Greece

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

27 (2000)

Internet country code

.gr

Internet users

1.33 million (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

5.02 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

5.431 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

937,700 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Televisions

2.54 million (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $45 billion expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Currency

drachma (GRD); euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Greece (which entered the European Monetary Union on 1 January 2001) at a fixed rate of 340.750 drachmae per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Currency code

GRD; EUR

Debt - external

$57 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.)

Economy - overview

Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of GDP. Tourism is a key industry, providing a large portion of GDP and foreign exchange earnings. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 4% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as the government has tightened policy in the run-up to Greece's entry into the EU's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2001. In particular, Greece has cut its budget deficit to below 1% of GDP and tightened monetary policy, with the result that inflation fell from 20% in 1990 to 3.1% in 2000. Major challenges remaining include the reduction of unemployment and further restructuring of the economy, including the privatization of some leading state enterprises. Growth, 3.8% in 2000, may fall off to 3%-3.5% in 2001.

Electricity - consumption

43.343 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

1.65 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

1.811 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

46.432 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 89.6% hydro: 9.72% nuclear: 0% other: 0.68% (1999)

Exchange rates

drachmae per US dollar - 380.21 (December 2000), 365.40 (2000), 305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997), 240.71 (1996)

Exports

$15.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities

manufactured goods, food and beverages, petroleum products

Exports - partners

EU 49% (Germany 15%, Italy 13%, UK 6%), US 6% (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $181.9 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 8.3% industry: 27.3% services: 64.4% (1998)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.8% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.)

Imports

$33.9 billion (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities

manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners

EU 66% (Italy 15%, Germany 15%, France 9%, UK 6%) (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

7% (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.1% (2000 est.)

Labor force

4.32 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

industry 21%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

11.3% (2000 est.)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Alabama

Climate

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Coastline

13,676 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 22 00 E

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

Irrigated land

13,140 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 19% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 41% forests and woodland: 20% other: 12% (1993 est.)

Location

Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 6 NM

Natural hazards

severe earthquakes

Natural resources

bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Ayion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, 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

Constitution

11 June 1975; amended March 1986

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador R. Nicholas BURNS embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (1) 721-2951

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandros PHILON chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5800

Executive branch

chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996) 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 2000 (next to be held by NA March 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90%

FAX

[1] (202) 939-5824 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans

FAX

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

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

Government type

parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Independence

1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council

Legal system

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

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 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA April 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%, KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party - PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Political parties and leaders

Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background

Greece achieved its 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 with Greek-speaking populations. Following the defeat of communist rebels 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. Democratic elections in 1974 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).

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.91% (FY99/00 est.)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,673,539 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 2,040,227 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - military age

21 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 77,976 (2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.98% (male 820,219; female 771,466) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 3,580,535; female 3,569,755) 65 years and over: 17.72% (male 834,234; female 1,047,626) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

9.83 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

9.73 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.16% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,000 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

6.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

Greek 99% (official), English, French

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.59 years male: 76.03 years female: 81.32 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 98% female: 93% (1991 est.)

Nationality

noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek

Net migration rate

1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

10,623,835 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

0.21% (2001 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.33 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name

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

Airports

81 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 65 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 16 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.)

Heliports

2 (2000 est.)

Highways

total: 117,000 km paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,594 km (1996)

Merchant marine

total: 780 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 25,564,988 GRT/44,761,916 DWT ships by type: bulk 272, cargo 55, chemical tanker 22, combination bulk 5, combination ore/oil 6, container 51, liquefied gas 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 255, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 20, short-sea passenger 63, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: South Korea 1, UK 4 (2000 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km

Ports and harbors

Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos

Railways

total: 2,548 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 23 km double track) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack-type railway for steep grades)

Waterways

80 km note: 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 Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also three unconnected rivers