Greece

presidential parliamentary governmentIndependence 1827 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Greece as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 72 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAthens
Area131,940 km2
1990

Every edition of Greece

Populationas each edition published it
10.03 million July 1990 · 10.42m in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 0.95% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 39.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 77.5 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.5 children per woman 1990 · 1.42 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
10 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 3.4 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $8,200 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 1.2% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Land useshare of 131,940 km2

arable land 23%permanent crops 8%meadows and pastures 40%forest and woodland 20%other 9%includes 7% irrigated
Total area
131,940km2
land area: 130,800 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than Alabama
Coastline
13,676km
Territorial sea: 6 nm
Land boundaries
1,228km total
Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Yugoslavia 246 km

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

Disputes

  • complex maritime and air (but not territorial) disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea;
  • Cyprus question;
  • Macedonia question with Bulgaria and Yugoslavia;
  • Northern Epirus question with Albania

Climate

  • temperate;
  • mild, wet winters;
  • hot, dry summers

Terrain

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

Natural resources

bauxite, lignite, magnesite, crude oil, marble

Environment

  • subject to severe earthquakes;
  • air pollution;
  • archipelago of 2,000 islands

Note

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits

People

14 fields
Population
10,028,171
(July 1990), growth rate 0.2% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
11Death
9Net migration
0

Religion

Greek Orthodox 98%Muslim 1.3%other 0.7%

Infant mortality rate

10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

75 years male, 80 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

1.5 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Greek(s); adjective--Greek

Ethnic divisions

Greek 98%, others 2%; note--the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece

Language

Greek (official); English and French widely understood

Labor force

3,860,000; 43% services, 27% agriculture, 20% manufacturing and mining, 7% construction (1985)

Organized labor

10-15% of total labor force, 20-25% of urban labor force

Government

Presidential parliamentary government

17 fields

Legislature, 300 seatsone dot, one seat

-(300 total) New Democracy 150Panhellenic Socialist Movement 123Left Alliance 19PASOK-Left Alliance Cooperation 4Muslim independent 2Democratic Renewal 1Ecologist-Alternative 1

Long-form name

Hellenic Republic

Type

presidential parliamentary government; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Capital

Athens

Administrative divisions

51 departments (nomoi, singular--nomos); Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Iraklion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkira, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos

Independence

1827 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Constitution

11 June 1975

National holiday

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

Executive branch

president, prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (Vouli)

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court Chief of State--President Christos SARTZETAKIS (since 30 March 1985);
  • Head of Government--Prime Minister Constantin MITSOTAKIS (since 11 April 1990)

Political parties and leaders

  • New Democracy (ND; conservative), Constantine Mitsotakis;
  • Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Andreas Papandreou;
  • Democratic Renewal (DR), Constantine Stefanopoulos;
  • Communist Party (KKE), Grigorios Farakos;
  • Greek Left Party (EAR), Leonidas Kyrkos;
  • KKE and EAR have joined in the Left Alliance, Harilaos Florakis, president

Suffrage

  • universal and compulsory at age 18 President--last held 30 March 1985 (next to be held 29 April 1990);
  • results--Christos Sartzetakis was elected by Parliament;
  • April 1994);
  • results--New Democracy 46.89%, Panhellenic Socialist Movement 38.62%, Left Alliance 10.27%, PASOK-Left Alliance Cooperation 1.02%, Ecologist-Alternative 0.77%, Democratic Renewal 0.67%, Muslim 0.5%;
  • seats--(300 total) New Democracy 150, Panhellenic Socialist Movement 123, Left Alliance 19, PASOK-Left Alliance Cooperation 4, Muslim independent 2, Democratic Renewal 1, Ecologist-Alternative 1

Communists

an estimated 60,000 members and sympathizers

Member of

CCC, EC, EIB (associate), FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NATO, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

Diplomatic representation

  • Ambassador Christos ZACHARAKIS;
  • Chancery at 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
  • telephone (202) 667-3168;
  • there are Greek Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, and a Consulate in New Orleans;
  • US--Ambassador Michael G. SOTIRHOS;
  • Embassy at 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens (mailing address is APO New York 09253);
  • telephone [30] (1) 721-2951 or 721-8401;
  • there is a US Consulate General in Thessaloniki

Flag

  • nine equal horizontal stripes of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white;
  • there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross;
  • the cross symbolizes Christianity, the established religion of the country

Economy

Greece has a mixed capitalistic economy with the basic entrepreneurial system overlaid in 1981-89 by a socialist-left-government that enlarged the public sector and became the nation's largest employer.

