2010 Edition

Background

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.

Area

land

130,647 sq km

total

131,957 sq km

water

1,310 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Alabama

Climate

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Coastline

13,676 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Olympus 2,917 m

lowest point

Mediterranean Sea 0 m

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

782 cu m/yr (1997)

total

8.7 cu km/yr (16%/3%/81%)

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 22 00 E

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

Irrigated land

14,530 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km

total

1,228 km

Land use

arable land

20.45%

other

70.96% (2005)

permanent crops

8.59%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea

12 nm

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

72 cu km (2005)

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.3% (male 788,722/female 742,270) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,568,660/female 3,578,344) 65 years and over: 19.2% (male 902,617/female 1,156,815) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

9.34 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

10.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4% of GDP (2005)

Ethnic groups

population

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

11,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

5.58 deaths/1,000 live births

total

5.08 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.52 years (2010 est.)

male

77.24 years

total population

79.8 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

94.2% (2001 census)

male

97.8%

total population

96%

Median age

female

43.2 years (2010 est.)

male

41.1 years

total

42.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Greek

noun

Greek(s)

Net migration rate

2.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

10,749,943 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.106% (2010 est.)

Religions

Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2007)

male

16 years

total

17 years

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.)

Total fertility rate

1.37 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

61% of total population (2008)

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

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

37 59 N, 23 44 E

name

Athens

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Country name

conventional long form

Hellenic Republic

conventional short form

Greece

former

Kingdom of Greece

local long form

Elliniki Dhimokratia

local short form

Ellas or Ellada

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Daniel Bennett SMITH

consulate(s) general

Thessaloniki

embassy

91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens

FAX

[30] (210) 645-6282

mailing address

PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108

telephone

[30] (210) 721-2951

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Vassilis KASKARELIS

consulate(s)

Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa

FAX

[1] (202) 939-1324

telephone

[1] (202) 939-1300

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)

election results

Karolos PAPOULIAS reelected president; number of parliamentary votes, 266 out of 300

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

head of government

Prime Minister Georgios Andreas PAPANDREOU (since 6 October 2009)

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

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

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

elections

last held on 4 October 2009 (next to be held by 2013)

National anthem

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

name

"Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Liberty)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

1.75% (31 December 2009) 3% (31 December 2008) 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.)

Current account balance

-$17.1 billion (2010 est.) -$34.43 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$532.9 billion (30 June 2010) $504.6 billion (31 December 2008)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

33 (2005) 35.4 (1998)

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.

Electricity - consumption

58.28 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

1.962 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

7.575 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

58.79 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)

Exports

$21.14 billion (2010 est.) $21.34 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Germany 11.11%, Italy 11.05%, Cyprus 7.28%, Bulgaria 6.74%, US 4.95%, UK 4.4%, Turkey 4.23% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4%

industry

17.6%

services

78.5% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$30,200 (2010 est.) $31,500 (2009 est.) $32,200 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

-4.8% (2010 est.) -2% (2009 est.) 2% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$302 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$321.7 billion (2010 est.) $337.9 billion (2009 est.) $344.8 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 26% (2000 est.)

Imports

$44.9 billion (2010 est.) $64.2 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners

Germany 13.73%, Italy 12.71%, China 7.08%, France 6.1%, Netherlands 6.02%, South Korea 5.68%, Belgium 4.34%, Spain 4.08% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

3.2% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.5% (2010 est.) 1.2% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

14.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

5.05 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

12.4%

industry

22.4%

services

65.1% (2005 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$54.72 billion (31 December 2009) $90.4 billion (31 December 2008) $264.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

3.528 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

3.556 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - production

9 million cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

991.1 million cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

414,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

153,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - imports

520,900 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - production

6,779 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

10 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

20% (2009 est.)

Public debt

144% of GDP (2010 est.) 126.8% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$NA (31 December 2010 est.) $5.546 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$335.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $368.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$38.66 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $40.45 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$48.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $44.93 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$419.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $394.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$152.8 billion (31 December 2010 est) $172.8 billion (31 December 2009 est) 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

Unemployment rate

12% (2010 est.) 9.4% (2009 est.)

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)

Internet country code

.gr

Internet hosts

2.574 million (2010)

Internet users

4.971 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands

general assessment

adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

5.93 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

13.295 million (2009)

Airports

81 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

67 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 9 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

14 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 12 (2010)

Heliports

9 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 263, cargo 53, carrier 1, chemical tanker 72, container 34, liquefied gas 13, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 116, petroleum tanker 312, roll on/roll off 13, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned

62 (Belgium 16, Bermuda 3, Cyprus 4, Italy 5, UK 27, US 7)

registered in other countries

2,391 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Bahamas 209, Barbados 14, Belize 2, Bermuda 2, Brazil 1, Cambodia 2, Cayman Islands 11, Comoros 3, Cyprus 216, Denmark 1, Dominica 9, Egypt 8, Georgia 3, Germany 1, Gibraltar 7, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 22, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 57, Italy 8, Jamaica 8, Liberia 454, Malta 458, Marshall Islands 358, Mexico 1, Moldova 4, Panama 402, Philippines 4, Portugal 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 63, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 4, Singapore 19, Slovakia 1, Togo 1, UAE 3, UK 1, Uruguay 1, Vanuatu 4, Venezuela 4, unknown 8) (2010)

total

886

Pipelines

gas 1,197 km; oil 75 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Agioi Theodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki

Railways

narrow gauge

961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

standard gauge

1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)

total

2,548 km

Roadways

paved

107,895 km (includes 880 km of expressways)

total

117,533 km

unpaved

9,638 km (2005)

Waterways

6 km note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,502,268 females age 16-49: 2,486,171 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,050,018 females age 16-49: 2,033,450 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

49,828 (2010 est.)

male

53,222

Military branches

Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2009)

Military expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

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)

Disputes - 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 page last updated on January 12, 2011 ======================================================================