Greece

Hellenic RepublicElliniki Dimokratia

parliamentary republicIndependence 3 February 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Greece as the 2016 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 164 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, UTC+2
Position39 00 N, 22 00 E
Area131,957 sq km
LocationSouthern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Populationas each edition published it
10.77 million July 2016 est. · 10.03m in 1990
Population growth% a year
-0.03% 2016 est. · 0.95% in 1993
Median ageyears
44.2 years 2016 est. · 39.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
80.5 years 2016 est. · 77.5 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.42 children per woman 2016 est. · 1.5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
4.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 2016 est. · 10 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$26,400 2015 est. · $8,200 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-0.2% 2015 est. · 1.2% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830. 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-communist 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 following the collapse of the dictatorship, 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 (EMU) in 2001.

Greece has suffered a severe economic crisis since late 2009, due to nearly a decade of chronic overspending and structural rigidities. Since 2010, Greece has entered three bailout agreements with the European Commission, the European Central Bank (ECB), and the IMF. The Greek Government agreed to its current, $96 billion bailout in July 2015, which will conclude in August 2018.

Geography

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

19 fields
Area
131,957sq km
land: 130,647 sq kmwater: 1,310 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 97slightly smaller than Alabama
Coastline
13,676km
territorial sea: 12 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Highest point
2,917m
Mount Olympusmean elevation: 498 melevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
1,110km
border countries (4): Albania 212 km, Bulgaria 472 km, Macedonia 234 km, Turkey 192 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 22 00 E

Climate

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

Terrain

mountainous with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Natural resources

lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Land use

agricultural land:
63.4%;
  • arable land 19.7%;
  • permanent crops 8.9%;
  • permanent pasture 34.8%
forest:
30.5%
other:
6.1% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

15,550 sq km (2012)

Population - distribution

  • one-third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens;
  • the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable pockets of urban agglomeration

Natural hazards

severe earthquakes

volcanism:
  • Santorini (elev. 367 m) 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 - current issues

air pollution; water pollution

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 and Society

33 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2016 est.)

975,819
65 and over20.68%
1,252,474
686,182
55-6413%
713,821
2,291,355
25-5442.71%
2,309,664
533,112
15-249.68%
510,133
772,973
0-1413.93%
727,720
MaleFemaleDependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 56.2% · youth dependency ratio: 22.8% · elderly dependency ratio: 33.4% · potential support ratio: 3% (2015 est.)
Population
10,773,253
(July 2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 85growth rate: -0.03% (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 204

Per 1,000 population(2016 est.)

Birth
8.5Death
11.2Net migration
2.3

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2016 est.)80.5
77.9 · 83.3Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)4.6
5.1 · 4.2Literacy (2015 est.)97.7%
98.5% · 96.9%
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years (2016 est.)44.2
43.1 · 45.3School life expectancy years (2013)17
17 · 17Youth unemployment ages 15-24 (2014 est.)52.4%
47.4% · 58.1%
MaleFemaleLife expectancy country comparison to the world: 35 · Infant mortality country comparison to the world: 180 · Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write · Median age country comparison to the world: 7 · Youth unemployment ages 15-24 country comparison to the world: 3

Religions

Greek Orthodox (official) 98%Muslim 1.3%other 0.7%
Urban population
78%of total population
(2015)rate of urbanization: 0.47% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)Major urban areas - population: ATHENS (capital) 3.052 million (2015)
Improved drinking water
100%of population
urban: 100% of populationrural: 100% of populationurban: 0% of populationrural: 0% of populationtotal: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Improved sanitation
99%of population
urban: 99.2% of populationrural: 98.1% of populationurban: 0.8% of populationrural: 1.9% of populationtotal: 1% of population (2015 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
3deaths/100,000 live births
(2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 183Mother's mean age at first birth: 31.2 (2010 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Greek(s)
adjective:
Greek

Ethnic groups

population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001 census) note: data represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect data on ethnicity

Languages

Greek (official) 99%, other (includes English and French) 1%

Population distribution

  • one-third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens;
  • the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable pockets of urban agglomeration

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years:
0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.78 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.42 children born/woman (2016 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Health expenditures

8.1% of GDP (2014) country comparison to the world: 32

Hospital bed density

4.8 beds/1,000 population (2009)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

