Greece

For other uses, see Greece (disambiguation).

"Hellas" redirects here. For other uses, see Hellas (disambiguation).

Hellenic Republic Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Ellinikí Dhimokratía
Flag National emblem of Greece National emblem
Motto: Ελευθερία ή θάνατος [Eleftheria i thanatos] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)  (transliteration) "Freedom or Death"
Anthem: Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν Hymn to Freedom
Location of Greece (orange) – in Europe (tan & white) – in the European Union (tan)  [Legend]
Capital and largest city	Athens
Official languages	Greek
Government	Parliamentary republic
• President	Karolos Papoulias
• Prime Minister	Kostas Karamanlis
Formation
• First known Greek civilizations1	c.3000 BC
• Last previously independent state2	1461
• Independence from the Ottoman Empire	25 March 1821
• Recognized	1829
• Water (%)	0.8669
Population
• 2005 estimate	11,244,118 [1] (74th)
• 2001 census	10,964,020 [2]
GDP (PPP)	2007 estimate
• Total	$305.595 billion (37th)
• Per capita	$27,360 (27th)
GDP (nominal)	2007 estimate
• Total	$341.826 billion (27th)
• Per capita	$30,603 (24th)
Gini (2000)	35.44
HDI (2004)	0.921  (24th)
Currency	Euro (€)3 (EUR)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Calling code	30
ISO 3166 code	GR
Internet TLD	.gr5
Minoan and Cycladic civilizations. Empire of Trebizond. Prior to 2001: Greek Drachma. UNU/Wider World Income Inequality Database. The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union member states.

Greece (Greek: Ελλάδα [e̞ˈlaða] or Ελλάς [e̞ˈlas]), officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία [e̞ˌliniˈci ðimo̞kraˈtiˌa]), is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula. It is bordered by Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north and by Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east and south of mainland Greece, while the Ionian Sea lies to the west. Both, parts of the eastern Mediterranean basin, feature a vast number of islands.

Greece lies at the juncture of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is heir to the heritages of classical Greece, the Byzantine Empire, and nearly four centuries of Ottoman rule. Regarded as the cradle of western civilization and being the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, western literature, political science, major scientific principles and drama (including both tragedy and comedy), Greece has a particularly long and eventful history and a cultural heritage which has been considerably influential in Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East.

Today, Greece is a developed country, a member of the European Union since 1981, a member of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union since 2001, NATO since 1951, the OECD since 1960, the WEU since 1995, and the ESA since 2005. Athens is the capital; Thessaloniki, Piraeus and Patras are some of the country's other major cities.

History

Main article: History of Greece

Antiquity

The Parthenon in Athens.

The shores of Greece's Aegean Sea saw the emergence of the first advanced civilizations in Europe whose impact is inseparable from today's western institutions and western cultural and political development. In the wake of the Minoan and Mycenean civilizations, there emerged across the Greek peninsula and islands poleis, or city-states, each with their own distinct social and governmental infrastructure, uniting under Athens and Sparta to repel Persian advance. The conditions had been created for the flowering of Athens and birth of Classical civilization, drawing to a close only with the culmination of the perennial conflict between Athens and Sparta, the Peloponnesian War. Within a century the Greek tribes had been united under the rule of Alexander the Great to roll back Persian gains and herald the Hellenistic era, itself brought only partially to a close with the establishment of Roman rule in 146 BC.

Roman Era

Further information: Roman Greece

Although the establishment of Roman rule did not break the continuity of Hellenistic society and culture, which remained essentially unchanged until the advent of Christianity, it did mark the end of Greek political independence. Indeed Rome enthusiastically took up Hellenic culture and thus it became a major influence throughout the empire. The Greek peninsula became a province of Rome, while Greek language and culture continued to dominate the eastern Mediterranean. When the Roman Empire finally split in two, the Eastern Roman Empire, known as the Empire of the Greeks and later Byzantine Empire , centered around Constantinople (known in ancient times as Byzantium), remained Greek in nature, encompassing Greece itself. During the Byzantine imperial period Greece experienced fluctuating fortunes, but succeeded in Hellenizing and institutionalizing most of its new invaders, and by the late eighth century Greeks from Sicily and Asia Minor were brought in as settlers. The eleventh and twelfth centuries are said to have been the Golden Age of Byzantine art in Greece, while the crusading epochs between 1204 and 1458 saw Greece hit by a series of non-Orthodox armies such as The Great Company in the name of religion. The Byzantine era persisted, nevertheless, until the Fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1453, to the Ottoman Empire.

Byzantine Emperor John II Comnenus. Mosaic at the Hagia Sophia cathedral, Istanbul.

