Greece

Airports

total: 78 usable: 77 with permanent-surface runways: 63 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 20 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 24

Highways

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

Inland waterways

80 km; system consists of three coastal canals; including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Piraievs (Piraeus) by 325 km; and three unconnected rivers

Merchant marine

1,059 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 29,343,367 GRT/54,249,294 DWT, bulk 453, cargo 117, chemical tanker 20, combination bulk 23, combination ore/oil 38, container 36, liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 251, passenger 15, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 17, short-sea passenger 65, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 1 note: ethnic Greeks also own large numbers of ships under the registry of Liberia, Panama, Cyprus, Malta, and The Bahamas

Pipelines

crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km

Ports

Piraievs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki

Railroads

2,479 km total; 1,565 km 1,435-mm standard gauge, of which 36 km electrified and 100 km double track; 892 km 1,000-mm gauge; 22 km 750-mm narrow gauge; all government owned

Telecommunications

adequate, modern networks reach all areas; 4,080,000 telephones; microwave radio relay carries most traffic; extensive open-wire network; submarine cables to off-shore islands; broadcast stations - 29 AM, 17 (20 repeaters) FM, 361 TV; tropospheric links, 8 submarine cables; 1 satellite earth station operating in INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean antenna), and EUTELSAT systems

Affiliation

(part of the Danish realm)

Branches

Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, National Guard, Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $4.0 billion, 5.4% of GDP (1993)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 2,645,859; fit for military service 2,025,212; reach military age (21) annually 74,484 (1994 est.)

Agriculture

including fishing and forestry, accounts for 15% of GDP and 24% of the labor force; principal products - wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; self-sufficient in food except meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs

Budget

revenues: $28.3 billion expenditures: $37.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.2 billion (1994)

Currency

1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $525 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.39 billion

Electricity

capacity: 10,500,000 kW production: 36.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,610 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

drachmae (Dr) per US$1 - 250.28 (January 1994), 229.26 (1993), 190.62 (1992), 182.27 (1991), 158.51 (1990), 162.42 (1989)

Exports

$6 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: manufactured goods 53%, foodstuffs 34%, fuels 5% partners: Germany 23%, Italy 18%, France 7%, UK 7%, US 4% (1992)

External debt

$23.1 billion (1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis and limited opium; mostly for domestic production; serves as 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; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route

Imports

$23.3 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: manufactured goods 72%, foodstuffs 15%, fuels 10% partners: Germany 20%, Italy 14%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, Japan 6% (1992)

Industrial production

growth rate -1.3% (1992); accounts for 20% of GDP

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14.4% (1993)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $93.2 billion (1993)

National product per capita

$8,900 (1993)

National product real growth rate

1% (1993)

Overview

Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the basic entrepreneurial system overlaid in 1981-89 by a socialist system that enlarged the public sector from 55% of GDP in 1981 to about 70% in 1989. Since then, the public sector has been reduced to about 60% of GDP. Tourism continues as a major source of foreign exchange, and agriculture is self-sufficient except for meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs. Over the last decade, real GDP growth has averaged 1.6% a year, compared with the European Union average of 2.2%. Inflation is four times the EU average, and the national debt has reached 140% of GDP, the highest in the EU. Prime Minister PAPANDREOU will probably only make limited progress correcting the economy's problems of high inflation, large budget deficit, and decaying infrastructure. His economic program suggests that although he will shun his expansionary policies of the 1980s, he will avoid tough measures needed to slow inflation or reduce the state's role in the economy. He has limited the previous government's privatization plans, for example, and has called for generous welfare spending and real wage increases. In 1994, the GDP growth rate is likely to remain low, and inflation probably will accelerate, remaining the highest in the EU. PAPANDREOU'S failure to improve the country's economic performance will further strain relations with the EU. Since Greece's accession to the then EC in 1981, Athens' heavy reliance on EU aid - amounting to about 6% of Greek GDP annually - and its poor use of Union funds have riled Brussels. Its ailing economy will continue to be a drag on European economic and monetary union.

Unemployment rate

9.5% (1993)

Area

total area: 131,940 sq km land area: 130,800 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Alabama

Climate

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Coastline

13,676 km

Environment

current issues: air pollution; water pollution natural hazards: subject to severe earthquakes international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea

International disputes

air, continental shelf, and territorial water disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over name and symbol implying territorial claim

Irrigated land

11,900 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total 1,210 km, Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km

Land use

arable land: 23% permanent crops: 8% meadows and pastures: 40% forest and woodland: 20% other: 9%

Location

Balkan State, Southern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and Bulgaria

Map references

Africa, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 6 nm, but Greece has threatened to claim 12 nm

Natural resources

bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble

Note

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

52 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos); Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Dhrama, 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, Piraievs, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos, autonomous region: Agion Oros (Mt. Athos)

Capital

Athens

Chamber of Deputies (Vouli ton Ellinon)

elections last held 10 October 1993 (next to be held by NA October 1997); results - PASOK 46.88%, ND 39.30%, Political Spring 4.87%, KKE 4.54%, and Progressive Left Coalition 2.94%; seats - (300 total) PASOK 170, ND 111, Political Spring 10, KKE 9

Constitution

11 June 1975

Digraph

GR

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Loucas TSILAS chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 939-5800

Executive branch

chief of state: President Konstantinos KARAMANLIS (since 5 May 1990); election last held 4 May 1990 (next to be held May 1995); results - Konstantinos KARAMANLIS was elected by Parliament head of government: Prime Minister Andreas PAPANDREOU (since 10 October 1993) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

FAX

(202) 939-5824 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): New Orleans

FAX

[30] (1) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag

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

Independence

1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Judicial branch

Supreme Judicial Court, Special Supreme Tribunal

Legal system

based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

Australian Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, FAO, G-6, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNOSOM, UPU, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Names

conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas former: Kingdom of Greece

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

New Democracy (ND; conservative), Miltiades EVERT; Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Andreas PAPANDREOU; Progressive Left Coalition, Maria DAMANAKI; Democratic Renewal (DIANA), Konstantinos STEFANOPOULOS; Communist Party (KKE), Aleka PAPARIGA; Ecologist-Alternative List, leader rotates; Political Spring, Antonis SAMARAS

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Type

presidential parliamentary government; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas M.T. NILES embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, Athens; APO AE 09842 telephone: [30] (1) 721-2951 or 721-8401

Birth rate

10.5 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

9.32 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Greek 98%, other 2% note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece

Infant mortality rate

8.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

4.083 million by occupation: services 48%, agriculture 24%, industry 28% (1993)

Languages

Greek (official), English, French

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.71 years male: 75.2 years female: 80.35 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 93% male: 98% female: 89%

Nationality

noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek

Net migration rate

7.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

10,564,630 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.84% (1994 est.)

Religions

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

Total fertility rate

1.45 children born/woman (1994 est.)