| Background: |
Greece achieved
its 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 with Greek-speaking populations. Following the
defeat of communist rebels 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. Democratic elections in 1974 and a
referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished
the monarchy; Greece joined the European Community or EC in
1981 (which became the EU in 1992). |
| 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 |
| Area: |
total:
131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
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 |
| Maritime
claims: |
continental
shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 6 NM |
| Climate: |
temperate; mild,
wet winters; hot, dry summers |
| Terrain: |
mostly mountains
with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains
of islands |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m |
| Natural
resources: |
bauxite, lignite,
magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
19%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 41%
forests and woodland: 20%
other: 12% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
13,140 sq km
(1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
severe
earthquakes |
| Environment
- current issues: |
air pollution;
water pollution |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, 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, Antarctic Treaty,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| 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 |
| Population: |
10,623,835 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
14.98% (male 820,219; female 771,466)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 3,580,535; female
3,569,755)
65 years and over: 17.72% (male 834,234; female
1,047,626) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.21% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
9.83 births/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
9.73 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
1.96 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
6.38 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 78.59 years
male: 76.03 years
female: 81.32 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.33 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.16% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
8,000 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Greek(s)
adjective: Greek |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Greek 98%, other
2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no
ethnic divisions in Greece |
| Religions: |
Greek Orthodox
98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% |
| Languages: |
Greek 99%
(official), English, French |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 98%
female: 93% (1991 est.) |
| 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 |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary
republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974 |
| Administrative
divisions: |
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,
Irakleion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra,
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) |
| Constitution: |
11 June 1975;
amended March 1986 |
| 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)
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos
SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on
the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament for
a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next
to be held by NA March 2005); prime minister appointed by
the president
election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS
reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90% |
| 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 9 April 2000
(next to be held by NA April 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party -
PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%, KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and
Progress 3.2%; seats by party - PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11,
Coalition of the Left and Progress 6 |
| 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) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS];
Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New
Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS];
Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos
SIMITIS] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
Australia Group,
BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO,
G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Alexandros PHILON
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 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador R. Nicholas BURNS
embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160
Athens
mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
telephone: [30] (1) 721-2951
FAX: [30] (1) 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
- overview: |
Greece has a
mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting
for about half of GDP. Tourism is a key industry, providing
a large portion of GDP and foreign exchange earnings. Greece
is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 4% of GDP.
The economy has improved steadily over the last few years,
as the government has tightened policy in the run-up to
Greece's entry into the EU's Economic and Monetary Union
(EMU) on 1 January 2001. In particular, Greece has cut its
budget deficit to below 1% of GDP and tightened monetary
policy, with the result that inflation fell from 20% in 1990
to 3.1% in 2000. Major challenges remaining include the
reduction of unemployment and further restructuring of the
economy, including the privatization of some leading state
enterprises. Growth, 3.8% in 2000, may fall off to 3%-3.5%
in 2001. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $181.9 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3.8% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $17,200 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
8.3%
industry: 27.3%
services: 64.4% (1998) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
3%
highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3.1% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
4.32 million
(1999 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
industry 21%,
agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
11.3% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$45 billion
expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
| Industries: |
tourism; food and
tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products;
mining, petroleum |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
7% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
46.432 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
89.6%
hydro: 9.72%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.68% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
43.343 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
1.65 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
1.811 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat, corn,
barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco,
potatoes; beef, dairy products |
| Exports: |
$15.8 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
manufactured
goods, food and beverages, petroleum products |
| Exports
- partners: |
EU 49% (Germany
15%, Italy 13%, UK 6%), US 6% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$33.9 billion
(c.i.f., 2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
manufactured
goods, foodstuffs, fuels, chemicals |
| Imports
- partners: |
EU 66% (Italy
15%, Germany 15%, France 9%, UK 6%) (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$57 billion (2000
est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$5.4 billion from
EU (1997 est.) |
| Currency: |
drachma (GRD);
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the
euro as a common currency that is now being used by
financial institutions in Greece (which entered the European
Monetary Union on 1 January 2001) at a fixed rate of 340.750
drachmae per euro and will replace the local currency for
all transactions in 2002 |
| Exchange
rates: |
drachmae per US
dollar - 380.21 (December 2000), 365.40 (2000), 305.65
(1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997), 240.71 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
5.431 million
(1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
937,700 (1997) |
| 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: tropospheric scatter; 8
submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1
Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1
Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 26, FM 88,
shortwave 4 (1998) |
| Radios: |
5.02 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
36 (plus 1,341
low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed
Forces Radio and Television Service (1995) |
| Televisions: |
2.54 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.gr |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
27 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
1.33 million
(1999) |
| Railways: |
total:
2,548 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km
electrified; 23 km double track)
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km
0.750-m gauge (a rack-type railway for steep grades) |
| Highways: |
total:
117,000 km
paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 9,594 km (1996) |
| Waterways: |
80 km
note: 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
Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also three
unconnected rivers |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 26 km;
petroleum products 547 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Alexandroupolis,
Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis,
Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus),
Thessaloniki, Volos |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
780 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 25,564,988 GRT/44,761,916
DWT
ships by type: bulk 272, cargo 55, chemical
tanker 22, combination bulk 5, combination ore/oil 6,
container 51, liquefied gas 5, multi-functional large-load
carrier 1, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker
255, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 20, short-sea
passenger 63, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of convenience: South Korea 1, UK
4 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
65
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 9 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
16
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Hellenic Army,
Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, National Guard, Police |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
21 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 2,673,539 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 2,040,227 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
77,976 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$6.12 billion
(FY99/00 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
4.91% (FY99/00
est.) |
| Disputes
- international: |
complex maritime,
air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea;
Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name |
| 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 |
|