Ottoman Era

Further information: Ottoman Greece

While the Ottomans were completing the main conquest of Greek Mainland Ottoman Greece, two Greek migrations occurred. The first saw the Greek intelligentsia migrate to Western Europe — especially to Italy — and was a significant factor in the advent of the Western European Renaissance. The second migration of Greeks left the plains of the Greek peninsula and resettled in the mountains, the islands and other Greek regions where the Ottomans were unable to create a permanent military and administrative presence. As a result some Greek mountain clans across the peninsula, as well as some islands, were able to maintain a status of independence. The millet system contributed to the ethnic cohesion of Orthodox Greeks by segregating the various peoples within the Ottoman Empire based on religion. Eventually, religion played an integral part in the formation of the Modern Greek and other post-Ottoman national identities.

Establishment of the modern Greek state

Further information: History of modern Greece

The sortie of Messolonghi by Theodore Vryzakis, inspired by the Greek War of Independence.

In March 1821 the Greeks rebelled against the Ottoman Empire. Their struggle lasted until in 1829, when the newly formed Greek state was finally created and internationally recognized. In 1827, the Russian ex-minister of foreign affairs, Ioannis Kapodistrias, a noble Greek from the Ionian Islands, was chosen as the President of the new Republic. However, the Great Powers soon dissolved that republic and installed a monarchy. The first king, Otto, was of the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach. The War of Independence also set in motion the establishment of major new cities and centres of trade such as Hermoupolis, Athens and Pireaus. In 1843 King Otto was forced, as a result of an uprising, to grant his subjects a constitution and a representative assembly. He was deposed in 1863 only to be replaced by a Danish Prince who took the name George I and brought with him the Ionian Islands as a coronation gift from Britain.

The Hellenic Parliament, convening as Prime Minister Charilaos Trikoupis gives a speech, during the late nineteenth century.

Greece was growing economically, whilst becoming politically more liberal. In 1877, Prime Minister Charilaos Trikoupis curbed the power of the monarchy to interfere in the Assembly. This period was punctuated by the undertaking of one of the largest construction initiatives on the European continent, one of significant commercial importance; the creation of the Corinth Canal, lasting from 1881 to 1893. In 1896 the Olympic Games were revived in Athens, and hailed as a success.

Territorial expansion and internal turmoil

File:Eleftherios Venizelos es.JPG

Eleftherios Venizelos, the Prime Minister who defined his era.

As a result of the Balkan Wars of 1912-13, Crete, Chios, Samos, most of Epirus and southern Macedonia, including Thessaloniki, were incorporated into Greece. King George, monarch for five decades, was assassinated in Thessaloniki in 1913; he was succeeded by his eldest son, King Constantine I. His struggle with Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos over Greece's entry into the First World War resulted in Greece's joining the Entente against Germany and Austria and the later abdication of King Constantine in favour of his son, Alexander, but left Greece divided into two bitterly hostile political camps for decades (see National Schism). At that time, a part of Asia Minor centered around the city of Smyrna (known today as İzmir) still retained a Greek population majority. The area was awarded to Greece by the Great Powers as a reward for having sided with the entente powers in World War I against the Ottoman Empire. Three years later, Turkish nationalists led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk denounced the Sultan's government in Istanbul and formed a new one in Ankara, eventually re-establishing control over Asia Minor (Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)).

Following the withdrawal of Greek forces, the destruction of Smyrna and the displacement of thousands of Greeks from the city, a new government was established in Greece. Soon afterwards, the Treaty of Lausanne was signed, fixing the Greco-Turkish borders to this date. A population exchange was included in the agreement and immediately afterwards around five hundred thousand Muslims, then living in mainland Greece went to Turkey in exchange for more than 1.22 million Greek residents of Asia Minor (excluding Constantinople, Imvros and Tenedos). Between 1924 and 1935 there were 23 changes of government, a dictatorship and 13 coups until in 1935 a referendum was held, resulting in an overwhelming majority in favour of restoring the monarchy in the person of King George II. In 1936, General Ioannis Metaxas established an authoritarian conservative dictatorship in Greece, known as the 4th of August Regime.

Greece during World War II (1940-1944)

Further information: Military history of Greece during World War II and Axis Occupation of Greece during WWII

File:Metaxasalexandrospapagospaulgeorge.jpg

Ioannis Metaxas (left), with King George II of Greece, Crown Prince Paul of Greece and Commander-in-Chief General Alexander Papagos.

In the early hours of October 28, 1940, Italian dictator Mussolini demanded that Greece surrender all its arms and allow the Axis troops to invade the country; the Greek government gave then what became known as the simple negative response of “No” (see Okhi Day), thereby siding with the Allies. The Italian troops immediately began invading the country from southern Albania but were checked by the significantly smaller Greek forces. This signalled the Allies' first major victory on land against the Axis powers. A prolonged period of fierce fighting in the Pindus mountains followed, in which Mussolini's forces were successfully pushed back. Hitler and his generals realized that their strategic southern flank needed to be secured more effectively so German forces, whose ranks included troops from Bulgaria and Italy, invaded.

