Greece

GREECE

Information about travelling to Greece

Greece is located in Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Facts about Greece
Population10,722,816 (July 2008 est
CapitalAthens
Time zoneUTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begin
Location Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

General info about Greece
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 European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001.
Languages spoken
Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)
What about 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
Ethnic division
population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001 census) note: percents represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect data on ethnicity
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate
0.2% (2001 est.)
Climate
temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Resources
lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
Economy
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 agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between 2003 and 2007, due partly to infrastructural spending related to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and in part to an increased availability of credit, which has sustained record levels of consumer spending. But growth dropped to 2.8% in 2008, as a result of the world financial crisis and tightening credit conditions. Greece violated the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criteria in 2007-08. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average, but are falling. The Greek Government continues to grapple with cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and reforming the labor and pension systems, in the face of often vocal opposition from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public. The economy remains an important domestic political issue in Greece and, while the ruling New Democracy government has had some success in improving economic growth and reducing the budget deficit, Athens faces long-term challenges in its effort to continue its economic reforms, especially social security reform and privatization.
Environment
air pollution; water pollution

Cities in Greece

adamas     adendron     afantou     afitos     afra     afration     agnanteron     agra     agrafa     agras     agria     agrinion     aiani     aiantion     aigaleo     aitolikon     aiyina     aiyinion     aiyion     aiyira     akharnai     akhinos     akraifnion     akrata     akrini     akrolimni     alepou     alexandria     alexandroupoli     alfiousa     aliartos     alistrati     aliverion     alli meria     almiros     alonia     amalias     amarinthos     amarousion     ambelakia     ambeliai     ambeloi     ambelokipoi     ambelon     amfiklia     amfilokhia     amfissa     amisiana     ammokhorion     analipsis     anarrakhi     anatoli     anatolikon     anavissos     anavra     anayennisis     andravida     andros     aneza     angelokastron     angelokhorion     anifion     ano kastritsion     ano komi     ano korakiana     ano lekhonia     ano liosia     ano mera     ano poroia     ano siros     anoixis     anoyia     anthia     anthili     antimakhia     antissa     apollona     apollonia     apsalos     arakhnaion     arakhova     aratos     aravissos     ardassa     arethousa     arfara     argalasti     argos     argos orestikon     argostolion     aria     aridaia     aris     arisvi     arkalokhorion     arkhaia korinthos     arkhaia olimbia     arkhangelos     arma     armenion     armenokhorion     arnaia     arnissa     arriana     arsenion     arta     artesianon     aryiropoulion     asimion     asini     askos     asopia     asopos     aspropirgos     aspros     asprovalta     assiros     assos     astakos     astipalaia     astros     asvestokhorion     atalanti     athens     athikia     athira     atsiki     atsipopoulon     avaton     axioupoli     axos     ayia     ayia anna     ayia galini     ayia marina     ayia paraskevi     ayia trias     ayia varvara     ayiasma     ayiasos     ayioi apostoloi     ayios andreas     ayios athanasios     ayios ioannis     ayios kirikos     ayios loukas     ayios mamas     ayios matthaios     ayios nikolaos     ayios petros     ayios serafim     ayios stefanos     ayios thomas     ayios vasilios     ayios yeoryios     daratsos     derveni     deskati     diavata     diavatos     dikaia     dion     doliana     domokos     domvraina     drama     drosaton     edessa     ekali     ekhinos     elasson     elati     elatia     eleon     eleousa     eleusis     ellinikon     elos     embonas     emborion     emmanouil pappas     epano arkhanai     epanomi     epiniana     episkopi     epitalion     eratinon     eratira     eresos     eretria     erikoussa     erithrai     ermioni     ermoupolis     esovalta     examilia     exaplatanos     exarkhos     exokhi     falanna     fanai     faros     farsala     ferai     fiki     fili     filiates     filiatra     filippias     filiron     filla     fillira     filotas     filotion     fitiai     flambouron     florina     floyita     fotolivos     fournoi     ftelia     gaitanion     