300 (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

25.1% (2014) country comparison to the world: 96

Education expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 111

Government

Parliamentary republic; President Prokopis PAVLOPOULOS (since 13 March 2015); Prime Minister Alexis TSIPRAS (since 21 September 2015)

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

35.5%
SYRIZA 35.5%ND 28.1%Golden Dawn 7.0%PASOK-DIMAR 6.3%KKE 5.6%To Potami 4.1%ANEL 3.7%EK 3.4%other 6.3%last held on 20 September 2015 (next to be held by 2019)

Hellenic Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon, 300 seats, elected 20 September 2015one dot, one seat

SYRIZA 145ND 75Golden Dawn 18PASOK-DIMAR 17KKE 15To Potami 11ANEL 10EK 9

Percent of vote

SYRIZA 35.5%ND 28.1%Golden Dawn 7.0%PASOK-DIMAR 6.3%KKE 5.6%To Potami 4.1%ANEL 3.7%EK 3.4%other 6.3%

Country name

conventional long form:
Hellenic Republic
conventional short form:
Greece
local long form:
Elliniki Dimokratia
local short form:
Ellas or Ellada
former:
Hellenic State, Kingdom of Greece
etymology:
the English name derives from the Roman (Latin) designation "Graecia," meaning "Land of the Greeks"; the Greeks call their country "Hellas" or "Ellada"

Government type

parliamentary republic

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

13 regions (perifereies, singular - perifereia) and 1 autonomous monastic state* (aftonomi monastiki politeia); Agion Oros* (Mount Athos), Anatoliki Makedonia kai Thraki (East Macedonia and Thrace), Attiki (Attica), Dytiki Ellada (West Greece), Dytiki Makedonia (West Macedonia), Ionia Nisia (Ionian Islands), Ipeiros (Epirus), Kentriki Makedonia (Central Macedonia), Kriti (Crete), Notio Aigaio (South Aegean), Peloponnisos (Peloponnese), Sterea Ellada (Central Greece), Thessalia (Thessaly), Voreio Aigaio (North Aegean)

Independence

  • 3 February 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire);
  • note - 25 March 1821, outbreak of the national revolt against the Ottomans;
  • 3 February 1830, signing of the London Protocol recognizing Greek independence by Great Britain, France, and Russia

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution

  • many previous;
  • latest entered into force 11 June 1975;
  • amended 1986, 2001, 2008 (2016)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Greece
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
10 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Prokopis PAVLOPOULOS (since 13 March 2015)
head of government:
  • Prime Minister Alexis TSIPRAS (since 21 September 2015);
  • note - Vassiliki THANOU-CHRISTOFILOU served as interim prime minister beginning on 27 August 2015 after the resignation of Alexis TSIPRAS on 20 August 2015;
  • she was Greece's first female prime minister
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections/appointments:
  • president elected by Hellenic Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
  • election last held on 18 February 2015 (next to be held by February 2020);
  • president appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Hellenic Parliament
election results:
Prokopios PAVLOPOULOS (ND) elected president by Parliament - 233 of 300 votes

Legislative branch

description:
unicameral Hellenic Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; 288 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 12 seats are filled from nationwide party lists; 50 seats allocated to the party with the highest total valid vote count and remaining seats are apportioned according to each party's or coalition's vote percentage; members serve up to 4 years)
elections:
  • last held on 20 September 2015 (next to be held by 2019);
  • note - snap elections were called because of upheaval in the governing SYRIZA party over a new bailout deal with international creditors
election results:
  • percent of vote by party - SYRIZA 35.5%, ND 28.1%, Golden Dawn 7.0%, PASOK-DIMAR 6.3%, KKE 5.6%, To Potami 4.1%, ANEL 3.7%, EK 3.4%, other 6.3%;
  • seats by party - SYRIZA 145, ND 75, Golden Dawn 18, PASOK-DIMAR 17, KKE 15, To Potami 11, ANEL 10, EK 9;
  • note - only parties surpassing 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

highest court(s):
Hellenic Supreme Court of Civil and Penal Law (consists of 56 judges)
judge selection and term of office:
  • judges selected by the Supreme Judicial Council, which includes the president of the Supreme Court, other judges, and the prosecutor of the Supreme Court;
  • judges appointed for life following a 2-year probationary period
subordinate courts:
  • Supreme Administrative Court;
  • Courts of Appeal;
  • Courts of First Instance;
  • Court of Auditors