The invasion of Greece by Nazi Germany began on April 6, 1941 and led to the complete occupation of the country. Geek Resistance to the occupation was fierce, often with bitter retaliation from the occupiers. The Greek resistance in 1940-41 however, is believed to have forced a delay in German plans to initiate invasion against the Soviet Union, thereby extending the campaign into the punishing Russian winter. Meanwhile the extremely heavy losses suffered by German paratroop forces (5000) in the Battle of Crete foiled a planned German campaign in the Middle East against British-held Iraq and its oil fields. Germany retained its disastrous grip on the country until October 12, 1944 when its troops finally withdrew after the landing of Allied Forces in Athens. The Jewish communities of Greece, especially of Thessaloniki, suffered the heaviest toll in the Holocaust, ca. 300,000 Geeks died of famine and the country's economy languished.

Post-war era (1944-1966)

Further information: Greek Civil War

File:Tank during 17 November 1973.jpg

November 17 1973: An AMX 30 tank standing in front of the Athens Polytechnic School, moments before the bloody end to the Athens Polytechnic Uprising.

After liberation from Nazi Germany, Greece experienced an equally bitter civil war between the self-proclaimed communist Democratic Army of Greece and the Hellenic Army. The war lasted until 1949, when communist forces were defeated in the Battle of Grammos-Vitsi. However, during the 1950s and 1960s, Greece experienced a gradual and significant economic growth, also aided by grants and loans by the United States through the Marshall Plan.

Regime of the Colonels (1967-1974)

Further information: Greek military junta of 1967-1974

File:Karamanlisarrivesinathens.jpg

July 24 1974: Konstantinos Karamanlis arrives in Athens on the French Presidential jet, courtesy of French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, to assume the leadership of government of national unity that would lead to free elections. He is greeted by jubilant crowds of supporters craving for the restoration of democratic rule.

Starting in 1965, a period of political turbulence and uncertainty led to a coup d’etat against the elected government and King Constantine II that took place on April 21, 1967. In their place, a US-supported military junta, known as the Regime of the Colonels, was established. In the ensuing years, a number of sympathisers of the left, as well as a number of politicians and communists, were arrested and brutally tortured by the members of the regime. Many politicians evaded capture and found political refuge in other European countries such as France and Sweden. The then head of state, King Constantine, had officially acknowledged the new regime, which was also then dully recognized by the international community, so diplomatic relations continued. The King himself, however, attempted a counter coup in December 1967. Following the failure of that attempt, the former head of state went into exile in Rome. In November 1973, the Athens Polytechnic Uprising sent shockwaves across the regime but the junta was not suppressed until July 20, 1974. On that day Turkey invaded Cyprus, allegedly to protect the island's Turkish minority. The developing crisis led to the collapse of the Regime of the Colonels on July 23, 1974.

Modern Era (1975-present)

Ex-Premier Constantine Karamanlis was immediately invited back from Paris, where he had resided since 1963. Marking the beginning of the Metapolitefsi era of modern Greek history, the plane carrying Constantine Karamanlis landed in Athens in the early hours of July 24, amidst massive celebrations and enormous crowds, extending from the capital's Ellinikon International Airport to Syntagma Square; Karamanlis was immediately appointed as the interim prime minister under President Gizikis and founded the conservative New Democracy party, going on to win the ensuing elections by a large margin. Democratic rule was finally restored in its birthplace and a democratic republican constitution activated in 1975. The monarchy was abolished by a referendum held that same year, denying King Constantine II and his family any access to the country until 2004. Meanwhile, another prominent figure of the past, Andreas Papandreou, had also returned from the United States and had already founded the Panhellenic Socialist Party, or PASOK.

File:Andreas papandreou.gif

Andreas Papandreou, the founder of PASOK, was the Prime Minister of Greece from 1981 to 1989 and from 1993 to 1995.

Karamanlis won the 1977 parliamentary elections but resigned in 1980 giving way to George Rallis; Papandreou, however, won the elections held on October 18, 1981 by a landslide and formed the first socialist government in Greece's history. Papandreou dominated the Greek political stage for almost 15 years (excepted only by the 1990-1993 period when Constantine Mitsotakis of the New Democracy party won elections), until his death in June 23, 1996. By that time Kostas Simitis, one of many prominent political figures of PASOK, had already succeeded the ailing and hospitalized Papandreou as the new Prime Minister. Following a long period of diplomatic tension and the threat of a military confrontation (see Imia-Kardak crisis), relations with neighbouring Turkey have improved substantially over the last decade, since successive earthquakes hit both nations in the summer of 1999. Rapprochement came about through what became known as Greek-Turkish earthquake diplomacy and today Greece is an active supporter of Turkey's effort to be accepted by the European Union as a full member. Prime Minister Simitis remained in office until March 7, 2004 when Kostas Karamanlis of the conservative New Democracy party and a nephew of Constantine Karamanlis, won the parliamentary elections. Greece became the tenth member of the European Union on January 1 1981 and ever since the nation has experienced a remarkable and sustained economic growth. Widespread investments in industrial enterprises and heavy infrastructure, as well as funds from the European Union and growing revenues from tourism, shipping and a fast growing service sector have raised the country's standard of living to unprecedented levels. The country adopted the Euro in 2001 and successfully organised the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Greece and List of political parties in Greece

Kostas Karamanlis, the current Prime Minister of Greece.