galatades     galatas     galatini     galatista     galatsion     galia     gallikos     gargalianoi     gastouni     gastouri     gavalou     gazion     gazoros     glossa     gomfoi     gonnoi     gorgopi     goumenissa     goumeron     gouria     gournai     gouvia     gra liyia     graikokhorion     grammatikon     grammatikou     grammenitsa     grevena     grizanon     ialisos     iasmos     ierapetra     ierissos     igoumenitsa     ioannina     ios     ipsos     iraklia     iraklion     isthmia     istiaia     itea     ithaki     kainouryion     kaisariani     kala nera     kalamakion     kalamaria     kalamata     kalambaka     kalambakion     kalamia     kalamos     kalamoton     kalavrita     kali     kali vrisi     kalimnos     kalivai     kalivai poliyirou     kalivia     kalivia thorikou     kallifitos     kallifonion     kallimasia     kallithea     kallithiron     kalloni     kalokhorion     kalos agros     kamarai     kamarion     kamariotissa     kamateron     kambanis     kambi     kamena vourla     kaminia     kanalia     kanalion     kanallakion     kandila     kapandrition     kaparellion     karatoulas     kardamaina     kardamas     kardia     karditsa     karditsomagoula     karia     kariai     kariotissa     karistos     karitsa     karoti     karousades     karpathos     karpenision     karperi     karpokhorion     kassiopi     kastaneai     kastella     kastellion     kastoria     kastrakion     kastron     katastarion     katerini     kato akhaia     kato asitai     kato assos     kato glikovrisi     kato kamila     kato khorion     kato korakiana     kato lekhonia     kato mazarakion     kato milea     kato mitrousion     kato skholarion     kato soulion     kato tithorea     katokhi     katouna     katsikas     kavala     kavallarion     kavasilas     kavili     kavos     kefalos     kefalovrison     kella     keramoti     keratea     keratsinion     kerkini     kerkira     khalandrion     khalandritsa     khalastra     khalki     khalkis     khalkoutsion     khania     khanion tou kokkini     khaniotis     khariessa     kharopon     khavarion     khersonisos     khiliomodion     khimarros     khios     kholargos     khora     khorion     khoristi     khoriyion     khortiatis     khrisokastron     khrisokhorafa     khrisokhorion     khrison     kiato     kifisia     kilkis     killini     kimi     kimina     kimmeria     kineta     kinopiastai     kiparissia     kipia     kiprinos     kipseli     kiras vrisi     kiria     kiriakion     kirra     kissamos     kitros     kiverion     klitos     koila     koilas     koimisis     kokkarion     kokkinion     kokkinokhoma     kokkinon     kokkonion     kolimvari     kolindros     kolkhikon     kombotion     komnina     komotini     konitsa     kontariotissa     kontokalion     kopanos     korifi     korinos     korinthos     korisos     kormista     koromilea     koroni     koropion     kos     kostakioi     kostalexis     kostarazion     koufalia     koufovounon     kouloura     koutouloufarion     koutselion     koutsouras     kouvaras     kozani     kranea elassonos     kranidion     kremasti     krestena     kria vrisi     krikellos     krini     krionerion     kristallopiyi     kristoni     krithia     kritsa     krokeai     krokos     krouson     lagos     lakkion     lakkoma     lalas     lamia     lapas     lardos     larimna     larisa     lavara     layina     lekhaina     lekhaion     lekhovon     leonidion     lepenou     lianoveryion     liapades     lidorikion     ligourion     likion     likoporia     likovrisi     limenaria     limin khersonisou     limnai     limni     lithakia     liti     litokhoron     livaderon     livadi     livanatai     lixourion     lofos     longa     loudias     loukisia     louros     loutra     loutra ipatis     loutrakion     loutros     magoula     makrakomi     makrikapa     makrikhorion     makrinitsa     makrisia     makriyialos     makrokhorion     malesina     malia     mandalon     mandra     maniakoi     manolas     mantamados     mantoudion     marathokambos     marathon     marathopolis     marina     markopoulon     marmarion     marmaron     martinon     mega piston     megala kalivia     megali khora     megali panayia     megali vrisi     megalokhorion     megalopoli     megara     meligalas     meliki     melissia     melission     melissokhorion     melissourgoi     meliti     melivoia     menemeni     menidion     mesaria     mesimerion     mesolongion     mesopotamia     messini     metamorfosis     metaxades     methana     methoni     metsovon     miki     mikonos     mikrokambos     mikromani     mikron monastirion     mikropolis     milea     mileai     milesion     miloi     milos     mirina     mirsini     mithimna     mitikas     mitilini     mitilinioi     mitropoli     moirai     mokhos     molaoi     molos     monastirakion     monospita     morfovounion     moria     moskhaton     moskhokhorion     moulkion     mouriai     mournies     moustheni     mouzakion     mouzouras     naousa     nauplion     naxos     nea alikarnassos     nea ankhialos     nea apollonia     nea artaki     nea efesos     nea erithraia     nea fokaia     nea ionia     nea iraklitsa     nea kallikratia     