2020 Edition

Background

Greece won independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830 and became a kingdom. 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. The communists were defeated in 1949, and Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a military coup forced the king to flee the country. The ensuing military dictatorship collapsed in 1974, and Greece abolished the monarchy to become a parliamentary republic. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. From 2009 until 2019, Greece suffered a severe economic crisis due to nearly a decade of chronic overspending and structural rigidities. Beginning in 2010, Greece entered three bailout agreements -- the first two with the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the IMF; and the third in 2015 with the European Stability Mechanism -- worth in total about $300 billion. The Greek Government formally exited the third bailout in 2018, and Greece's economy has since improved significantly. In 2022, the country finalized its early repayment to the IMF and graduated on schedule from the EU's enhanced surveillance framework.

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

highest point

Mount Olympus 2,917

lowest point

Mediterranean Sea 0 m

mean elevation

498 m

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, with an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Irrigated land

12,191 sq km (2021)

Land boundaries

border countries

Albania 212 km; Bulgaria 472 km; North Macedonia 234 km; Turkey 192 km

total

1,110 km

Land use

agricultural land

41.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 14.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.)

forest

36.9% (2023 est.)

other

21.3% (2023 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

6 nm

Natural hazards

severe earthquakes volcanism: Santorini (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; Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are also classified as historically active

Natural resources

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

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 urban clusters

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

13.8% (male 742,131/female 699,079)

15-64 years

62.6% (male 3,278,906/female 3,267,140)

65 years and over

23.6% (2024 est.) (male 1,096,825/female 1,377,010)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

6.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

7.38 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.4% (2023 est.)

Death rate

11.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

38.4 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

2.6 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

60.1 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

21.7 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

6.4% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Greek 91.6%, Albanian 4.4%, other 4% (2011 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.69 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

8.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.2 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.6 years

male

79.4 years

total population

81.9 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

3.154 million ATHENS (capital), 815,000 Thessaloniki (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

48.3 years

male

44.6 years

total

46.8 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

30.7 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Greek

noun

Greek(s)

Net migration rate

1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.9% (2016)

Physician density

6.58 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

5,318,657

male

5,105,879

total

10,424,536 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.35% (2025 est.)

Religions

Greek Orthodox 81-90%, Muslim 2%, other 3%, none 4-15%, unspecified 1% (2015 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

21 years (2022 est.)

male

21 years (2022 est.)

total

21 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.8 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

24.6% (2025 est.)

male

30.3% (2025 est.)

total

27.3% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.42 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

80.7% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

the origin of the name is uncertain; according to tradition, the city is named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, but the name is probably pre-Hellenic

geographic coordinates

37 59 N, 23 44 E

name

Athens

time difference

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

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

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by at least 50 members of Parliament and agreed by three-fifths majority vote in two separate ballots at least 30 days apart; passage requires absolute majority vote by the next elected Parliament; entry into force finalized through a "special parliamentary resolution"; articles on human rights and freedoms and the form of government cannot be amended

history

many previous; latest entered into force 11 June 1975

Country name

conventional long form

Hellenic Republic

conventional short form

Greece

etymology

the English name derives from the Roman (Latin) designation Graecia, meaning "Land of the Greeks"; the Greeks call their country Ellas or Ellada, which is probably derived from Hellas, the name of the mythical son of Deucalian

former

Hellenic State, Kingdom of Greece

local long form

Elliniki Dimokratia

local short form

Ellas or Ellada

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Kimberly Ann GUILFOYLE (since 4 November 2025)

consulate(s) general

Thessaloniki

email address and website

athensamericancitizenservices@state.gov https://gr.usembassy.gov/

embassy

91 Vasillisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens

FAX

[30] (210) 724-5313

mailing address

7100 Athens Place, Washington DC 20521-7100

telephone

[30] (210) 721-2951

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Ekaterini NASSIKA (since 27 February 2024)

consulate(s)

Atlanta, Houston

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

gremb.was@mfa.gr https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/the-embassy/

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 Konstantinos TASOULAS (since 13 March 2025)

election results

2025: Konstantinos TASOULAS (ND) elected president by Parliament - 160 of 300 votes 2020: Katerina SAKELLAROPOULOU (independent) elected president by Parliament - 261 of 300 votes

election/appointment process

president elected by Hellenic Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); president appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Hellenic Parliament

expected date of next election

2030

head of government

Prime Minister Kyriakos MITSOTAKIS (since 26 June 2023)

most recent election date

12 February 2025

Flag

description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; a blue square with a white cross is in the upper-left corner meaning: the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion; there is no set meaning for the stripes and colors

