2015 Edition

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, 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. Since 2010, the prospect of a Greek default on its euro-denominated debt has 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

841.4 cu m/yr (2007)

total

9.47 cu km/yr (9%/2%/89%)

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

15,550 sq km (2007)

Land boundaries

border countries (4)

Albania 212 km, Bulgaria 472 km, Macedonia 234 km, Turkey 192 km

total

1,110 km

Land use

arable land 19.7%; permanent crops 8.9%; permanent pasture 34.8%

agricultural land

63.4%

forest

30.5%

other

6.1% (2011 est.)

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) 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

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

Total renewable water resources

74.25 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

14.01% (male 777,647/female 732,137)

15-24 years

9.72% (male 534,855/female 512,183)

25-54 years

42.97% (male 2,306,832/female 2,323,787)

55-64 years

12.84% (male 679,033/female 704,833)

65 years and over

20.46% (male 964,736/female 1,239,600) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

8.66 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Death rate

11.09 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

33.4%

potential support ratio

3% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

56.2%

youth dependency ratio

22.8%

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.1% 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

Health expenditures

9.8% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

4.8 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

5.16 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

83.2 years (2015 est.)

male

77.83 years

total population

80.43 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.9% (2015 est.)

male

98.5%

total population

97.7%

Major urban areas - population

ATHENS (capital) 3.052 million (2015)

Median age

female

44.9 years (2015 est.)

male

42.8 years

total

43.8 years

Nationality

adjective

Greek

noun

Greek(s)

Net migration rate

2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

25.1% (2014)

Population

10,775,643 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.01% (2015 est.)

Religions

Greek Orthodox (official) 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 99.2% of population

rural: 98.1% of population

total: 99% of population

urban: 0.8% of population

rural: 1.9% of population

total: 1% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

18 years (2012)

male

18 years

total

18 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.04 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

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.42 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

63.2% (2012 est.)

male

48.4%

total

55.3%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.47% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

78% of total population (2015)

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)

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

many previous; latest entered into force 11 June 1975; amended 1986, 2001, 2008 (2013)

Country name

conventional long form

Hellenic Republic

conventional short form

Greece

former

Kingdom of Greece

local long form

Elliniki Dimokratia

local short form

Ellas or Ellada

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador David D. PEARCE (since 18 October 2013)

consulate(s) general

Thessaloniki (2012)

embassy

91 Vasillisis 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 Christos P. PANAGOPOULOUS (since 17 September 2012)

consulate(s)

Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Tampa (FL), San Francisco

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

chief of state

President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)

election results

Prokopis PAVLOPOULOS (ND) elected president by Parliament - 233 of 300 votes

elections/appointments

president indirectly 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 in the Hellenic Parliament

head of government

Prime Minister Alexis TSIPRAS (since 21 September 2015); note - Vassiliki THANOU-CHRISTOPHILOU 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

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

1830 (from the Ottoman Empire)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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

Legal system

civil legal system based on Roman law

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 pecentage; members serve 4-year terms)

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

elections

last held on 20 September 2015 (next to be held in 2019); note - snap elections were called because of upheaval in the ruling Syriza party over a new bailout deal with international creditors

National anthem

lyrics/music

Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS

name

"Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Liberty)

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties and leaders

Coalition of the Radical Left or SYRIZA [Alexis TSIPRAS]

Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Dimitris KOUTSOUMBAS]

Democratic Left or DIMAR [Thanassis THEOHAROPOULOS]

Golden Dawn [Nikolaos MICHALOLIAKOS]

Independent Greeks or ANEL [Panagiotis (Panos) KAMMENOS]

Movement of Democratic Socialists or KIDISO [George PAPANDREOU]

New Democracy or ND [Vangelis MEIMARAKIS]

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$127.9 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$119.5 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

0.75% (31 December 2013)

1.5% (31 December 2010)

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

6.6% (31 December 2014 est.)

7% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

$2.202 billion (2014 est.)

$1.768 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$568.7 billion (30 September 2013 est.)

$577.2 billion (2012)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

34.4 (2013 est.)

33 (2005)

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. Austerity measures reduced the deficit to about 4% in 2013, including government debt payments, but the deficit spiked to 12.7% of GDP in 2014. 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 adopted a medium-term austerity program that includes cutting government spending, decreasing tax evasion, overhauling the health-care and pension systems, and reforming the labor and product markets. Athens, however, faced long-term challenges to continue pushing through unpopular reforms in the face of widespread unrest 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 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. European leaders and the IMF agreed in October 2011 to provide Athens a second bailout package of $169 billion. The second deal however, called for holders of Greek government bonds to write down a significant portion of their holdings. As Greek banks held a significant portion of sovereign debt, the banking system was 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 loan, Greece promised to introduce an additional $7.8 billion in austerity measures during 2013-15. However, the massive austerity cuts have prolonged Greece's economic recession and depressed tax revenues. Greece's lenders have continually called on Athens to step up efforts to increase tax collection, dismiss public servants, privatize public enterprises, and rein in health spending.