The Constitution (Σύνταγμα) of Greece, describes the country as a parliamentary republic (Προεδρευομένη Κοινοβουλευτική Δημοκρατία), grants extensive specific guarantees of civil liberties and vests the powers of the head of state in a President elected by parliament for a five-year term.

The Greek governmental structure is similar to that found in many Western democracies, and has been described as a compromise between the French and German models. The Prime Minister (Πρωθυπουργός) and cabinet play the central role in the political process, while the President performs some executive and legislative functions in addition to ceremonial duties.

The Prime Minister of Greece is the head of government, and Executive power is exercised by that government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Hellenic Parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature and comprises three Supreme Courts: the Court of Cassation (Άρειος Πάγος), the Council of State (Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας) and the Court of Auditors (Ελεγκτικό Συνέδριο). The Judiciary system is also composed of civil courts, which judge civil and penal cases and administrative courts, which judge administrative cases, namely disputes between the citizens and the State.

Greece elects a legislature by universal suffrage of all citizens over the age of 18. The Hellenic Parliament (Vouli ton Ellinon) has 300 members, elected for a four-year term. Since the restoration of democracy the party system is dominated by the liberal-conservative New Democracy (Νέα Δημοκρατία, Nea Dimokratia) and the socialist PASOK, or Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα, Panellinio Sosialistiko Kinima). Non-negligible parties include the Communist Party of Greece and the Coalition of the Radical Left.

On March 7, 2004, Kostas Karamanlis, president of the New Democracy party and nephew of the late Constantine Karamanlis was elected as the new Prime Minister of Greece, thus marking his party's first electoral victory in nearly eleven years. Karamanlis took over government from Kostas Simitis of PASOK, who had been in office since January 1996, replacing the ailing charismatic leader Andreas Papandreou who died on June 23, 1996.

Administrative Divisions

Main articles: Peripheries of Greece, Regions of Greece, and Prefectures of Greece

Administratively, Greece consists of thirteen peripheries subdivided into a total of fifty-four prefectures ([nomoi] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), singular [nomos] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)). There is also one autonomous area, Mount Athos ([Agio Oros] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), "Holy Mountain"), in Macedonia Periphery.

Number Periphery Capital Area Population 1 Attica Athens 3,808 km² 3,841,408 2 Central Greece Livadia 15,549 km² 614,614 3 Central Macedonia Thessaloniki 18,811 km² 1,931,870 4 Crete Iraklio 6,336 km² 623,666 5 East Macedonia and Thrace Komotini 14,157 km² 623,248 6 Epirus Ioannina 9,203 km² 358,698 7 Ionian Islands Cofu 2,307 km² 220,097 8 North Aegean Mytilene 3,836 km² 208,151 9 Peloponnese Tripoli 15,490 km² 650,310 10 South Aegean Ermoupoli 5,286 km² 320,001 11 Thessaly Larissa 14.037 km² 760,714 12 West Greece Patras 11,350 km² 753,267 13 West Macedonia Kozani 9,451 km² 303,857 - Mount Athos (Autonomous) Karyes 390 km² 2,250

Map showing the peripheries of Greece.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Greece

Map of Greece Albania F.Y.R.O.M. Bulgaria ' Turkey GREECE ATHENS Thessaloniki Kavala ---Thasos Alexandroupoli --Samothrace Corfu Igoumenitsa Larissa Volos Ioannina Chalcis Patras Corinth . Nafplion . Sparta . Areopoli . Piraeus Eleusina Laurium Heraklion M a c e d o n i a Thrace Epirus Thessaly Central Greece Peloponnese M.Olympus (2917m) Lefkada Thrace-- Kefalonia Zakynthos- Lemnos Lesbos Chios Samos Andros Tinos Mykonos Icaria --Patmos Naxos Milos Santorini--- Kos Rhodes Karpathos Kassos Kythira Gavdos Aegean Sea Sea of Crete Myrtoan Sea Ionian Sea Mediterranean Sea Crete NE Aegean Islands Cyclades Dodecanese

View of the rocky Meteora formation in central Greece.

View of Mount Olympus (2917m/9570ft) from the town of Litochoro.

