GENERAL:

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. Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992); it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.

Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992); 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 coordinates:	39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references:	Europe

Area:	total:	131,940 sq km
	land:	130,800 sq km
	water:	1,140 sq km

Land boundaries:	total:	1,228 km
	border countries:	border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km

Coastline:	13,676 km

Maritime claims:	territorial sea:	12 nm
	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 extremes:	lowest point:	Mediterranean Sea 0 m
	highest point:	Mount Olympus 2,917 m

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

Land use:	arable land:	20.45%
	permanent crops:	8.59%
	other:	70.96%

Irrigated land:	14,220 sq km

Natural hazards:	severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:	air pollution; water pollution

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


PEOPLE:

Population:	10,688,058

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)

Median age:	total:	total: 40.8 years
	male:	male: 39.7 years
	female:	female: 42 years

Population growth rate:	0.18%

Birth rate:	9.68 births/1,000 population

Death rate:	10.24 deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:	2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population

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

Infant mortality rate:	total:	5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
	male:	5.97 deaths/1,000 live births
	female:	4.86 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:	total population:	79.24 years
	male:	76.72 years
	female:	81.91 years

Total fertility rate:	1.34 children born/woman

Nationality:	noun:	Greek(s)
	adjective:	Greek

Ethnic groups:	Greek 98%, 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:	97.50%
	male:	98.60%
	female:	96.50%

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 type:	parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Capital:	Athens

Administrative divisions:	51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region; Achaia, Agion Oros (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarmania, 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 holiday:	Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

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 branch:
chief of state:	President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)
head of government:	Prime Minister Konstandinos 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; 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 branch:	unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; 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 branch:	Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council

Political parties and leaders:	Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally or LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]

Flag description:	nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with 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 - overview:	Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector 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 - real growth rate:	3.30%

GDP - per capita (PPP):	$22,800

GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture:	6.20%
	industry:	22.10%
	services:	71.70%

Labor force:	4.72 million

Labor force - by occupation:	agriculture 12%, industry 20%, services 68%

Unemployment rate:	10.80%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):	3.80%

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:	1.70%

Exports - commodities:	food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners:	Germany 13.1%, Italy 10.3%, UK 7.5%, Bulgaria 6.3%, US 5.3%, Cyprus 4.6%, Turkey 4.5%, France 4.2%

Imports - commodities:	machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:	Germany 13.3%, Italy 12.8%, France 6.4%, Netherlands 5.5%, Russia 5.5%, US 4.4%, UK 4.2%, South Korea 4.1%

Currency (code):	euro (EUR)
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

Fiscal year:	calendar year


TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES:

Disputes - international:	Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

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