Political parties and leaders

  • Anticapitalist Left Cooperation for the Overthrow or ANTARSYA [collective leadership]
  • Coalition of the Radical Left or SYRIZA [Alexios (Alexis) TSIPRAS]
  • Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Dimitrios KOUTSOUMBAS]
  • Democratic Left or DIMAR [Athanasios (Thanassis) THEOCHAROPOULOS]
  • Golden Dawn [Nikolaos MICHALOLIAKOS]
  • Independent Greeks or ANEL [Panagiotis (Panos) KAMMENOS]
  • Movement of Democratic Socialists or KIDISO [Georgiose PAPANDREOU]
  • New Democracy or ND [Kyriakos MITSOTAKIS]
  • Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Fofi GENIMMATA]
  • Popular Unity [Panagiotis LAFAZANIS]
  • To Potami (The River) [Stavros THEODORAKIS]
  • Union of Centrists or EK [Vassilis LEVENTIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • Supreme Administration of Civil Servants Unions 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, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Theocharis LALACOS (since 27 June 2016)
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, Tampa (FL), San Francisco
consulate(s):
Atlanta, Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador David D. PEARCE (since 18 October 2013)
embassy:
91 Vasillisis 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 (2012)

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 symbol(s)

Greek cross (white cross on blue field, arms equal length); national colors: blue, white

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-stanza poem by the same name, which was inspired by the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Ottomans (only the first two stanzas are used); Cyprus also uses "Hymn to Liberty" as its anthem

Economy

Greece has a capitalist economy with a public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP about two-thirds that of the leading euro-zone economies.

41 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$286billion
(2015 est.) · $286.6 billion (2014 est.) · $284.8 billion (2013 est.)note: data are in 2015 US dollarscountry comparison to the world: 56official exchange rate: $195.3 billion (2015 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$26,400
(2015 est.) · $26,200 (2014 est.) · $25,900 (2013 est.)note: data are in 2015 US dollarscountry comparison to the world: 69
Real growth rate
-0.2%
(2015 est.) · 0.7% (2014 est.) · -3.2% (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 195industrial production growth: -2.6% (2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 181
Inflation, consumer prices
-1.7%
(2015 est.) · -1.3% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 12

GDP - composition, by sector of origin(2015 est.)

agriculture 4%industry 15.2%services 80.8% (2015 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

11.2%
Italy
8.4%
7.3%
Germany
10.7%
Russia
7.9%
Iraq
7%
6.6%
Turkey
5.9%
Cyprus
China
5.9%
Netherlands
5.5%
5.2%
Bulgaria
4.8%
US
France
4.5%
4.2%
UK
4%
Egypt
Exports $27.5 billion (2015 est.)Imports $46.62 billion (2015 est.)(2015)

By end use% of GDP

Household consumption
70.5%Government consumption
20.2%Fixed capital
11.7%Inventories
-2.2%Exports
30.2%Imports
-30.3% (2015 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$56.33 billionExpenditures
$60.19 billion (2015 est.)

Economy - overview

Greece has a capitalist economy with a 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 18% 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 averaged growth of about 4% per year between 2003 and 2007, 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. By 2013 the economy had contracted 26%, compared with the pre-crisis level of 2007.

Greece met the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criterion of no more than 3% of GDP in 2007-08, but violated it in 2009, with the deficit reaching 15% of GDP. Deteriorating public finances, inaccurate and misreported statistics, and consistent underperformance on reforms prompted major credit rating agencies to downgrade Greece's international debt rating in late 2009 and led the country into a financial crisis.

Under intense pressure from the EU and international market participants, the government accepted a bailout program that called on Athens to cut government spending, decrease tax evasion, overhaul the civil-service, health-care, and pension systems, and reform the labor and product markets.

Austerity measures reduced the deficit to 3% in 2015. Successive Greek governments, however, failed to push through many of the most unpopular reforms in the face of widespread political opposition, including from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public.

In April 2010, a leading credit agency assigned Greek debt its lowest possible credit rating, and in May 2010, the International Monetary Fund and euro-zone 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 meet the 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.

European leaders and the IMF agreed in October 2011 to provide Athens a second bailout package of $169 billion. The second deal called for holders of Greek government bonds to write down a significant portion of their holdings to try to alleviate Greece’s government debt burden.

