Greece
Hellenic RepublicElliniki Dhimokratia
parliamentary republicIndependence 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Greece as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 137 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. 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 Communist rebels.
Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 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 in 2001.
Geography
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
20 fieldsLand useshare of 131,940 sq km
Location
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Natural resources
lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 8.7 cu km/yr (16%/3%/81%)
- per capita:
- 782 cu m/yr (1997)
Environment - international agreements
- 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
strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
People
21 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)
Male · female
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.78 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Ethnic groups
population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001 census) note: percents represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect data on ethnicity
Government
Parliamentary republic; President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005); Prime Minister Konstandinos (Kostas) KARAMANLIS (since 7 March 2004)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon, 300 seatsone dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Hellenic Republic
- conventional short form:
- Greece
- local long form:
- Elliniki Dhimokratia
- local short form:
- Ellas or Ellada
- former:
- Kingdom of Greece
Capital
- 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
51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*; Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos
Legal system
- based on codified Roman law;
- judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts;
- accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Konstandinos (Kostas) KARAMANLIS (since 7 March 2004)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
- elections:
- president elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
- election last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held by February 2010);
- according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms;
- president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government
- election results:
- Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of parliamentary votes, 279 out of 300
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- elections last held 16 September 2007 (next to be held by 2011)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - ND 41.8%, PASOK 38.1%, KKE 8.2%, Synaspismos 5%, LAOS 3.8%, other 3.1%;
- seats by party - ND 152, PASOK 102, KKE 22, Synaspismos 14, LAOS 10
Judicial branch
- Supreme Judicial Court;
- Special Supreme Tribunal;
- all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council
Political parties and leaders
- Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS];
- Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA];
- New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS];
- Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU];
- Popular Orthodox Rally or LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS];
- Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Dimitris DASKALOPOULOS];
- General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Ioannis PANAGOPOULOS]
International organization participation
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Alexandros P. MALLIAS
- 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, San Francisco, Tampa
- consulate(s):
- Atlanta, Houston
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Daniel V. SPECKHARD
- embassy:
- 91 Vasilisis 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
- 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 capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75% of the leading euro-zone economies.
51 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2007 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75% of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% 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 grew by nearly 4.0% per year between 2003 and 2007, due partly to infrastructural spending related to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and in part to an increased availability of credit, which has sustained record levels of consumer spending.
Greece violated the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criteria in 2007. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average, but are falling. The Greek Government continues to grapple with cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and reforming the labor and pension systems, in the face of often vocal opposition from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public.
The economy remains an important domestic political issue in Greece and, while the ruling New Democracy government has had some success in improving economic growth and reducing the budget deficit, Athens faces long-term challenges in its effort to continue its economic reforms, especially social security reform and privatization.
Stock of money
NA
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU);
individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Agriculture - products
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries
tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Exports - commodities
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service
- domestic:
- microwave radio relay trunk system;
- extensive open-wire connections;
- submarine cable to offshore islands
- 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)
Television broadcast stations
36 (plus 1,341 repeaters); also 2 stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)
Transportation
10 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 2,571 km
- standard gauge:
- 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)
- narrow gauge:
- 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
- dual gauge:
- 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2006)
Waterways
6 km note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2007)
Merchant marine
- total:
- 869
- by type:
- bulk carrier 260, cargo 66, carrier 1, chemical tanker 66, combination ore/oil 2, container 45, liquefied gas 10, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 115, petroleum tanker 274, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 2
- foreign-owned:
- 64 (Belgium 16, Cyprus 7, Turkey 1, UK 32, US 8)
- registered in other countries:
- 2,357 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Bahamas 209, Barbados 12, Belize 1, Bermuda 9, Brazil 1, Cambodia 3, Cayman Islands 16, China 2, Comoros 6, Cyprus 259, Denmark 4, Dominica 10, Egypt 8, Georgia 5, Gibraltar 6, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 22, Isle of Man 50, Italy 6, Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Liberia 358, Maldives 1, Malta 452, Marshall Islands 269, Norway 3, Panama 510, Philippines 4, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 71, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 15, Slovakia 2, Turkey 1, UAE 3, Uruguay 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 5) (2008)
Military
Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2007)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2007)
Military service age and 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;
- 17 years of age for volunteers;
- conscript service obligation - 1 year for all services;
- women are eligible for voluntary military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 2,535,174
- females age 16-49:
- 2,517,273 (2008 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea;
- Cyprus question with Turkey;
- Greece rejects the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia;
- the mass migration of unemployed Albanians still remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and Italy
Illicit drugs
- 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Greece.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/greece/2008.