Greece is officially known as the Hellenic Republic. Greece is situated in southeastern Europe on the south of the Balkan Peninsula, at the juncture of Europe, Asia and Africa, bordering Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea borders Greece to the east and south and the Ionian Sea borders to the west. It is a member of Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union, NATO, the OECD, the WEU and ESA. Athens is the capital of Greece.
HISTORY:- Indo-European groups, including the Minoans and the Myceneans migrated into Greece around 2000 B.C. During this time, Greece experienced an advent of a highly sophisticated civilization. After Greece was invaded by the Dorians, and a dark age started as described in Homer’s epics. After the age, Greece had flourished as a culturally devoted country. The prosperity touched its zenith in the 5th century. But the grandeur was shattered in the Peloponnesian War (431–404 B.C.) when Philip II and his son Alexander the Great of Macedonia conquered Greece. The status of Greece declined as it had became a Roman province in 146 BC and remained until 1204. After the Turks took over Constantinople, Greece was included in the Ottoman Empire. In 1821, struggle for independence began and in 1827 Greek was recognized as an independent state. After the assassination of Ioannis Kapodistrias, Prince Otto of Bavaria was chosen as the first king of Greece by the protecting powers. George I was chosen as the next king in 1863. Following the Balkan Wars, Greece incorporated many territories and advanced socially and economically. The unsuccessful war against the Turks led the downfall of the kingdom and republic was introduced in 1923. In 1940, Italy demanded Greek. In the following Greco-Italian War, Greek troop repelled Italians into Albania. The civil war (1944 to 1949) between the Royalists and Communists led to the economic and social crisis which the Communists lost. In 1974 finally the Greek monarchy was replaced by a republic. Greece joined European Union as its 10th member in 1981.
GEOGRAPHY:- Greek is located at 39 00 N, 22 00 E in Southern Europe, possessing total 131,940 sq km (land: 130,800 sq km, water: 1,140 sq km) area. The coastline is 13,676 km long bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. The lowest point is the Mediterranean Sea (0 m) and the highest point is the Mount Olympus (2,917 m). Greece is an irregular-shaped peninsula. Greece is mostly mountainous. The Greek islands are divided into two groups- the Ionian islands and the Aegean islands.
CLIMATE:- The climate of Greece is mainly temperate with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
GOVERNMENT:- Greece has a Parliamentary republic. The constitution was adopted on 11th June 1975 and was amended in 1986 and 2001. The legal system is based on the codified Roman law. The three major branches of the government are:
Executive branch comprises the President (chief of state), the Prime minister (head of government), and the cabinet. The cabinet ministers are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Prime minister.
Legislative branch comprises the unicameral Parliament (300 seats).
Judicial branch comprises the Supreme Judicial Court and the Special Supreme Tribunal. The judiciary is divided into the civil, criminal, and administrative courts.
Prominent political parties of Greece are New Democracy (ND), Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Coalition of the Left (SYNASPISMOS), and Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS). Suffrage is universal and compulsory at the age of 18.
Executive branch comprises the President (chief of state), the Prime minister (head of government), and the cabinet. The cabinet ministers are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Prime minister.
Legislative branch comprises the unicameral Parliament (300 seats).
Judicial branch comprises the Supreme Judicial Court and the Special Supreme Tribunal. The judiciary is divided into the civil, criminal, and administrative courts.
Prominent political parties of Greece are New Democracy (ND), Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Coalition of the Left (SYNASPISMOS), and Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS). Suffrage is universal and compulsory at the age of 18.
President Karolos Papoulias
Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis
Speaker Dimitris Sioufas
Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis
Speaker Dimitris Sioufas
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:- Greece is divided into 13 peripheries and 1 autonomous region (Mt. Athos). The peripheries are in turn sub-divided into 51 prefectures.
CULTURE:- Greece had gifted the world some concepts like democracy Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, Western literature and historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, and the two major genres of drama- tragedy and comedy. The classical Greek culture had started since the Mycenaean and Minoan Civilizations. Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire had also influenced The Greek culture. Moussaka, stifado, Greek Salad, spanakopita and Souvlaki are the most famous dishes of Greece. Football, Cricket, Handball, Water Polo, Volleyball, basketball are most widely practiced sports by the Greeks.
ECONOMY:- Greece has a capitalist economy. The dominant Greek industries are tourism, shipping industries, banking, finance, manufacturing, construction and telecommunications.
GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $326.4 billion; per capita $30,500.
Real growth rate: 3.7%.
Inflation: 2.6%.
Unemployment: 8.4%.
Arable land: 21%.
Agriculture: Wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products.
Labor force: 4.94 million; agriculture 12%, industry 20%, services 68% (2004 est.).
Industries: Tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum.
Budget:
Revenues: $111.8 billion
Expenditures: $120.6 billion (2007 est.)
Revenues: $111.8 billion
Expenditures: $120.6 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt: 89.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Debt - external: $86.72 billion (31 December 2007)
Natural resources: Lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential.
Exports: $25.76 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles.
Imports: $79.92 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals.
Major trading partners: Germany, Italy, UK, Bulgaria, U.S., Cyprus, Turkey, France, Netherlands, Russia, South Korea (2006).
Monetary unit: Euro
LANGUAGE:- Greek is the official language of Greece spoken by almost 99% if the population. Rest of the population (1%) speaks in English and French.
CITIES:- The capital of Greece is Athen, which is also the largest city of Greece. Other large cities are Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion, Volos, Ioannina, Larissa and Kavala.
POPULATION:- The estimated population of Greece is 10,706,290 with a growth rate of 0.2%.
Density per sq mi: 212
Literacy rate: 98% (2003 est.)
Density per sq mi: 212
Literacy rate: 98% (2003 est.)
RACE:-
Greek 98%
Other 2%
Greek 98%
Other 2%
RELIGION:-
Greek Orthodox 98%
Islam 1%
Other 1%
Greek Orthodox 98%
Islam 1%
Other 1%
HEALTH:-
Birth rate: 9.54 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: 10.42 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.52 years
Total fertility rate: 1.36 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.)
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2005): 2,955
Birth rate: 9.54 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: 10.42 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.52 years
Total fertility rate: 1.36 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.)
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2005): 2,955
UNICEF:- UNICEF works on child health, nutrition, child rights and education in Greece.
TRANSPORTATION:-
Railways: total: 2,571 km (2006).
Highways: total: 114,931 km; paved: 105,507 km; unpaved: 9,424 km (2004). Waterways: 6 km; (2007).
Ports and harbors: Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Peiraiefs, Thessaloniki. Airports: 81 (2007).
Railways: total: 2,571 km (2006).
Highways: total: 114,931 km; paved: 105,507 km; unpaved: 9,424 km (2004). Waterways: 6 km; (2007).
Ports and harbors: Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Peiraiefs, Thessaloniki. Airports: 81 (2007).
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