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

3 February 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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or Areios Pagos (consists of 56 judges, including the court presidents); Council of State (supreme administrative court) consists of the president, 7 vice presidents, 42 privy councilors, 48 associate councilors and 50 reporting judges, organized into six 5- and 7-member chambers; Court of Audit (government audit and enforcement) consists of the president, 5 vice presidents, 20 councilors, and 90 associate and reporting judges

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges appointed by presidential decree on the advice of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which includes the president of the Supreme Court, other judges, and the prosecutor of the Supreme Court; judges appointed for life after a 2-year probationary period; Council of State president appointed by the Greek Cabinet to serve a 4-year term; other judge appointments and tenure NA; Court of Audit president appointed by decree of the president of the republic on the advice of the SJC; court president serves a 4-year term or until age 67; tenure of vice presidents, councilors, and judges NA

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal and Courts of First Instance (district courts)

Legal system

civil legal system based on Roman law

Legislative branch

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

June 2027

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Hellenic Parliament (Vouli Ton Ellinon)

most recent election date

6/25/2023

number of seats

300 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

New Democracy (ND) (158); Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) (47); Panhellenic Socialist Movement - Movement for Change (PASOK-KINAL) (32); Communist Party (KKE) (21); Other (42)

percentage of women in chamber

22.9%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

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 Freedom" as its anthem

lyrics/music

Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS

title

"Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Freedom)

National coat of arms

the coat of arms was designed by Greek artist Kostas Grammatopoulos and has been in use since 1975; depicted in the national colors of blue and white; the white cross represents the country’s primary religion, Greek Orthodoxy, and the laurel branches symbolize victory

National color(s)

blue, white

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Acropolis, Athens (c); Archaeological site of Delphi (c); Meteora (m); Medieval City of Rhodes (c); Archaeological site of Olympia (c); Archaeological site of Mycenae and Tiryns (c); Old Town of Corfu (c); Mount Athos (m); Delos (c); Archaeological Site of Philippi (c); Minoan Palatial Centres (c)

total World Heritage Sites

20 (18 cultural, 2 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

National symbol(s)

Greek cross (white cross on a blue field)

Political parties

Coalition of the Radical Left-Progressive Alliance or SYRIZA-PS  Communist Party of Greece or KKE  Course of Freedom Democratic Patriotic Movement-Victory or NIKI Greek Solution New Democracy or ND PASOK - Movement for Change or PASOK-KINAL Spartans

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agricultural products

maize, wheat, sheep milk, oranges, tomatoes, milk, peaches/nectarines, grapes, watermelons, barley (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

4.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

16.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$114.497 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$111.938 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$22.623 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$15.008 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$16.399 billion (2024 est.)

Economic overview

high-income EU and eurozone economy; growth above euro average, supported by private consumption and EU fund investments; structural reforms strengthening public finances and enhancing resilience within banking system; declining unemployment but low labor productivity and skill shortages

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$106.189 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$107.218 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$108.424 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, packaged medicine, aluminum, olive oil, tobacco (2023)

Exports - partners

Italy 12%, Germany 6%, Cyprus 6%, Bulgaria 4%, USA 4% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

43.7% (2023 est.)

government consumption

19.3% (2023 est.)

household consumption

66.9% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-48.4% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

15.2% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

1.5% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3.3% (2024 est.)

industry

15.4% (2024 est.)

services

68% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$257.145 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

33.4 (2022 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.7% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

2.7% (2022 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$127.82 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$119.234 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$122.408 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, packaged medicine (2023)

Imports - partners

Germany 10%, China 10%, Italy 8%, Iraq 7%, Netherlands 6% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

6.1% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.6% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

3.5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.7% (2024 est.)

Labor force

4.655 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

18.8% (2021 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2023

190.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$374.753 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$383.493 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$392.205 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.7% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.3% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.3% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$35,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$36,900 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$37,800 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$12.061 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$13.608 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$15.222 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

26.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

12.5% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

11.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

10.2% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

26.6% (2024 est.)

male

23.2% (2024 est.)

total

24.7% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

10.091 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

5 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

49,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

production

10.469 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

2.876 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

46.929 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

3.24 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

8.152 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

24.169 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

5.346 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

48.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

9.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

17.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

23.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

92.693 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

3.344 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

8.362 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

11.619 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

1.323 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

991.09 million cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

10 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

308,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

total petroleum production

5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

44 (2023 est.)

total

4.48 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

broadcast media dominated by the private sector; roughly 150 private TV channels, about 10 of which broadcast nationwide; 1 state-owned terrestrial TV channel with national coverage; 3 privately owned satellite channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV services available; over 1,500 radio stations, all privately owned; state-owned broadcaster has 2 national radio stations

Internet country code

.gr

Internet users

percent of population

85% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

47 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

4.69 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

114 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

11.4 million (2024 est.)

