+) number indicates that revenues exceeded expenditures (a budget surplus), while a negative (-) number indicates the reverse (a budget deficit). Normalizing the data, by dividing the budget balance by GDP, enables easy comparisons across countries and indicates whether a national government saves or borrows money. Countries with high budget deficits (relat . . . more
  0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 36
  Public debt: This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings.
  181.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
  183.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 2
  Fiscal year: This entry identifies the beginning and ending months for a country's accounting period of 12 months, which often is the calendar year but which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices): This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
  1.1% (2017 est.)
  0% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 59
  Central bank discount rate: This entry provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds.
  0.05% (31 March 2016)
  0.15% (11 June 2014)

  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

  country comparison to the world: 144
  Commercial bank prime lending rate: This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit-worthy customers.
  5.25% (31 December 2017 est.)
  5.62% (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 144
  Stock of narrow money: This entry, also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy, measured at a specific point in time. National currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate for the date of the information. Because of exchange rate moveme . . . more
  $106.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $86.53 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders

  country comparison to the world: 39
  Stock of broad money: This entry covers all of "Narrow money," plus the total quantity of time and savings deposits, credit union deposits, institutional money market funds, short-term repurchase agreements between the central bank and commercial deposit banks, and other large liquid assets held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. National currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange r . . . more
  $106.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $86.53 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 39
  Stock of domestic credit: This entry is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by financial institutions to the central bank, state and local governments, public non-financial corporations, and the private sector. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.
  $248.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $231.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 41
  Market value of publicly traded shares: This entry gives the value of shares issued by publicly traded companies at a price determined in the national stock markets on the final day of the period indicated. It is simply the latest price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares, cumulated over all companies listed on the particular exchange.
  $42.08 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
  $55.15 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $82.59 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 56
  Current account balance: This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  -$1.596 billion (2017 est.)
  -$2.072 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 158
  Exports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  $31.54 billion (2017 est.)
  $27.1 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 65
  Exports - partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  Italy 10.6%, Germany 7.1%, Turkey 6.8%, Cyprus 6.5%, Bulgaria 4.9%, Lebanon 4.3% (2017)
  Exports - commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
  Imports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  $52.27 billion (2017 est.)
  $45.45 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 52
  Imports - commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
  Imports - partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  Germany 10.4%, Italy 8.2%, Russia 6.8%, Iraq 6.3%, South Korea 6.1%, China 5.4%, Netherlands 5.3%, France 4.3% (2017)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund.
  $7.807 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $6.026 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 80
  Debt - external: This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in internationally accepted currencies, goods, or services. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  $506.6 billion (31 March 2016 est.)
  $468.2 billion (31 March 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 23
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
  $35.48 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $30.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 67
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in foreign countries made directly by residents - primarily companies - of the home country, as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
  $29.64 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $32.91 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 49
  Exchange rates: This entry provides the average annual price of a country's monetary unit for the time period specified, expressed in units of local currency per US dollar, as determined by international market forces or by official fiat. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for the national medium of exchange is presented in parenthesis. Closing daily exchange rates are not presented in The World Factbook, but are used to convert stock values - e.g., the . . . more
  euros (EUR) per US dollar -
  0.885 (2017 est.)
  0.903 (2016 est.)
  0.9214 (2015 est.)
  0.885 (2014 est.)
  0.7634 (2013 est.)
- Energy :: Greece
- Electricity access: This entry provides information on access to electricity. Electrification data – collected from industry reports, national surveys, and international sources – consists of four subfields. Population without electricity provides an estimate of the number of citizens that do not have access to electricity. Electrification – total population is the percent of a country’s total population with access to electricity, electrification – urban areas is the percent of a country’s urban population w . . . more
  electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
  Electricity - production: This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
  52.05 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 53
  Electricity - consumption: This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
  56.89 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 45
  Electricity - exports: This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
  1.037 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Electricity - imports: This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
  9.833 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 27
  Electricity - installed generating capacity: This entry is the total capacity of currently installed generators, expressed in kilowatts (kW), to produce electricity. A 10-kilowatt (kW) generator will produce 10 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, if it runs continuously for one hour.
  19.17 million kW (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 46