Investor confidence began to show signs of strengthening by the end of 2013, and the decline in GDP slowed to 3.9% that year, Greece’s best performance since 2009. Greece subsequently marked three significant milestones in 2014: balancing its 2013 budget - not including debt repayments; re-entering financial markets in April with the first issue of government debt since 2010; and posting its first quarter of positive growth since 2008. Buoyed by Greece’s success, Prime Minister Antonios SAMARAS in October announced plans to exit its bailout program early, provoking a plunge in the Greek stock and debt markets that pushed Greece back to the negotiating table with its creditors and ultimately resulted in an agreement to extend the EU portion of Greece’s bailout through February 2015. The Greek economy posted an annual economic growth rate of 0.8 percent in 2014, the first year of positive growth since 2008. However, widespread discontent with austerity measures resulted in a victory for the anti-austerity SYRIZA in the January 2015 parliamentary elections. In February, Greece reached a tentative agreement with its creditors that would provide emergency liquidity to Greece in exchange for significant economic reforms. Uncertainty regarding Greece’s future in the Eurozone has dampened investor confidence and lowered growth projections for 2015.

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.7489 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)

0.78 (2012 est.)

0.7185 (2011 est.)

0.755 (2010 est.)

Exports

$35.8 billion (2014 est.)

$36.6 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Turkey 12.2%, Italy 9.4%, Germany 6.8%, Bulgaria 5.3%, Cyprus 5% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

30.6%

government consumption

16.8%

household consumption

72%

imports of goods and services

-34.4%

investment in fixed capital

12.9%

investment in inventories

2.2%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3.5%

industry

15.9%

services

80.6% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$25,900 (2014 est.)

$25,700 (2013 est.)

$26,700 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

0.8% (2014 est.)

-3.9% (2013 est.)

-6.6% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$238 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$284.3 billion (2014 est.)

$282.1 billion (2013 est.)

$293.5 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

11.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

12.3% of GDP (2013 est.)

11.5% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.4% (2013 est.)

lowest 10%

2%

Imports

$62.8 billion (2014 est.)

$62.19 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners

Germany 10.2%, Russia 10%, Iraq 8.2%, Italy 8.1%, China 5.2%, Kazakhstan 5.1%, Netherlands 5%, France 4.6% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

0% (2014 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-1.3% (2014 est.)

-0.9% (2013 est.)

Labor force

3.91 million (2013 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

12.9%

industry

14.7%

services

72.4% (2013 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$44.58 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$33.65 billion (31 December 2011)

$72.64 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

44% (2013 est.)

Public debt

174.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

175.1% of GDP (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$6.433 billion (February 2015 est.)

$5.752 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$260.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$264.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$46.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$46.35 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$30.71 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$27.74 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$302 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$332.1 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$124.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$126.7 billion (31 December 2013 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

Taxes and other revenues

48.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

26.5% (2014 est.)

27.5% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

78.8 million Mt (2013 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

418,300 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - production

1,247 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

10 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

52.02 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

2.602 billion kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

70.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

11.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

15.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

4.705 billion kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

22.3 million kW (2012 est.)

Electricity - production

54.98 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

3.6 billion cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

3.866 billion cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

5 million cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

991.1 million cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

284,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

183,100 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

124,600 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

498,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Broadcast media

Broadcast media dominated by the private sector; roughly 150 private TV channels, about ten of which broadcast nation-wide; 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)

Internet country code

.gr

Internet users

percent of population

57.9% (2014 est.)

total

6.2 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

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 - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

48 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

5.22 million

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

119 (2014 est.)

total

12.8 million

Television broadcast stations

36 (plus 1,341 repeaters); also 2 stations in the American Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Airports

77 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

19

2,438 to 3,047 m

15

914 to 1,523 m

18

over 3,047 m

6

total

68

under 914 m

10 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

7 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

2

total

9

Heliports

9 (2013)

Merchant marine

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)

total

860

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Revithoussa

major seaport(s)

Aspropyrgos, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki

oil terminal(s)

Agioi Theodoroi

Railways

narrow gauge

961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (2014)

standard gauge

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

total

2,548 km

Roadways

paved

41,357 km (includes 1,091 km of expressways)

total

116,960 km

unpaved

75,603 km (2010)

Waterways

6 km (the 6-km-long Corinth Canal crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; it shortens a sea voyage by 325 km) (2012)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

2,469,854 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

2,485,389

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

2,016,552 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

2,032,378

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

49,485 (2010 est.)

male

52,754

Military branches

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

Military expenditures

1.72% of GDP (2012)

2.31% of GDP (2011)

2.63% of GDP (2010)

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)

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

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

199 (2014)