Greece consists of a mountainous and craggy mainland jutting out into the sea at the southern end of the Balkans. The Peloponnesus peninsula (separated from the mainland by the canal of the Isthmus of Corinth); and numerous islands (around 2,000), including Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Chios, the Dodecanese and the Cycladic groups of the Aegean Sea as well as the Ionian Sea islands. Greece has the tenth longest coastline in the world with 14,880 km; its land boundary is 1,160 km (721 mi).

Four-fifths of Greece consist of mountains or hills, making the country one of the most mountainous in Europe. Western Greece contains a number of lakes and wetlands and it is dominated by the Pindus mountain range. Pindus has a maximum elevation of 2,636 metres (8,648 ft) and it is essentially a prolongation of the Dinaric Alps.

The range continues through the western Peloponnese, crosses the islands of Kythera and Antikythera and find its way into southwestern Aegean, in the island of Crete where it eventually ends. (the islands of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains that once constituted an extension of the mainland). Pindus is characterized by its high, steep peaks, often dissected by numerous canyons and a variety of other karstic landscapes. Most notably, the impressive Meteora formation consisting of high, steep boulders provides a breathtaking experience for the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit the area each year. Special lifts transfer visitors to the scenic monasteries that lie on top of those rocks. Meteora is situated in the Trikala prefecture. The Vikos-Aoos Gorge is yet another spectacular formation. The Vikos-Aoos Gorge is a popular hotspot for those fond of extreme sports. The mythical Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in the country, located in the southwestern Pieria prefecture, near Thessaloniki. Mytikas in the Olympus range has a height of 2,920 metres (9,570 ft) at its highest peak. Once considered the throne of the Gods, it is today extremely popular among hikers and climbers who deem its height as a challenge. Moreover, northeastern Greece features yet another high altitude mountain range, the Rhodope range, spreading across the periphery of East Macedonia and Thrace; this area is covered with vast, thick, ancient forests. The famous Dadia forest is in the prefecture of Evros, in the far northeast of the country.

Expansive plains are primarily located in the prefectures of Thessaly, Central Macedonia and Thrace. They constitute key economic regions as they are among the few arable places in the country. Volos and Larissa are the two largest cities of Thessaly.

Rare marine species such as the Pinniped Seals and the Loggerhead Sea Turtle live in the seas surrounding mainland Greece, while its dense forests are home to the endangered brown bear, the lynx, the Roe Deer and the Wild Goat.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Greece

The Drakolimni lake in Epirus as seen in winter time, with Ploskos peak (center) and Astraka peak (right).

The climate of Greece can be categorised into three types that influence well-defined regions of its territory. The Pindus mountain range strongly affects the climate of the country by making the western side of it (areas prone to the south-westerlies) wetter on average than the areas lying to the east of it (lee side of the mountains). The three distinct types are the Mediterranean, the Alpine and the Temperate types. The first one features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, Eastern Peloponessus and parts of the Sterea Ellada region are mostly affected by this particular type. Temperatures rarely reach extreme values although snowfalls do occur occasionally even in the Cyclades or the Dodecanese during the winter months.

The Alpine type is dominant mainly in the mountainous areas of Northwestern Greece (Epirus, Central Greece, Thessaly, Western Macedonia) as well as in the central parts of Peloponnese, including the prefectures of Achaia, Arcadia and parts of Laconia, where extensions of the Pindus mountain range pass by). Finally, the Temperate type affects Central Macedonia and East Macedonia and Thrace; it features cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers. Athens is located in a transitional area featuring both the Mediterranean and the Temperate types. It averages about 16 inches of rain annually. The city's northern suburbs are dominated by the temperate type while the downtown area and the southern suburbs enjoy a typical Mediterranean type.

Economy

Main articles: Economy of Greece and Tourism in Greece

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Greek 1 euro coin depicting Goddess Athena's symbol, the owl.

Greece operates a capitalist economy that produced a GDP of $251.7 billion in 2006. The principal economic activities mainly include the tourism and shipping industries, banking & finance, manufacturing and construction and telecommunications. The country serves as the regional business hub for many of the world's largest multinational companies.

The people of Greece enjoy a high standard of living. Greece ranks 24th in the 2006 HDI, 22nd on The Economist's 2005 world-wide quality-of-life index, and it has an average per capita income that has been estimated at $27,360 for the year 2007, or around 93% of the EU average.

Greece's present prosperity is largely owed to the post-WWII "Greek economic miracle" (when GDP growth averaged 7% between 1950 and 1973), the implementation of a number of structural and fiscal reforms, combined with considerable European Union funding over the last twenty-five years and increasing private consumption. The latter facts have contributed to a consistent annual growth of the Greek GDP that was surpassing the respective one of most other EU partners. 

Today, Services (74.4%), make up the largest, most vital and fastest-growing sector of the Greek economy, followed by industry (20.6%) and agriculture (5.1%). The tourism industry is a major source of foreign exchange earnings and revenue accounting for 15% of Greece’s total GDP and employing (directly or indirectly) 659,719 people (or 16.5% of total employment). In 2005, Greece welcomed almost 18 million visitors and in 2006 that figure almost reached 20 million.