Airports

82 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

SX

Heliports

59 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 132, container ship 4, general cargo 79, oil tanker 299, other 701

total

1,215 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Alexandroupoli, Iraklion, Kerkira, Ormos Aliveriou, Piraievs, Soudha, Thessaloniki, Volos

large

1

medium

7

ports with oil terminals

13

small

7

total ports

57 (2024)

very small

42

Railways

total

2,345 km (2020) 731 km electrified

Military - note

the Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF) are responsible for protecting Greece’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; the HAF also maintains a presence on Cyprus (the Hellenic Force in Cyprus or ELDYK) to assist and support the Cypriot National Guard; as a member of the EU, NATO, and other international organizations, the HAF participates in multinational peacekeeping and other security missions abroad, taking a particular interest in missions occurring in the near regions, such as the Balkans, the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, the Middle East, and North Africa; areas of focus for the HAF include instability in the Balkans, territorial disputes with Turkey, and support to European security through the EU and NATO Greece’s NATO membership is a key component of its security; it became a NATO member in 1952 and occupies a strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean on NATO’s southern flank; Greece is host to several NATO facilities, including the Deployable Corps Greece (NDC-GR) headquarters in Thessaloniki, the Combined Air Operations Center in Larissa, the Multinational Peace Support Operations Training Center in Kilkis, the Multinational Sealift Coordination Center in Athens, and the Naval Base, Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre, and NATO Missile Firing Installation at Souda, Crete (2025)

Military and security forces

Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF; Ellinikes Enoples Dynamis, EED): Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES; includes National Guard), Hellenic Navy (Elliniko Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia, EPA; includes air defense) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 112,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

Military deployments

approximately 1,000 Cyprus; 120 Kosovo (NATO); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and imported armaments from Europe and the US; in recent years, France, Germany, the UK, and the US have been major suppliers of weapons systems; Greece's defense industry is capable of producing a range of military hardware, including naval vessels and associated subsystems (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2021

3.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

3.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.7% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2025

2.9% of GDP (2025 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; all Greek men 19-45 are subject to compulsory military service; 12-month obligation for all services (note - as an exception, the duration of the full military service is 9 instead of 12 months if conscripts, after the initial training, serve the entire remaining time in certain areas of the eastern borders, in Cyprus, or in certain military units)  (2026)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

144,694 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

3,743 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

1994 - signed first cooperation agreement with the ESA 2005 - first satellite (Hellas-Sat) for a domestic telecommunications satellite network launched by US; joined ESA (became member state in 2011) 2017 - first domestically manufactured communications satellite (UPSat) released from International Space Station 2019 - began participating in ESA’s quantum communications infrastructure (EuroQCI or “fiber in the sky”) and the US Gateway Lunar orbital/landing programs 2021 - launched ESA-assisted national program to develop, manufacture, launch, and operate small satellites  2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and Moon exploration 2025 - launched demonstrator/experimental RS cube satellite (DUTHSat-2) under ESA-assisted national small satellite program

Space agency/agencies

Hellenic Space Center (HSC; aka Hellenic Space Agency; established 2018) (2025)

Space program overview

focuses on building and operating satellites for communications and remote sensing (RS); researches and develops space-related technologies in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, defense, environmental studies, RS, and telecommunications; contributes to and participates in ESA capabilities and programs; also participates in EU space programs and cooperates bilaterally with European and US space agencies and commercial space sectors; has a commercial space sector that researches, develops, and produces a variety of space technologies and capabilities (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Revolutionary Struggle (RS); Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

10.794 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

6.617 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

44.649 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

62.06 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

air pollution; air emissions from transport and electricity power stations; water pollution; degradation of coastal zones; loss of biodiversity; municipal and industrial waste disposal

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Chelmos Vouraikos; Grevena - Kozani; Kefalonia-Ithaca; Lavreotiki; Lesvos Island; Meteora Pyli; Psiloritis; Sitia; Vikos - Aoos (2024)

total global geoparks and regional networks

9 (2024)

International environmental agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Particulate matter emissions

14.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

68 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

8.107 billion cubic meters (2022)

industrial

279.8 million cubic meters (2022)

municipal

1.687 billion cubic meters (2022)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

5.615 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

22.4% (2022 est.)