16 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$56.3billion
per capita $5,605; real growth rate 2.3% (1989 est.)
Inflation, consumer prices
14.8%
(December 1989)
External debt
$20.0billion
(December 1988)

Budget

Revenues
$15.5 billionExpenditures
$23.9 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $2.5 billion (1988)

Overview

Greece has a mixed capitalistic economy with the basic entrepreneurial system overlaid in 1981-89 by a socialist-left-government that enlarged the public sector and became the nation's largest employer. Like many other Western economies, Greece suffered severely from the global oil price hikes of the 1970s, annual GDP growth plunging from 8% to 2% in the 1980s, and inflation, unemployment, and budget deficits rising sharply.

The fall of the socialist government in 1989 and the inability of the conservative opposition to muster a clear majority have led to business uncertainty and the continued prospects for lackluster economic performance. Once the political situation is sorted out, Greece will have to face the challenges posed by the steadily increasing integration of the European Community, including the progressive lowering of tariff barriers. Tourism continues as a major industry, providing a vital offset to the sizable commodity trade deficit.

Exports

  • $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
  • commodities--manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels and lubricants, raw materials;
  • partners--FRG 24%, Italy 14%, nonoil developing countries 11.8%, France 9.5%, US 7.1%, UK 6.8%

Imports

  • $13.5 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
  • commodities--machinery and transport equipment, light manufactures, fuels and lubricants, foodstuffs, chemicals;
  • partners--FRG 22%, nonoil developing countries 14%, oil exporting countries 13%, Italy 12%, France 8%, US 3.2%

Industrial production

growth rate 1.6% (1989 est.)

Electricity

10,500,000 kW capacity; 36,420 million kWh produced, 3,630 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • including fishing and forestry, accounts for 14% of GNP and 27% of the labor force;
  • principal products--wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes, beef, mutton, pork, dairy products;
  • self-sufficient in food;
  • fish catch of 135,000 metric tons in 1987

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $525 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.3 billion

Currency

drachma (plural--drachmas); 1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta

Exchange rates

drachma (Dr) per US$1--158.03 (January 1990), 162.42 (1989), 141.86 (1988), 135.43 (1987), 139.98 (1986), 138.12 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 954 ships by type

passenger 15short-sea passenger 58passenger-cargo 2cargo 164container 18roll-on/roll-off cargo 20refrigerated cargo 27petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 182chemical tanker 10liquefied gas 10combination ore/oil 20specialized tanker 6bulk 407specialized bulk; note--ethnic Greeks also own large numbers of ships under the registry of Liberia, Panama, Cyprus, and Lebanon 15954 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,544,516 GRT/36,858,545 DWT

Airports, 79 total, 77 usable

permanent-surface runways
60runways over 3,659 m
nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m
20runways 1,220-2,439 m
22

Networkskm

Highways
38,938Railroads
2,479Inland waterways
80
Highways: ; 16,090 km paved, 13,676 km crushed stone and gravel, 5,632 km improved earth, 3,540 km unimproved earth · Railroads: ; 1,565 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, of which 36 km electrified and 100 km double track, 892 km 1.000-meter gauge; 22 km 0.750-meter narrow gauge; all government owned · Inland waterways: ; system consists of three coastal canals and three unconnected rivers

Railroads

  • 2,479 km total;
  • 1,565 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, of which 36 km electrified and 100 km double track, 892 km 1.000-meter gauge;
  • 22 km 0.750-meter narrow gauge;
  • all government owned

Highways

38,938 km total; 16,090 km paved, 13,676 km crushed stone and gravel, 5,632 km improved earth, 3,540 km unimproved earth

Inland waterways

80 km; system consists of three coastal canals and three unconnected rivers

Pipelines

crude oil, 26 km; refined products, 547 km

Ports

Piraeus, Thessaloniki

Civil air

39 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

  • adequate, modern networks reach all areas;
  • 4,079,000 telephones;
  • stations--30 AM, 17 (20 repeaters) FM, 39 (560 repeaters) TV;
  • 8 submarine cables;
  • satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), EUTELSAT, and MARISAT systems

Defense Forces

Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49
2,418,754fit for military service
1,861,141about reach military age (21) annually
73,809
Defense expenditures
6.0%of GDP
or $3.4 billion (1989 est.)

Branches

Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force

Central Intelligence Agency. “Greece.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/greece/1990.

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