The Greek banking & finance sector is also an important source of revenue and employment and Greek banks have invested heavily in the Balkan region. The manufacturing sector accounts for about 13% of GDP with the food industry leading in growth, profit and export potential.

High-technology equipment production, especially for telecommunications, is also a fast-growing sector. Other important areas include textiles, building materials, machinery, transport equipment, and electrical appliances. Construction (10%GDP) and agriculture (7%) are yet two other significant sectors of the Greek economic activity.

Greek Maritime Industry

Further information: Greek shipping

Aerial view of Thessaloniki's central districts. Thessaloniki is Greece's second largest city and a major economic, industrial, commercial and cultural center.

The shipping industry is a key element of Greek economic activity.. Given that Greece is a peninsula, shipping in ancient times was the natural way for Greeks to reach their neighboring people, trade with them and expand by establishing colonies. Today, shipping is one of the country's most important industries. It accounts for 4.5% of GDP, employs about 160,000 people (4% of the workforce), and represents 1/3 of the countries trade deficit. During the 1960's the size of the Greek fleet nearly doubled, primarily through the investment undertaken by the shipping magnates Onassis and Niarchos.. The basis of the modern Greek maritime industry was formed after WWII when Greek shipping businessmen were able to amass surplus ships sold to them by the United States Government through the Ship Sales Act of the 1940s. According to the BTS, the Greek-owned maritime fleet is today the largest in the world, with 3,079 vessels accounting for 18% of the world's fleet capacity (making it the largest than any other country) with a total dwt of 141,931 thousand (142 million dwt). In terms of ship categories, Greece ranks first in both tankers and dry bulk carriers, fourth in the number of containers, and fourth in other ships. Unfortunately, today's fleet roster is smaller than an all-time high of 5,000 ships in the late 70's.

Science and technology

File:Rio Antirio Bridge by sunset.jpg

The Rio-Antirio bridge near the city of Patras is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world. It connects the Peloponnese with mainland Greece.

Because of its strategic location, qualified workforce and political and economic stability, many multinational companies, such as Ericsson, Siemens, SAP, Motorola, Coca-Cola have their regional R&D Headquarters in Greece.

The General Secretariat for Research and Technology of the Hellenic Ministry of Development is responsible for designing, implementing and supervising national research and technological policy.

In 2003, public spending on R&D was 456,37 million Euros (12,6% increase from 2002). Total research and development (R&D) spending (both public and private) as a percentage of GDP has increased considerably since the beginning of the past decade, from 0,38% in 1989, to 0,65% in 2001. R&D spending in Greece remains lower than the EU average of 1,93%, but, according to Research DC, based on OECD and Eurostat data, between 1990 and 1998, total R&D expenditure in Greece enjoyed the third highest increase in Europe, after Finland and Ireland.

In 2001, there were 55,626 researchers (from 30,500 in 1993)in such fields as telecommunications, microelectronics, multimedia, computer science, computer networks and software engineering, attracting the interest of many multinational companies and producing an increasing number of high quality publications. Of that number, approximately 33,507 were employed in Higher Education Foundations, 13,100 by private companies, 8,800 in State-owned Research Centres and approximately 200 in non-profit private research centres.

Greece's technology parks with incubator facilities include the Science and Technology Park of Crete (Heraklion), the Thessaloniki Technology Park, the Lavrio Technology Park and the Patras Science Park.

Greece has been a member of the European Space Agency (ESA) since 2005. Cooperation between ESA and the Hellenic National Space Committee began in the early 1990s. In 1994, Greece and ESA signed their first cooperation agreement. Having formally applied for full membership in 2003, Greece became ESA's sixteenth member on March 16 2005. As member of the ESA, Greece participates in the agency's telecommunication and technology activities, and the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security Initiative.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Greece

The official Statistical body of Greece is the National Statistical Service of Greece (NSSG).

Statistics

The Hermoupolis port in the island of Syros is the capital of the Cyclades.

According to the NSSG, Greece's total population in 2005 was 11,082,752, of whom 5,486,632 were males and 5,596,119 females. As statistics from 1971, 1981 and 2001 show, the Greek population has been aging the past several decades. The birth rate in 2003 stood 9.5 per 1,000 inhabitants (14.5 per 1,000 in 1981). At the same time the mortality rate increased slightly from 8.9 per 1,000 inhabitants in 1981 to 9.6 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2003. In 2001, 16.71% of the population were 65 years old and older, 68.12% between the ages of 15 and 64 years old, and 15.18% were 14 years old and younger. In 1971 the figures were 10.92%, 63.72% and 25.36% respectively. Greek society has also rapidly changed with the passage of time. For example, marriage rates kept falling from almost 71 per 1,000 inhabitants in 1981 until 2002, only to increase slightly in 2003 to 61 per 1,000. Divorce rates on the other hand, have seen an everlasting and accelerating increase – from 89.2 per 1,000 marriages in 1981 to 191 per 1,000 marriages in 2002.

