from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Greece
Introduction
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 Communist
rebels. Following the latter's defeat 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. The 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 euro zone in 2001.
Geography
Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea,
and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Geographic 39 00 N, 22 00 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Alabama
comparative:
Land total: 1,228 km
boundaries: border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km,
Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km
Coastline: 13,676 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation
Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as
peninsulas or chains of islands
Elevation lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m
Natural lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc,
resources: nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
Land use: arable land: 20.45%
permanent crops: 8.59%
other: 70.96% (2005)
Irrigated 14,530 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural severe earthquakes
hazards:
Environment - air pollution; water pollution
current
issues:
Environment - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
international Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental
agreements: Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds
Geography - strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and
note: southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular
country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000
islands
People
Population: 10,688,058 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.3% (male 790,291/female 742,902)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 3,562,251/female 3,566,097)
65 years and over: 19% (male 891,620/female 1,134,897)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 40.8 years
male: 39.7 years
female: 42 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.18% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 9.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 10.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 4.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 79.24 years
expectancy at male: 76.72 years
birth: female: 81.91 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.34 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.2% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 9,100 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 100 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek
Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, Turkish and 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: 97.5%
male: 98.6%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
People - note: women, men, and children are trafficked to and within
Greece for the purposes of sexual exploitation and
forced labor
Government
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 parliamentary republic
type:
Capital: name: Athens
geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in
March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1
divisions: autonomous region*; Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos),
Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki,
Chalkidiki, Chanion, 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,
Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria,
Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia,
Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos
Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
holiday:
Constitution: 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001
Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into
civil, criminal, and administrative courts; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12
branch: March 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos
(Kostas) KARAMANLIS (since 7 March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by parliament for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election
last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held by February
2010); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents
may only serve two terms; president appoints leader of
the party securing plurality of vote in election to
become prime minister and form a government
election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president;
number of parlimentary votes, 279 out of 300
Legislative unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats;
branch: members are elected by direct popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be
held by March 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%,
PASOK 40.6%, KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party
- ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE 12, Synaspismos 6
Judicial Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all
branch: judges appointed for life by the president after
consultation with a judicial council
Political Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos)
parties and [Alekos ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE
leaders: [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative)
[Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist
Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular
Orthodox Rally or LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]
Political General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE
pressure [Khristos POLYZOGOPOULOS]; Federation of Greek
groups and Industries or SEV [Odysseas KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil
leaders: Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS]
International Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
organization EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
participation: ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIS, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandros MALLIAS
representation chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New
York, San Francisco, Tampa
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Charles P. RIES
representation embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens
from the US: mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951
FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282
consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
Flag nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with
description: 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
Economy - Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector
overview: accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP
at least 75% of the leading euro-zone economies.
Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly
one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs.
Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about
3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by about
4.0% for the between 2003 and 2005, largely because of
an investment boom and infrastructure upgrades for the
2004 Athens Olympic Games. Economic growth slowed to
about 3% in 2005. Greece has not met the EU's Growth
and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of 3% of GDP
since 2000. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment
are above the euro-zone average. To overcome these
challenges, the Greek Government is expected to
continue cutting government spending, reducing the size
of the public sector, and reforming the labor and
pension systems.
GDP $238.2 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $209.7 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 3.7% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $22,300 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 5.4%
composition by industry: 21.3%
sector: services: 73.3% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 4.72 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 12%
by occupation: industry: 20%
services: 68% (2004 est.)
Unemployment 9.9% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 3%
income or highest 10%: 28.3% (1998 est.)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 35.1 (2003)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 3.5% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 24.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $94.13 billion
expenditures: $103.4 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 106.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes,
products: wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries: tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles,
chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Industrial -0.3% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 54.56 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 94.5%
production by hydro: 3.8%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 1.7% (2001)
Electricity - 53.5 billion kWh (2005 est.)
consumption:
Electricity - 2.1 billion kWh (2002)
exports:
Electricity - 4.2 billion kWh (2002)
imports:
Oil - 5,805 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 435,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 84,720 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: 468,300 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved 4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 27 million cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 2.34 billion cu m (2005 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 2.018 billion cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 991.1 million cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Current $-17.86 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $18.54 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum
commodities: products, chemicals, textiles
Exports - Germany 12.4%, Italy 10.4%, UK 6.7%, Bulgaria 5.9%, US
partners: 5.3%, Cyprus 5.2%, Turkey 5.1%, France 4.2% (2005)
Imports: $48.2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
commodities:
Imports - Germany 12.7%, Italy 12.4%, Russia 7.8%, France 5.7%,
partners: Netherlands 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of $2.287 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $75.18 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $8 billion from EU (2000-06)
recipient:
Currency euro (EUR)
(code): note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union
introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by
financial institutions of member countries; on 1
January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for
everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code: EUR
Exchange euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),
rates: 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 6.303 million (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 10.043 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all
system: areas; good mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive
open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore
islands
international: country code - 30; 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 AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 5.02 million (1997)
Television 36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations
broadcast in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service
stations: (1995)
Televisions: 2.54 million (1997)
Internet .gr
country code:
Internet 587,717 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 27 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 3.8 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 82 (2006)
Airports - total: 66
with paved over 3,047 m: 5
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 9 (2006)
Airports - total: 16
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 3
runways: under 914 m: 13 (2006)
Heliports: 8 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2006)
Railways: total: 2,571 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges
(three rail system) (2005)
Roadways: total: 116,470 km
paved: 106,920 km (including 880 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,550 km (1999)
Waterways: 6 km
note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of
Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2006)
Merchant total: 817 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,895,832 GRT/
marine: 54,341,584 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 270, cargo 61, chemical tanker
47, container 47, liquefied gas 5, passenger 11,
passenger/cargo 114, petroleum tanker 244, roll on/roll
off 17, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 24 (Belgium 12, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1,
UK 9, US 1)
registered in other countries: 2,363 (Bahamas 232,
Barbados 11, Belgium 4, Belize 2, Bermuda 2, Cambodia
8, Cayman Islands 21, Comoros 10, Cyprus 337, Denmark
5, Dominica 5, Egypt 6, Georgia 8, Gibraltar 7,
Honduras 3, Hong Kong 27, Isle of Man 45, Italy 6,
Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 3, Liberia 267, Malta
495, Marshall Islands 199, Norway 1, Panama 524,
Philippines 5, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and
Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 82, Sao Tome
and Principe 1, Singapore 9, Slovakia 4, UAE 2, UK 7,
Uruguay 1, US 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 7) (2006)
Ports and Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Piraeus,
terminals: Thessaloniki
Military
Military Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy
branches: (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force
(Ellinikos Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2006)
Military 18 years of age for compulsory military service; during
service age wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning
and January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus
obligation: including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers;
conscript service obligation - 12 months for the Army,
Air Force; 15 months for Navy; women are eligible for
military service (2005)
Manpower males age 18-49: 2,459,988
available for females age 18-49: 2,442,818 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 2,018,557
for military females age 18-49: 2,000,650 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 58,399
reaching females age 18-49: 55,571 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $5.89 billion (2004)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 4.3% (2003)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their
international: 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
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