Greece

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

parliamentary republicIndependence 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Greece as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 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

Position39 00 N, 22 00 E

Area131,940 sq km land area: 130,800 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Alabama

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

Populationas each edition published it

10.54 million July 1996 est. · 10.03m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.42% 1996 est. · 0.95% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 39.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

78.1 years 1996 est. · 77.5 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.37 children per woman 1996 est. · 1.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

7.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 10 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$9,500 1995 est. · $8,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.7% 1995 est. · 1.2% in 1993

Transportation

6 fields

Airports

total: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1995 est.) Defense

Airports

total: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1995 est.) Defense

Geography

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

15 fields

Coastline

13,676km

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

Irrigated land

11,900sq km

(1989 est.)

Location

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

Area

total area: 131,940 sq km land area: 130,800 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries

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

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;
border demarcation with Albania, the treatment of Albania's ethnic Greek minority, and migrant Albanian workers in Greece remain unresolved issues

Climate

temperate;
mild, wet winters;
hot, dry summers

Terrain

mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of islands lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources

bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble

Land use

arable land: 23% permanent crops: 8% meadows and pastures: 40% forest and woodland: 20% other: 9%

Environment

current issues:: air pollution;
water pollution natural hazards: severe earthquakes international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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, Desertification

Geographic 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

10,538,594

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 0.42% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

9.78Death

9.53Net migration

3.98

Religions

Greek Orthodox 98%Muslim 1.3%other 0.7%

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1991 est.) total population: 95% male: 98% female: 93%

Age structure

0-14 years: 16% (male 899,029; female 837,308) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,571,918; female 3,542,556) 65 years and over: 16% (male 736,818; female 950,965) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.1 years male: 75.6 years female: 80.78 years (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Government

Parliamentary republic; President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) was elected for a five-year term by Parliament

21 fields

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

Name of country

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

Type of government

parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Ayion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, 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

1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday

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

Constitution

11 June 1975

Legal system

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) was elected for a five-year term by Parliament;
election last held 10 March 1995 (next to be held by NA 2000);
results - Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS was elected by Parliament head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996) was appointed by the president cabinet: Cabinet was 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;
note - seating as of January 1996: PASOK 170, ND 109, Political Spring 11, KKE 9, independent 1

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

New Democracy (ND; conservative), Miltiades EVERT;
Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Andreas PAPANDREOU (special congress scheduled for July 1996);
Communist Party (KKE), Aleka PAPARIGA;
Political Spring, Andonios SAMARAS;
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos), Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS;
Democratic Social Movement (DIKKI), Dhimitrios TSOVOLAS;
Rainbow Coalition, Pavlos VOSKOPOULOS

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 6, 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, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US

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

FAX

[1] (202) 939-5824 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas M.T. NILES embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, 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.

21 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$9,500

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

1.7%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 1.7% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

8.1%

(1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

9.6%

(1995 est.)

Economic overview

Greece has a mixed capitalist economy. The basic entrepreneurial system underwent extensive socialist change in 1981-89, which enlarged the public sector from 55% of GDP in 1981 to about 70% in 1989. Tourism is a major source of foreign exchange, and agriculture is self-sufficient, except for meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs.

Despite a moderate recovery in industrial output over the last year, the Greek economy remains weak, with real GDP growth of 1.7%; the country's huge public sector and burgeoning budget deficit are contributing to a public debt of 120% of GDP. The government's hard drachma policy and public sector wage restraint are largely responsible for the downward trend in inflation, which is at the lowest level in 20 years.

Investment is likely to be the primary engine for economic growth in 1996. Athens continues to rely heavily on EU aid, which currently amounts to about 4% of GDP. New Prime Minister SIMITIS's reputation as the architect of Athens' mid-1980s austerity program suggests that he will pursue prudent economic policies that will bring Greece closer to meeting the EU criteria for participating in economic and monetary union. SIMITIS faces strong opposition to further privatization and further austerity.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $101.7 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 11.8% industry: 22.2% services: 66% (1994)

Labor force

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

Budget

revenues: $43.2 billion (excluding privatization receipts) expenditures: $47 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity

capacity: 8,970,000 kW production: 35.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,257 kWh (1993)

Agriculture

wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; meat, dairy products

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis and limited opium;
mostly for domestic consumption;
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

How to cite ← 1995 edition 1997 edition →

Transportation

Geography

People

Government

Economy

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