Greece
Hellenic RepublicElliniki Dhimokratia
parliamentary republicIndependence 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Greece as the 2010 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 other anti-Communists and Communist rebels.
Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a group of military officers seized power, establishing a military dictatorship that suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country. In 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.
In 2010, the prospect of a Greek default on its euro-denominated debt created severe strains within the EMU and raised the question of whether a member country might voluntarily leave the common currency or be removed.
Geography
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
20 fieldsLand useshare of 131,957 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)
Natural hazards
severe earthquakes
- volcanism:
- Santorini (elev. 367 m, 1,204 ft) has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations;
- although there have been very few eruptions in recent centuries, Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are classified as historically active
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
22 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2010 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.064 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 (2010 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 Georgios Andreas PAPANDREOU (since 6 October 2009)
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon, 300 seats, elected 4 October 2009one 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* (Mount Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chania, 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, Lefkada, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethymnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serres, 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 Georgios Andreas PAPANDREOU (since 6 October 2009)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- president elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
- election last held on 3 February 2010 (next to be held by February 2015);
- president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government
- election results:
- Karolos PAPOULIAS reelected president; number of parliamentary votes, 266 out of 300
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 4 October 2009 (next to be held by 2013)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.9%, ND 33.5%, KKE 7.5%, LAOS 5.6%, SYRIZA 4.6%, other 4.9%;
- seats by party - PASOK 160, ND 91, KKE 21, LAOS 15, SYRIZA 13;
- note - seats by party as of 15 December 2010 - PASOK 156, ND 86, KKE 21 LAOS 15, SYRIZA 9, DISY 5, Democratic Left 4, independents 4 (DISY and Democratic Left entered parliament as members of ND and SYRIZA, respectively, and the independents entered parliament as members of PASOK);
- only parties supassing a 3% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats;
- parties need 10 seats to become formal parliamentary groups, but can retain that status if the party participated in the last election and received the minimum 3% threshold
Judicial branch
- Supreme Judicial Court;
- Special Supreme Tribunal;
- all judges are appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council
Political parties and leaders
- Anticapitalist Left Cooperation for the Overthrow or ANTARSYA [Petros KONSTANTINOU];
- Coalition of the Radical Left or SYRIZA [Alexis TSIPRAS];
- Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA];
- Democratic Left [Fotis KOUVELIS];
- Democratic Alliance or DISY [Theodora BAKOGIANNI];
- Ecologist Greens [Nikos CHRYSOGELOS];
- Golden Dawn [Nikolaos MICHALOLIAKOS];
- New Democracy or ND [Antonis SAMARAS];
- Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Georgios PAPANDREOU];
- Popular Orthodox Rally or LAOS [Georgios 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, FATF, 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, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Vassilis KASKARELIS
- 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, New Orleans
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Daniel Bennett SMITH
- 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;
- a blue square bearing a white cross appears in the upper hoist-side corner;
- the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country;
- there is no agreed upon meaning for the nine stripes or for the colors;
- the exact shade of blue has never been set by law and has varied from a light to a dark blue over time
National anthem
- name:
- "Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Liberty)
- lyrics/music:
- Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS
note: adopted 1864; the anthem is based on a 158 verse poem by the same name, which was inspired by the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Ottomans; Cyprus also uses "Hymn to Liberty" as its anthem
Economy
Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP about two-thirds that of the leading euro-zone economies.
50 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2010 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 about two-thirds that 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.
But the economy went into recession in 2009 as a result of the world financial crisis, tightening credit conditions, and Athens' failure to address a growing budget deficit, which was triggered by falling state revenues, and increased government expenditures. The economy contracted by 2% in 2009, and 4.8% in 2010.
Greece violated the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criterion of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criterion in 2007-08, before exceeding it again in 2009, with the deficit reaching 15.4% of GDP. Austerity measures reduced the deficit to 9.4% of GDP in 2010.
Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average while per capita income is below; unemployment rose to 12% in 2010. Eroding public finances, a credibility gap stemming from inaccurate and misreported statistics, and consistent underperformance on following through with reforms prompted major credit rating agencies in late 2009 to downgrade Greece's international debt rating, and has led the country into a financial crisis.
Under intense pressure by the EU and international market participants, the government has adopted a medium-term austerity program that includes cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, decreasing tax evasion, reforming the health care and pension systems, and improving competitiveness through structural reforms to the labor and product markets.
Athens, however, faces long-term challenges to push through unpopular reforms in the face of often vocal opposition from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public. Greek labor unions are striking over new austerity measures, but the strikes so far have had a limited impact on the government's will to adopt reforms.
An uptick in widespread unrest, however, could challenge the government's ability to implement reforms and meet budget targets, and could also lead to rioting or violence. In April 2010 a leading credit agency assigned Greek debt its lowest possible credit rating; in May, the International Monetary Fund and Eurozone governments provided Greece emergency short- and medium-term loans worth $147 billion so that the country could make debt repayments to creditors.
In exchange for the largest bailout ever assembled, the government announced combined spending cuts and tax increases totaling $40 billion over three years, on top of the tough austerity measures already taken. Greece, however, struggled to boost revenues and cut spending to meet 2010 targets set by the EU and the IMF, especially after Eurostat - the EU's statistical office - revised upward Greece's deficit and debt numbers for 2009 and 2010.
Greece's lenders are calling on Athens to step up efforts in 2011 to increase tax collection, shore up public enterprises, and rein in health spending, and are planning to give Greece more time to repay its EU-IMF loan. Greece responded by introducing major structural reforms, but investors still question whether Greece can sustain fiscal efforts in the face of a bleak economic outlook and public discontent.
Distribution of family income - Gini index
33 (2005) · 35.4 (1998) country comparison to the world: 96
Central bank discount rate
1.75% (31 December 2009) · 3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 117 note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Commercial bank prime lending rate
8.59% (31 December 2009 est.) · 8.65% (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Stock of narrow money
$152.8 billion (31 December 2010 est) · $172.8 billion (31 December 2009 est) country comparison to the world: 22 note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
Stock of broad money
$335.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $368.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Stock of domestic credit
$419.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.) · $394.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
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
Natural gas - proved reserves
991.1 million cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 99
Current account balance
-$17.1 billion (2010 est.) · -$34.43 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Exports - commodities
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$NA (31 December 2010 est.); $5.546 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external
$532.9 billion (30 June 2010) · $504.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$48.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $44.93 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$38.66 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $40.45 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)
Communications
7 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)
Broadcast media
- broadcast media dominated by the private sector;
- roughly 150 private TV channels, about a dozen of the private channels broadcast at the national or regional level;
- 3 publicly-owned terrestrial TV channels with national coverage, 1 publicly-owned satellite channel, and 3 stations designed for digital terrestrial transmissions;
- multi-channel satellite and cable TV services obtainable;
- upwards of 1,500 radio stations broadcasting, nearly all of them privately-owned;
- state-run broadcaster has 7 national stations, 2 international stations, and 19 regional stations (2007)
Transportation
10 fieldsMerchant marine, 886 ships by type
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 2,548 km
country comparison to the world: 66
- 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 (2008)
Roadways
- total:
- 117,533 km
country comparison to the world: 38
- paved:
- 107,895 km (includes 880 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 9,638 km (2005)
Waterways
6 km country comparison to the world: 108 note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2010)
Military
Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2009)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2009)
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:
- 2,502,268
- females age 16-49:
- 2,486,171 (2010 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 2010. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/greece/2010.