nea karia     nea karvali     nea kerasia     nea kios     nea magnisia     nea makri     nea malgara     nea manolas     nea mesimvria     nea mikhaniona     nea palatia     nea pella     nea peramos     nea playia     nea santa     nea smirni     nea stira     nea tirins     nea triglia     nea vissa     nea zikhni     neapolis     nemea     nenita     neoi epivatai     neokaisaria     neokhorion     neokhoropoulon     neon ayionerion     neon karlovasion     neon monastirion     neon petritsion     neon rision     neon soulion     neos marmaras     neos milotopos     neos oropos     neos pirgos     neos skopos     nerokouros     nestorion     nigrita     nikaia     nikisiani     nikoklia     nision     oia     oinofita     oinoi     oinoussai     olinthos     omvriaki     oraiokastron     oreoi     orestias     orkhomenos     ormenion     ormilia     ormos korthiou     othonoi     ouranopolis     ovria     oxilithos     pagondas     pagouria     paiania     pakhni     palaia fokaia     palaifiton     palaikastron     palaiokhora     palaiokhorion     palaiokipos     palaiokomi     palaiomanina     palaiomonastiron     palaion ayionerion     palaion faliron     palaiopirgos     palairos     palamas     paliambela     pallini     pamfila     panaitolion     panorama     panormos     papagos     pappadatai     pappados     pappayiannis     parakoila     paralia     paralion astros     paramithia     parapotamos     paravola     parga     paros     pasion     patitirion     patrai     patris     pedini     pedinon     pelasyia     pella     pelopion     pentalofos     pentaplatanon     pentapolis     peplos     peraia     perakhora     perama     perdika     peristasis     peristera     peristerion     perivolia     perivolion     periyialion     perni     peta     petinos     petra     petraia     petrokhorion     petroton     petroussa     pigai     pikermion     pilaia     pili     pilion     pilos     pirgos     piryetos     piryion     pitharion     piyi     planos     plataiai     platanos     plataria     plati     platikambos     playia     playiarion     plomarion     polikarpion     polikastron     polikhni     polikhnitos     polikhronon     poliplatanos     politika     poliyiros     pombia     poros     portaria     portokhelion     potamia     potamos     pramanta     preveza     prinos     proastion     prodromos     profitis     profitis ilias     prokhoma     prokopion     promakhoi     prosotsani     proti     provatas     provaton     psakhna     psikhikon     pteleos     ptolemais     rafina     rapsani     rentina     rethimnon     rion     ritini     rizarion     rizia     rizoma     rizomata     rizomilos     rizon     rodopolis     rodos     rodotopion     roviai     royitika     salamis     samarina     sami     samos     sapai     sardinia     sarti     savalia     seleron     selianitika     selinia     serrai     servia     sevasti     sevastiana     siatista     sidirokastron     sikea     sikeai     sikion     sikourion     silivainiotika     simi     sinarades     sindos     sisamia     sision     sitagroi     sitia     sivota     skala     skala fourkas     skala oropou     skalanion     skhimatarion     skhisma     skiathos     skiros     skopelos     skotina     skotoussa     skourta     skoutari     skoutaros     sofikon     sokhos     sosandra     souda     souflion     souroti     sourpi     sozopolis     sparta     sparti     spata     sperkhias     sperkhoyia     spetsai     spolaita     stalis     stamata     stamna     stanos     stefanovikion     sterna     sternai     stilis     stipsi     stirion     stournaraiika     stratonion     stratos     strimonikon     svoronos     taxiarkhis     temeni     terpni     terpsithea     thasos     theodoriana     theologos     thermi     thermon     thespiai     thesprotikon     thessaloniki     thimiana     thira     thirion     thivai     tholos     thouria     thrapsanon     tikheron     tilisos     timbakion     tinos     tirnavos     tithorea     tolon     toumba     tragana     traganon     triandria     trifos     trikala     trikerion     trilofon     tripoli     tsakoi     tsaritsani     tsikalaria     tsotilion     tzermiadon     valira     valsamata     valteron     valtotopion     vamvakofiton     vamvakou     vanaton     varda     vari     varia     varnavas     vartholomio     varvasaina     vasiliai     vasilika     vasiliki     vasilikon     vathi     vathilakkos     vayia     velestinon     velon     velventos     veneraton     verdikoussa     veroia     veryi     veryina     vilia     viron     vironia     viros     vitina     vlakhiotis     vlakhokerasea     vlakhopoulon     vlakhoyiannion     vokhaikon     volax     volos     vonitsa     voula     vouliagmeni     vrakhation     vrakhnaiika     vrina     vrises     vrontados     vrontou     xanthi     xilagani     xilokastron     xilopolis     xinon neron     xirokambion     xirokambos     xiropotamos     yefira     yenisea     yeoryiani     yerakarou     yerakion     yerani     yeryeri     yialos     yiannitsa     yiannouli     yimnon     yithion     zagora     zakharo     zakinthos     zarakes     zarkos     zaros     zelion     zigos     ziparion     zitsa     zoniana    


