Greece

Airports

79 total, 77 usable; 60 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 20 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air

39 major transport aircraft

Highways

38,938 km total; 16,090 km paved, 13,676 km crushed stone and gravel, 5,632 km improved earth, 3,540 km unimproved earth

Inland waterways

80 km; system consists of three coastal canals and three unconnected rivers

Merchant marine

954 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,544,516 GRT/36,858,545 DWT; includes 15 passenger, 58 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 164 cargo, 18 container, 20 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 27 refrigerated cargo, 182 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 10 chemical tanker, 10 liquefied gas, 20 combination ore/oil, 6 specialized tanker, 407 bulk, 15 specialized bulk; note--ethnic Greeks also own large numbers of ships under the registry of Liberia, Panama, Cyprus, and Lebanon

Pipelines

crude oil, 26 km; refined products, 547 km

Ports

Piraeus, Thessaloniki

Railroads

2,479 km total; 1,565 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, of which 36 km electrified and 100 km double track, 892 km 1.000-meter gauge; 22 km 0.750-meter narrow gauge; all government owned

Telecommunications

adequate, modern networks reach all areas; 4,079,000 telephones; stations--30 AM, 17 (20 repeaters) FM, 39 (560 repeaters) TV; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), EUTELSAT, and MARISAT systems

Branches

Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force

Defense expenditures

6.0% of GDP, or $3.4 billion (1989 est.)

Military manpower

males 15-49, 2,418,754; 1,861,141 fit for military service; about 73,809 reach military age (21) annually

Agriculture

including fishing and forestry, accounts for 14% of GNP and 27% of the labor force; principal products--wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes, beef, mutton, pork, dairy products; self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 135,000 metric tons in 1987

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $525 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.3 billion

Budget

revenues $15.5 billion; expenditures $23.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.5 billion (1988)

Currency

drachma (plural--drachmas); 1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta

Electricity

10,500,000 kW capacity; 36,420 million kWh produced, 3,630 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

drachma (Dr) per US$1--158.03 (January 1990), 162.42 (1989), 141.86 (1988), 135.43 (1987), 139.98 (1986), 138.12 (1985)

Exports

$5.9 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels and lubricants, raw materials; partners--FRG 24%, Italy 14%, nonoil developing countries 11.8%, France 9.5%, US 7.1%, UK 6.8%

External debt

$20.0 billion (December 1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

$56.3 billion, per capita $5,605; real growth rate 2.3% (1989 est.)

Imports

$13.5 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--machinery and transport equipment, light manufactures, fuels and lubricants, foodstuffs, chemicals; partners--FRG 22%, nonoil developing countries 14%, oil exporting countries 13%, Italy 12%, France 8%, US 3.2%

Industrial production

growth rate 1.6% (1989 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14.8% (December 1989)

Overview

Greece has a mixed capitalistic economy with the basic entrepreneurial system overlaid in 1981-89 by a socialist-left-government that enlarged the public sector and became the nation's largest employer. Like many other Western economies, Greece suffered severely from the global oil price hikes of the 1970s, annual GDP growth plunging from 8% to 2% in the 1980s, and inflation, unemployment, and budget deficits rising sharply. The fall of the socialist government in 1989 and the inability of the conservative opposition to muster a clear majority have led to business uncertainty and the continued prospects for lackluster economic performance. Once the political situation is sorted out, Greece will have to face the challenges posed by the steadily increasing integration of the European Community, including the progressive lowering of tariff barriers. Tourism continues as a major industry, providing a vital offset to the sizable commodity trade deficit.

Unemployment rate

7.7% (1988)

Climate

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Coastline

13,676 km

Comparative area

slightly smaller than Alabama

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

Disputes

complex maritime and air (but not territorial) disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; Macedonia question with Bulgaria and Yugoslavia; Northern Epirus question with Albania

Environment

subject to severe earthquakes; air pollution; archipelago of 2,000 islands

Land boundaries

1,228 km total; Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Yugoslavia 246 km

Land use

23% arable land; 8% permanent crops; 40% meadows and pastures; 20% forest and woodland; 9% other; includes 7% irrigated

Natural resources

bauxite, lignite, magnesite, crude oil, marble

Note

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits

Terrain

mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Territorial sea

6 nm

Total area

131,940 km2; land area: 130,800 km2

Administrative divisions

51 departments (nomoi, singular--nomos); Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Iraklion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkira, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos

Capital

Athens

Communists

an estimated 60,000 members and sympathizers

Constitution

11 June 1975

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Christos ZACHARAKIS; Chancery at 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 667-3168; there are Greek Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, and a Consulate in New Orleans; US--Ambassador Michael G. SOTIRHOS; Embassy at 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens (mailing address is APO New York 09253); telephone [30] (1) 721-2951 or 721-8401; there is a US Consulate General in Thessaloniki

Executive branch

president, prime minister, Cabinet

Flag

nine equal horizontal stripes of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Christianity, the established religion of the country

Independence

1827 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State--President Christos SARTZETAKIS (since 30 March 1985); Head of Government--Prime Minister Constantin MITSOTAKIS (since 11 April 1990)

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (Vouli)

Long-form name

Hellenic Republic

Member of

CCC, EC, EIB (associate), FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NATO, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

National holiday

Independence Day (proclamation of the war of independence), 25 March (1821)

Political parties and leaders

New Democracy (ND; conservative), Constantine Mitsotakis; Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Andreas Papandreou; Democratic Renewal (DR), Constantine Stefanopoulos; Communist Party (KKE), Grigorios Farakos; Greek Left Party (EAR), Leonidas Kyrkos; KKE and EAR have joined in the Left Alliance, Harilaos Florakis, president

Suffrage

universal and compulsory at age 18 President--last held 30 March 1985 (next to be held 29 April 1990); results--Christos Sartzetakis was elected by Parliament; April 1994); results--New Democracy 46.89%, Panhellenic Socialist Movement 38.62%, Left Alliance 10.27%, PASOK-Left Alliance Cooperation 1.02%, Ecologist-Alternative 0.77%, Democratic Renewal 0.67%, Muslim 0.5%; seats--(300 total) New Democracy 150, Panhellenic Socialist Movement 123, Left Alliance 19, PASOK-Left Alliance Cooperation 4, Muslim independent 2, Democratic Renewal 1, Ecologist-Alternative 1

Type

presidential parliamentary government; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Birth rate

11 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

9 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

Greek 98%, others 2%; note--the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece

Infant mortality rate

10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

3,860,000; 43% services, 27% agriculture, 20% manufacturing and mining, 7% construction (1985)

Language

Greek (official); English and French widely understood

Life expectancy at birth

75 years male, 80 years female (1990)

Literacy

95%

Nationality

noun--Greek(s); adjective--Greek

Net migration rate

0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

10-15% of total labor force, 20-25% of urban labor force

Population

10,028,171 (July 1990), growth rate 0.2% (1990)

Religion

98% Greek Orthodox, 1.3% Muslim, 0.7% other

Total fertility rate

1.5 children born/woman (1990)