Greece

Hellenic RepublicElliniki Dhimokratia

presidential parliamentary governmentIndependence 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Greece as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 83 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 sq km

LocationSouthern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and

Populationas each edition published it

10.65 million July 1995 est. · 10.03m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.72% 1995 est. · 0.95% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 39.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

77.92 years 1995 est. · 77.5 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.46 children per woman 1995 est. · 1.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

8.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 10 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$8,870 1994 est. · $8,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

0.4% 1994 est. · 1.2% in 1993

Geography

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

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Land useshare of 131,940 sq km

arable land 23%permanent crops 8%meadows and pastures 40%forest and woodland 20%other 9%irrigated 11,900 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

131,940sq km

land area: 130,800 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Alabama

Coastline

13,676km

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationterritorial sea: 6 nm

Land boundaries

1,210km

total · Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km

Location

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

International disputes

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea;
Cyprus question;
dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over name, symbols, and certain constitutional provisions;
Greece is involved in a bilateral dispute with Albania over border demarcation, the treatment of Albania's ethnic Greek minority, and migrant Albanian workers in Greece

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, petroleum, marble

Environment

current issues:: air pollution; water pollution
natural hazards:: severe earthquakes
international agreements:: party to - Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Note

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

People

15 fields

Population

10,647,511

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 0.72% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

10.56Death

9.31Net migration

5.99

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years77.92

75.39 · 80.59

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy95%

98% · 93%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1991)

Religions

Greek Orthodox 98%Muslim 1.3%other 0.7%

Labor force

4.077million

by occupation: services 52%, agriculture 23%, industry 25% (1994)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 18% (female 904,374; male 947,494)
15-64 years:: 67% (female 3,601,029; male 3,565,931)
65 years and over:: 15% (female 919,044; male 709,639) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Greek(s)
adjective:: Greek

Ethnic divisions

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

Government

Presidential parliamentary government; President Konstantinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) election last held 10 March 1995 (next to be held by NA 2000); Prime Minister Andreas PAPANDREOU (since 10 October 1993)

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

46.88%

PASOK 46.88%ND 39.30%Political Spring 4.87%KKE 4.54%and Progressive Left (replaced by Coalition of the Left and Progress) 2.94%

Legislature, 300 seatsone dot, one seat

PASOK 170ND 111Political Spring 10KKE 9

Names

conventional long form:: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form:: Greece
local long form:: Elliniki Dhimokratia
local short form:: Ellas
former:: Kingdom of Greece

Digraph

Type

presidential parliamentary government; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Capital

Athens

Administrative divisions

52 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos); Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Dhrama, 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, Piraievs, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala,

Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos, autonomous region

Agion Oros (Mt. Athos)

Independence

1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday

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

Constitution

11 June 1975

Legal system

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Konstantinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) election last held 10 March 1995 (next to be held by NA 2000);
results - Konstantinos STEPHANOPOULOS was elected by Parliament
head of government:: Prime Minister Andreas PAPANDREOU (since 10 October 1993)
cabinet:: Cabinet; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch

unicameral

Chamber of Deputies (Vouli ton Ellinon)

elections last held 10 October 1993 (next to be held by NA October 1997);
results - PASOK 46.88%, ND 39.30%, Political Spring 4.87%, KKE 4.54%, and Progressive Left (replaced by Coalition of the Left and Progress) 2.94%;
seats - (300 total) PASOK 170, ND 111, Political Spring 10, KKE 9

Judicial branch

Supreme Judicial Court, Special Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders

New Democracy (ND; conservative), Miltiades EVERT;
Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Andreas PAPANDREOU;
Communist Party (KKE), Aleka PAPARIGA;
Ecologist-Alternative List, leader rotates;
Political Spring, Antonis SAMARAS;
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos), Nikolaos KONSTANTOPOULOS

Member of

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, FAO, G- 6, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Loucas TSILAS
chancery:: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 939-5800

FAX

[1] (202) 939-5824

consulate(s) general:: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s):: New Orleans

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Thomas M.T. NILES
embassy:: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens
mailing address:: PSC 108, Athens; APO AE 09842
telephone:: [30] (1) 721-2951, 8401