Airports in Greece
AgrinionAGQ
KarpathosAOK
Eleftherios Venizelos International AirportATH
Demokritos AirportAXD
I. KapodistriasCFU
SoudaCHQ
DramaDRM
Araxos AirportGPA
N. Kazantzakis AirportHER
Hellinikon AirportHEW
IoanninaIOA
ChiosJKH
MikonosJMK
Naxos AirportJNX
SitiaJSH
SkiathosJSI
ThiraJTR
KosKGS
KithiraKIT
KalamataKLX
Aristoteles AirportKSO
Megas Alexandros AirportKVA
Philippos AirportKZI
KastelorizoKZS
LarisaLRA
MytileneMJT
MilosMLO
ParosPAS
AndravidaPYR
Makedonia AirportSKG
SkirosSKU
SamosSMI
SpartaSPJ
Nea AnchialosVOL


Beer in Greece (0.33l)
Athens~ 2.8 EUR
Athens~ 2.8 EUR
Chania~ 2.1 EUR
Corfu~ 2.6 EUR
Heraklion~ 1.5 EUR
Kalambaka~ 1.2 EUR
Kissamos~ 1.7 EUR
Kos~ 3.9 EUR
Kos~ 3.9 EUR
Laganas~ 2.3 EUR
Maleme~ 1.5 EUR
Patra~ 2.1 EUR
Patra~ 2.1 EUR
Ptolemaida~ 1.2 EUR
Rethymnon~ 1.8 EUR
Samos~ 1.9 EUR
Sitia~ 0.6 EUR
Syros~ 1.8 EUR
Thessaloniki~ 3.8 EUR
THESSALONIKI~ 3.8 EUR
Thessaloniki~ 3.8 EUR

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