However, Greek banks, saddled with a significant portion of sovereign debt, were adversely affected by the write down and $60 billion of the second bailout package was set aside to ensure the banking system was adequately capitalized. In exchange for the second bailout, Greece promised to step up efforts to increase tax collection, to reduce the size of government, and to rein in health spending.

These austerity measures were designed to generate $7.8 billion in savings during 2013-15, but in fact prolonged Greece's economic recession and depressed tax revenues.

In 2014, the Greek economy began to turn the corner on the recession. Greece achieved three significant milestones: balancing the budget - not including debt repayments; issuing government debt in financial markets for the first time since 2010; and generating 0.7% GDP growth — the first economic expansion since 2007.

Despite the nascent recovery, widespread discontent with austerity measures helped propel the far-left Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) party into government in national legislative elections in January 2015. Between January and July 2015, frustrations between the SYRIZA-led government and Greece’s EU and IMF creditors over the implementation of bailout measures and disbursement of funds led the Greek government to run up significant arrears to suppliers and Greek banks to rely on emergency lending, and also called into question Greece’s future in the euro zone.

To stave off a collapse of the banking system, Greece imposed capital controls in June 2015 shortly before rattling international financial markets by becoming the first developed nation to miss a loan payment to the IMF. Unable to reach an agreement with creditors, Prime Minister Alexios TSIPRAS held a nationwide referendum on 5 July on whether to accept the terms of Greece’s bailout, campaigning for the ultimately successful “no” vote.

The TSIPRAS government subsequently agreed, however, to a new $96 billion bailout in order to avert Greece’s exit from the monetary bloc. On 20 August, Greece signed its third bailout which allowed it to cover significant debt payments to its EU and IMF creditors and ensure the banking sector retained access to emergency liquidity.

The TSIPRAS government — which retook office on 20 September after calling new elections in late August — successfully secured disbursal of two delayed tranches of bailout funds. Despite the economic turmoil, Greek GDP did not contract as sharply as feared, with official source estimates of a -0.2% contraction in 2015, boosted in part by a strong tourist season.

Gross national saving

9.4% of GDP (2015 est.) · 9.7% of GDP (2014 est.) · 9.2% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

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

Labor force

4.791 million (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
12.6%
industry:
15%
services:
72.4% (30 October 2015 e)

Unemployment rate

25% (2015 est.) · 26.6% (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
1.7%
highest 10%:
26.7% (2015 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36.7 (2012 est.) · 35.7 (2011) country comparison to the world: 81

Taxes and other revenues

28.8% of GDP (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2% of GDP (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Public debt

177.4% of GDP (2015 est.) · 180.5% of GDP (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Fiscal year

calendar year

Central bank discount rate

0.05% (31 March 2016) · 0.15% (11 June 2014) note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area country comparison to the world: 146

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.89% (31 December 2015 est.) · 6.52% (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Stock of narrow money

$86.69 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $84.03 billion (31 December 2014 est.) note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 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 country comparison to the world: 37

Stock of broad money

$260.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $264.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Stock of domestic credit

$259.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $298.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Market value of publicly traded shares

$44.58 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $33.65 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $72.64 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Current account balance

-$8 million (2015 est.) · -$5.006 billion (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Exports

$27.5 billion (2015 est.) · $35.6 billion (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Exports - commodities

food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles

Imports

$46.62 billion (2015 est.) · $65.17 billion (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Imports - commodities

machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$6.026 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $6.212 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Debt - external

$514.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $575.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$21.28 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $26.54 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$30.07 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $34.49 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.885 (2015 est.) · 0.7525 (2014 est.) · 0.7634 (2013 est.) · 0.78 (2012 est.) · 0.7185 (2011 est.)

Energy

24 fields

Electrification% of population · (2016)

100%Total

Installed generating capacity, 19 million kW(2014 est.)

Fossil fuels 70.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)Hydroelectric plants 11.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)Other renewable sources 15.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)Nuclear fuels 0%
Electricity production
48 billion (2014 est.)Electricity consumption
53 billion (2014 est.)Electricity exports
600 million (2014 est.)Electricity imports
9.5 billion (2014 est.)Refined petroleum imports
83,020 (2015 est.)Refined petroleum consumption
297,600 (2015 est.)Refined petroleum production
587,700 (2015 est.)Refined petroleum exports
316,100 (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

1,077 bbl/day (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Crude oil - exports

1,667 bbl/day (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Crude oil - imports

549,500 bbl/day (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Crude oil - proved reserves

10 million bbl (1 January 2016 es) country comparison to the world: 93

Natural gas - production

5 million cu m (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Natural gas - consumption

2.924 billion cu m (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Natural gas - imports

2.931 billion cu m (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Natural gas - proved reserves

991.1 million cu m (1 January 2016 es) country comparison to the world: 104

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

78 million Mt (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Communications

6 fields

Per 100 inhabitants(July 2015 est.)