FAX

[30] (1) 645-6282; consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag

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

Economy

Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the basic | entrepreneurial system overlaid in 1981-89 by a socialist system that | enlarged the public sector from 55% of GDP in 1981 to about 70% in | 1989.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$8,870

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

0.4%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 3.2% (1993 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

10.9%

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

10.1%

(1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$28.3 billionExpenditures

$37.6 billion (1994)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $5.2 billion

Installed generating capacity, 8,970,000 kW

Electricity production

35.8 billionElectricity consumption per capita

3,257 (1993)

Overview

Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the basic entrepreneurial system overlaid in 1981-89 by a socialist system that enlarged the public sector from 55% of GDP in 1981 to about 70% in 1989. Since then, the public sector has been reduced to about 60% of GDP. Tourism continues as a major source of foreign exchange, and agriculture is self-sufficient except for meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs.

Over the last decade, real GDP growth has averaged 1.6% a year, compared with the European Union average of 2.2%. Inflation continues to be well above the EU average, and the national debt has reached 140% of GDP, the highest in the EU. Prime Minister PAPANDREOU will probably make only limited progress correcting the economy's problems of high inflation, large budget deficit, and decaying infrastructure.

His economic program suggests that although he will shun his expansionary policies of the 1980s, he will avoid tough measures needed to slow inflation or reduce the state's role in the economy. He has limited the previous government's privatization plans, for example, and has called for generous welfare spending and real wage increases.

Athens continues to rely heavily on EU aid, which recently has amounted to about 6% of GDP. Greece almost certainly will not meet the EU's Maastricht Treaty convergence targets of public deficit held to 3% of GDP and national debt to 60% of GDP by 1999. Per capita GDP has fallen below Portugal's level, the lowest among EU members.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $93.7 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$9 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities:: manufactured goods 53%, foodstuffs 34%, fuels 5%
partners:: Germany 24%, Italy 14%, France 7%, UK 6%, US 4% (1993)

Imports

$19.2 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities:: manufactured goods 72%, foodstuffs 15%, fuels 10%
partners:: Germany 16%, Italy 14%, France 7%, Japan 7%, UK 6% (1993)

External debt

$26.9 billion (1993)

Industries

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

Agriculture

including fishing and forestry, accounts for 12% of GDP;
principal products - wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes;
self-sufficient in food except meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis and limited opium;
mostly for domestic production;
serves as 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;
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $525 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.39 billion

Currency

1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta

Exchange rates

drachmae (Dr) per US$1 - 238.20 (January 1995), 242.60 (1994), 229.26 (1993), 190.62 (1992), 182.27 (1991), 158.51 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 79 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

130,000Railroads

2,503

Highways: paved: 119,210 km (116 km expressways) · unpaved: 10,790 km (1990) · Railroads: standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 100 km double track) · narrow gauge: 887 km 1,000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge; 29 km 0.600-m gauge

Railroads

total:: 2,503 km
standard gauge:: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 100 km double track)
narrow gauge:: 887 km 1,000-m gauge;
22 km 0.750-m gauge;
29 km 0.600-m gauge

Highways

total:: 130,000 km
paved:: 119,210 km (116 km expressways)
unpaved:: 10,790 km (1990)

Inland waterways

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

Pipelines

crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km

Ports

Alexandroupolis, Elevsis, Iraklion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkira, Khalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Piraievs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos

Merchant marine

total:: 1,046 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 29,076,911 GRT/53,618,024 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 469, cargo 105, chemical tanker 22, combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 31, container 40, liquefied gas tanker 5, oil tanker 239, passenger 14, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 16, short-sea passenger 67, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 1

note: ethnic Greeks also own 125 ships under Liberian registry, 323 under Panamanian, 705 under Cypriot, 351 under Maltese, and 100 under Bahamian

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

4,080,000 telephones;
adequate, modern networks reach all areas;
microwave radio relay carries most traffic;
extensive open-wire network;
submarine cables to off-shore islands

local:: NA
intercity:: microwave radio relay and open wire
international:: tropospheric links, 8 submarine cables; 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 EUTELSAT ground station