Almost two-thirds of Greeks live in urban areas. Greece's largest cities in 2005 were: Athens (3,190,336), Thessaloniki (980,419), Patra (216,592),Larissa (207,000), Iraklio (188,650) and Volos (151,591).

Minorities

Main article: Minorities in Greece

The only minority in Greece which receives special treatment is the Muslim minority (Μουσουλμανική μειονότητα) in Thrace, which amounts to approximately 0.95% of the total population. It mainly consists of ethnic Turks, Pomaks and Roma. Other recognized ethnic minorities include approximately 35,000 Armenians, and 5,500 Jews.

Immigration

Due to the complexity of Greek immigration policy, practices and data collection, truly reliable data on immigrant populations in Greece is difficult to gather and therefore subject to much speculation. A study from the Mediterranean Migration Observatory maintains that the 2001 Census from the NSSG recorded 762,191 persons residing in Greece without Greek citizenship, constituting around 7% of total population and that, of these, 48,560 were EU or EFTA nationals and 17,426 Cypriots with privileged status. At the same time, Albanians constituted some 56% of total immigrants, followed by Bulgarians (5%), Georgians (3%) and Romanians (3%). Americans, Cypriots, British and Germans appeared as sizeable foreign communities at around 2% each of total foreign population. The rest were around 690,000 persons of non-EU or non-homogeneis status.

The greatest cluster of non-EU immigrant population is in the Municipality of Athens –some 132,000 immigrants, at 17% of local population. Thessaloniki is the second largest cluster, with 27,000 – but reaching only 7% of local population. After this, the predominant areas of location are the Athens environs.

According to the same study, the foreign population (documented and undocumented) residing in Greece may in reality figure upwards to 8.5% or 10.3%, that is approximately meaning 1.15 million - if immigrants with homogeneis cards are accounted for.

Religion

Greek Orthodox monastery in Athos peninsula, northern Greece.

A typical kantouni (sidestreet) at the centre of Corfu. The bell tower of the church of St. Spyridon can be seen in the background.

According to the constitution of Greece, the religion of the country is Greek Orthodox. The majority of Greek citizens (98%) are baptised into the Greek Orthodox Church,, and most of them celebrate at least the main religious feasts, especially Pascha (Greek Orthodox Easter).

According to the US Department of State, the Greek Government does not keep statistics on religious groups and censuses do not ask for religious affiliation. Estimates of the recognised Muslim minority, which is mostly located in Thrace, range from 98,000 to an estimated 140,000, while the immigrant Muslim community is between 200,000 and 300,000. In an address to the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece on 10 October 2006 Archbishop Christodoulos stated: "Today more than 500,000 Moslems live in our country."

Greek members of Roman Catholic faith (including both Byzantine Greek Catholics and Latin Catholics) are estimated at 50,000. with the Roman Catholic immigrant community approximating 200,000. Old Calendarists account for 500,000 followers. The Jehovah's Witnesses report having 30,000 active members. Protestants including Evangelicals at about 30,000. You can find some Mormons with 420 followers, and Scientologists with 500 followers. The long-standing Jewish community numbers approximately 5,500 followers.

Ancient Greek religion is also returning, with approximately 2,000 adherents.

According to the Eurostat - Eurobarometer poll of 2005, 81% of Greek citizens responded that they believe there is a God, whereas 16% answered that they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force, and 3% that they do not believe there is a God, spirit, nor life force. Greece's percentage of respondents asserting that they believe there is a God was the third highest among EU members behind Cyprus and Malta.

Education

Main article: Education in Greece

File:Hermes by Praxiteles.jpg

The famous statue of Hermes bearing the infant Dionysus, attributed to the greatest of the ancient attic sculptors, Praxiteles.

Compulsory education in Greece comprises primary schools (Δημοτικό Σχολείο, Dimotikó Scholeio) and gymnasia (Γυμνάσιο). Kindergartens (Παιδικός σταθμός, Paidikós Stathmós) and nursery schools (Νηπιαγωγείο, Nipiagogeío) are popular but not compulsory.

Children start primary school aged 6 and remain there for six years. Some primary schools are "all-day", offering an extended timetable and enriched syllabus. Attendance at gymnasia starts at age 12 and last for three years.

Greece's post-compulsory secondary education consists of two school types: unified upper secondary schools (Ενιαίο Λύκειο, Eniaia Lykeia) and technical-vocational educational schools (Τεχνικά και Επαγγελματικά Εκπαιδευτήρια, "TEE"). Post-compulsory secondary education also includes vocational training institutes (Ινστιτούτα Επαγγελματικής Κατάρτισης, "IEK") which provide a formal but unclassified level of education. As they can accept both Gymnasio (lower secondary school) and Lykeio (upper secondary school) graduates, these institutes are not classified as offering a particular level of education.