  Electricity - from fossil fuels: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity by burning fossil fuels (such as coal, petroleum products, and natural gas), expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  57% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 137
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity through radioactive decay of nuclear fuel, expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity by water-driven turbines, expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 105
  Electricity - from other renewable sources: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity by using renewable energy sources other than hydroelectric (including, for example, wind, waves, solar, and geothermal), expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  29% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Crude oil - production: This entry is the total amount of crude oil produced, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  2,753 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 84
  Crude oil - exports: This entry is the total amount of crude oil exported, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  3,229 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 67
  Crude oil - imports: This entry is the total amount of crude oil imported, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  484,300 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  Crude oil - proved reserves: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil, in barrels (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
  10 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 90
  Refined petroleum products - production: This entry is the country's total output of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of refined petroleum products produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
  655,400 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 28
  Refined petroleum products - consumption: This entry is the country's total consumption of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of refined petroleum products produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
  304,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Refined petroleum products - exports: This entry is the country's total exports of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  371,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 22
  Refined petroleum products - imports: This entry is the country's total imports of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  192,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 35
  Natural gas - production: This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
  8 million cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Natural gas - consumption: This entry is the total natural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
  4.927 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 61
  Natural gas - exports: This entry is the total natural gas exported in cubic meters (cu m).
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Natural gas - imports: This entry is the total natural gas imported in cubic meters (cu m).
  4.984 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 36
  Natural gas - proved reserves: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
  991.1 million cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 100
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy: This entry is the total amount of carbon dioxide, measured in metric tons, released by burning fossil fuels in the process of producing and consuming energy.
  69.37 million Mt (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 51
- Communications :: Greece
- Telephones - fixed lines: This entry gives the total number of fixed telephone lines in use, as well as the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
  total subscriptions: 5,176,475 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 28
  Telephones - mobile cellular: This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephone subscribers, as well as the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Note that because of the ubiquity of mobile phone use in developed countries, the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants can exceed 100.
  total subscriptions: 12,937,106 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 72
  Telephone system: This entry includes a brief general assessment of the system with details on the domestic and international components. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense). CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications. Cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are radio transceivers, with each instrument having its o . . . more
  general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service; 3 mobile network operators; 2019 5G trials and LTE use; despite rough economic conditions broadband penetration developing (2017)
  domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands; 48 per 100 for fixed-line and 120 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2017)
  international: country code - 30; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; a number of smaller submarine cables provide connectivity to various parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Cyprus; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat - Indian Ocean region) (2015)
  Broadcast media: This entry provides information on the approximate number of public and private TV and radio stations in a country, as well as basic information on the availability of satellite and cable TV services.
  broadcast media dominated by the private sector; roughly 150 private TV channels, about 10 of which broadcast nationwide; 1 government-owned terrestrial TV channel with national coverage; 3 privately owned satellite channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV services available; upwards of 1,500 radio stations, all of them privately owned; government-owned broadcaster has 2 national radio stations (2014)
  Internet country code: This entry includes the two-letter codes maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).
  .gr
  Internet users: This entry gives the total number of individuals within a country who can access the Internet at home, via any device type (computer or mobile) and connection. The percent of population with Internet access (i.e., the penetration rate) helps gauge how widespread Internet use is within a country. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months.
  total: 7,443,016 (July 2016 est.)
  percent of population: 69.1% (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 57
  Broadband - fixed subscriptions: This entry gives the total number of fixed-broadband subscriptions, as well as the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Fixed broadband is a physical wired connection to the Internet (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber) at speeds equal to or greater than 256 kilobits/second (256 kbit/s).
  total: 3,778,263 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 32
- Transportation :: Greece
- National air transport system: This entry includes four subfields describing the air transport system of a given country in terms of both structure and performance. The first subfield, number of registered air carriers, indicates the total number of air carriers registered with the country’s national aviation authority and issued an air operator certificate as required by the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The second subfield, inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers, lists the total number . . . more
  number of registered air carriers: 9 (2015)
  inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 93 (2015)
  annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 12,583,541 (2015)
  annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 27,452,961 mt-km (2015)
  Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: This entry provides the one- or two-character alphanumeric code indicating the nationality of civil aircraft. Article 20 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention), signed in 1944, requires that all aircraft engaged in international air navigation bear appropriate nationality marks. The aircraft registration number consists of two parts: a prefix consisting of a one- or two-character alphanumeric code indicating nationality and a registration suffix of one to fi . . . more
  SX (2016)
  Airports: This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) and may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facilities, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
  77 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 69
  Airports - with paved runways: This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all . . . more
  total: 68 (2017)
  over 3,047 m: 6 (2017)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 (2017)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 (2017)
  914 to 1,523 m: 18 (2017)
  under 914 m: 10 (2017)
  Airports - with unpaved runways: This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listin . . . more
  total: 9 (2013)
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)
  under 914 m: 7 (2013)
  Heliports: This entry gives the total number of heliports with hard-surface runways, helipads, or landing areas that support routine sustained helicopter operations exclusively and have support facilities including one or more of the following facilities: lighting, fuel, passenger handling, or maintenance. It includes former airports used exclusively for helicopter operations but excludes heliports limited to day operations and natural clearings that could support helicopter landings and takeoffs.
  9 (2013)
  Pipelines: This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products.
  1329 km gas, 94 km oil (2013)
  Railways: This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge, which is the measure of the distance between the inner sides of the load-bearing rails. The four typical types of gauges are: broad, standard, narrow, and dual. Other gauges are listed under note. Some 60% of the world's railways use the standard gauge of 1.4 m (4.7 ft). Gauges vary by country and sometimes within countries. The choice of gauge during initial construction was mainly in resp . . . more
  total: 2,548 km (2014)
  standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified) (2014)
  narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  22 0.750-m gauge
  country comparison to the world: 67
  Roadways: This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions.
  total: 116,960 km (2010)
  paved: 41,357 km (includes 1,091 km of expressways) (2010)
  unpaved: 75,603 km (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 41
  Waterways: This entry gives the total length of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.
  6 km (the 6-km-long Corinth Canal crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; it shortens a sea voyage by 325 km) (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 106
  Merchant marine: Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. This entry contains information in four fields - total, ships by type, foreign-owned, and registered in other countries. Total includes the number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of ca . . . more
  total: 1,364 (2017)
  by type: bulk carrier 207, container ship 7, general cargo 127, oil tanker 423, other 600 (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 21
  Ports and terminals: This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers handled or ship visits were also considered. Most ports service multiple classes of vessels including bulk carriers (dry and liquid), break bulk cargoes (goods loaded individually in bags, boxes, crates, or drums; sometimes palletized), containers, roll-on/roll-off, and passenger ships. The listing le . . . more
  major seaport(s): Aspropyrgos, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki
  oil terminal(s): Agioi Theodoroi
  container port(s) (TEUs): Piraeus (3,736,644) (2016)
  LNG terminal(s) (import): Revithoussa
- Military and Security :: Greece
- Military expenditures: This entry gives spending on defense programs for the most recent year available as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP); the GDP is calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP). For countries with no military forces, this figure can include expenditures on public security and police.
  2.4% of GDP (2017)
  2.56% of GDP (2016)
  2.54% of GDP (2015)
  2.34% of GDP (2014)
  2.36% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 41
  Military branches: This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and marine forces).
  Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Elliniko Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2013)
  Military service age and obligation: This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation.
  19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 18 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation is 1 year for the Army and 9 months for the Air Force and Navy; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2014)
- Terrorism :: Greece
- Terrorist groups - home based: This entry provides information on the US State Department's designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations headquartered in a specific country, which may or may not be a group's country of origin. Details on each organization's aim(s) and area(s) of operation are provided.
  Revolutionary Struggle (RS):
  aim(s): disrupt the influence of globalization and international capitalism on Greek society and, ultimately, overthrow the Greek Government
  area(s) of operation: operates exclusively inside Greece, primarily in Athens
  note: largely inactive in recent years, with the exception of shootouts with police officers trying to arrest members (April 2018)
- Transnational Issues :: Greece
- Disputes - international: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute . . . more
  Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean SeaGreece rejects the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedoniathe mass migration of unemployed Albanians still remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and Italy
  Refugees and internally displaced persons: This entry includes those persons residing in a country as refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), or stateless persons. Each country's refugee entry includes only countries of origin that are the source of refugee populations of 5,000 or more. The definition of a refugee according to a UN Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a . . . more
  refugees (country of origin): 13,714 (Syria) (2017)
  stateless persons: 198 (2017)

  note: 1,118,070 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2018); as of the end of June 2018, an estimated 62,938 migrants and refugees were stranded in Greece; 35,052 migrant arrivals in 2017

  Illicit drugs: This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels. Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydroca . . . more
  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; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime

GO TOP