118Mobile cellular
66.8%Internet users, % of population
48Fixed lines
Mobile cellular
12.682 million
(July 2015 est.)
Internet users
7.202 million
(July 2015 est.)
Fixed lines
5,177,090
(July 2015 est.) · country code .gr

Telephone 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) (2015)

Broadcast media

  • Broadcast media dominated by the private sector;
  • roughly 150 private TV channels, about ten of which broadcast nationwide;
  • 1 government-owned terrestrial TV channel with national coverage;
  • 3 privately owned satellite channels;
  • multi-channel satellite and cable TV services available;
  • upwards of 1,500 radio stations, all of them privately owned;
  • government-owned broadcaster has 2 national radio stations (2014)

Transportation

12 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

6
over 3,047 m
15
2,438 to 3,047 m
19
1,524 to 2,437 m
18
914 to 1,523 m
2
10
under 914 m
7
Paved 68Unpaved 9

Networkskm

Roadways
116,960Railways
2,548Waterways
6 (2012)
Roadways: paved: 41,357 km (includes 1,091 km of expressways) · unpaved: 75,603 km (2010) · Railways: 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 (2014) · Waterways: (the 6-km-long Corinth Canal crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; it shortens a sea voyage by 325 km)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers:
9; inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 93
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
12,583,541
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
27,452,961 mt-km (2015)

Airports

77 (2013) country comparison to the world: 69

Heliports

9 (2013)

Pipelines

gas 1,329 km; oil 94 km (2013)

Railways

total:
2,548 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 (2014)

country comparison to the world: 64

Roadways

total:
116,960 km
paved:
41,357 km (includes 1,091 km of expressways)
unpaved:
75,603 km (2010)

country comparison to the world: 40

Waterways

6 km (the 6-km-long Corinth Canal crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; it shortens a sea voyage by 325 km) (2012) country comparison to the world: 106

Merchant marine

total:
860
by type:
bulk carrier 262, cargo 49, carrier 1, chemical tanker 68, container 35, liquefied gas 13, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 109, petroleum tanker 302, roll on/roll off 14
foreign-owned:
42 (Belgium 17, Bermuda 3, Cyprus 3, Italy 5, UK 6, US 8)
registered in other countries:
2,459 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas 225, Barbados 14, Belize 2, Bermuda 8, Brazil 1, Cabo Verde 1, Cambodia 2, Cayman Islands 9, Comoros 4, Curacao 1, Cyprus 201, Dominica 4, Egypt 8, Gibraltar 8, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 27, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 62, Italy 7, Jamaica 3, Liberia 505, Malta 469, Marshall Islands 408, Mexico 2, Moldova 1, Panama 379, Philippines 5, Portugal 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 42, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 4, Singapore 22, UAE 3, Uruguay 1, Vanuatu 3, Venezuela 4, unknown 10) (2010)

country comparison to the world: 12

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s):
Aspropyrgos, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki
oil terminal(s):
Agioi Theodoroi
LNG terminal(s) (import):
Revithoussa

Military and Security

Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Elliniko Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2013)

3 fields
Military expenditures
2.46%of GDP
(2015 est.) · 2.2% of GDP (2014) · 2.19% of GDP (2013) · 2.26% of GDP (2012)note: based on 2010 pricescountry comparison to the world: 48

Military branches

Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Elliniko Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2013)

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;
  • 18 years of age for volunteers;
  • conscript service obligation is 1 year for the Army and 9 months for the Air Force and Navy;
  • women are eligible for voluntary military service (2014)

Transnational Issues

3 fields

Disputes - international

  • Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea;
  • 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin):
  • 9,101 (Syria);
  • 5,411 (Tanzania);
  • 5,223 (Afghanistan) (2015)
stateless persons:
198 (2015)

note: 1,031,819 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals by sea (2015 - November 2016)

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 2016. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/greece/2016.