Public higher education is divided into universities, "Highest Educational Institutions" (Ανώτατα Εκπαιδευτικά Ιδρύματα, Anótata Ekpaideytiká Idrýmata, "ΑΕΙ") and "Highest Technological Educational Institutions" (Ανώτατα Τεχνολογικά Εκπαιδευτικά Ιδρύματα, Anótata Technologiká Ekpaideytiká Idrýmata, "ATEI"). Students are admitted to these Institutes according to their performance at national level examinations taking place after completion of the third grade of Lykeio. Additionally, students over twenty-two years old may be admitted to the Hellenic Open University through a form of lottery.

The Greek education system also provides special kindergartens, primary and secondary schools for people with special needs or difficulties in learning. Specialist gymnasia and high schools offering musical, theological and physical education also exist.

Some of the main universities in Greece include: National and Capodistrian University of Athens · National Technical University of Athens · University of Piraeus · University of Macedonia (in Thessaloniki) · University of Crete · Athens University of Economics and Business · Aristotle University of Thessaloniki · University of the Aegean (across the Aegean Islands) · Democritus University of Thrace · University of Ioannina · Panteion University of social and political sciences

Culture

Main article: Culture of Greece

See also: List of Greeks

Greek culture evolved over thousands of years, with its beginnings in the Mycenean and Minoan civilizations, continuing into Classical Greece, the birth of the Hellenistic era and through the influence of the Roman Empire and its Greek Eastern successor the Byzantine Empire. The Ottoman Empire also had a significant influence on Greek culture, but the Greek war of independence is credited with revitalizing Greece and giving birth to a single entity of its multi-faceted culture throughout the ages.

Ancient Greece is often referred to as "the cradle of Western civilization".

International Rankings

Organization	Survey	Ranking
Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal	Index of Economic Freedom	94 out of 157
The Economist	Worldwide Quality-of-life Index, 2005	22 out of 111
Reporters Without Borders	Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2006 Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2005 Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2004	32 out of 168 18(tied) out of 168 33 out of 167
Transparency International	Corruption Perceptions Index 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index 2004	54 out of 163 47 out of 158 49 out of 145
United Nations Development Programme	Human Development Index 2006 Human Development Index 2004 Human Development Index 2000	24 out of 177 24 out of 177 24 out of 177
World Economic Forum	Global Competitiveness Report	47 out of 125
International Monetary Fund	GDP per capita
Yale University/Columbia University	Environmental Sustainability Index 2005	67 out of 146
Nationmaster	Labor strikes	13 out of 27
A.T. Kearney / Foreign Policy	Globalization Index 2006 Globalization Index 2005 Globalization Index 2004	32 out of 62 29 out of 62 28 out of 62

Gallery

• The Pontikonisi island in Corfu.
  The Pontikonisi island in Corfu.
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  The old venetian port of the city of Rethymno, Crete.
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  View of the city of Nafplion.
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  A portion of Arthur Evans' reconstruction of the Minoan palace at Knossos, Crete.
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  The Arch of Galerius in Thessaloniki.
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  Spring in Agrafa.
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  The Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounio.
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  The harbor of Hydra; motor vehicles are prohibited throughout the island.
• 
  Part of the Medieval Section of the City of Rhodes.
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  Aerial view of Mytilene.
• August 13, 2004: The exceptionally received Opening Ceremony of the 2004 Olympic Games was held at the Athens Olympic Stadium.
  August 13, 2004: The exceptionally received Opening Ceremony of the 2004 Olympic Games was held at the Athens Olympic Stadium.
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  The rugged coastline of the volcanic holiday island of Santorini.

Further reading

• Richard Clogg, A Concise History of Greece, Second Edition, Cambridge University Press 2002
• Minorities in Greece - historical issues and new perspectives. History and Culture of South Eastern Europe. An Annual Journal. München (Slavica) 2003.

External links

Government

• President of the Hellenic Republic
• Prime Minister of Greece
• Hellenic Parliament
• Greek News Agenda Newsletter
• Greece — information and links related to Greece from the ministry of foreign affairs
• Greek missions abroad (embassies, consulates, representations)
• Foreign missions in Greece
• Greek National Tourism Organisation
• National Statistical Service of Greece

Other

• Encyclopaedia Britannica - Greece's country page
• Hellenic History
• The Greek Heritage
• Open Directory Project: Greece
• Chronology of Greece from the World History Database
• History of Greece: Primary Documents
• Greece main cities list and satellite views
• Greek Political Structure
• Historical Reconstruction of Greek Pankration
• Greek Council for Refugees

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