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Greece

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   SOS Children works in Greece. For more information see SOS Children in
   Greece
   Ελληνική Δημοκρατία
   Ellinikí Dimokratía
   Hellenic Republic

   Flag of Greece Coat of arms of Greece
   Flag           Coat of arms
   Motto: Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος
   ( Transliteration: Eleftheria i thanatos)
   ( Translation: "Freedom or Death")
   Anthem: Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν
   (" Hymn to Freedom")
   Location of Greece
   Capital
   (and largest city) Athens
   38°00′N 23°43′E
   Official languages Greek
   Government Parliamentary Republic
    - President Karolos Papoulias
    - Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis
   Independence from Ottoman Empire
    - Last Independent Greek State 1461 Empire of Trebizond
    - Declared 25 March 1821
    - Recognized 1829
   Accession to EU January 1, 1981
   Area
    - Total 131,990 km² ( 96th)
   50,944 sq mi
    - Water (%) 0.8669
   Population
    - 2005 estimate 11,244,118 ( 74th)
    - 2001 census 10,964,020
    - Density 84/km² ( 108th)
   218/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2006 estimate
    - Total $261.018 billion ( 37th)
    - Per capita $23,518 ( 30th)
   HDI  (2004) 0.921 (high) ( 24th)
   Currency Euro ( €)^2 ( EUR)
   Time zone EET ( UTC+2)
    - Summer ( DST) EEST ( UTC+3)
   Internet TLD .gr ^3
   Calling code +30
   ^1 Monarchy rejected by referendum on December 8th, 1974.
   ^2 Prior to 2001: Greek Drachma.
   ^3 The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European
   Union member states.

   Greece ( Greek: Ελλάδα [eˈlaða] or Ελλάς [eˈlas]), officially the
   Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία [eliniˈci ðimokraˈtia]), is a
   country in south-eastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the
   Balkan peninsula. It is bordered by Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav
   Republic of Macedonia and Albania to the north and by Turkey to the
   east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of mainland Greece while the
   Ionian Sea lies to the west. Both parts of the eastern Mediterranean
   basin, feature a vast number of islands.

   Greece lies at the juncture of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is heir to
   the heritages of classical Greece, the Byzantine Empire, and nearly
   four centuries of Ottoman rule. Regarded as the cradle of western
   civilization and being the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy,
   the Olympic Games, western literature, political science, major
   scientific principles as well as drama including both tragedy and
   comedy, Greece has a particularly long and eventful history and a
   cultural heritage considerably influential in Europe, Northern Africa
   and the Middle East. Today, Greece is a developed country, member of
   the European Union since 1981 and a member of the Economic and Monetary
   Union of the European Union since 2001. Athens, Thessaloniki, Piraeus
   and Patra are the country's major cities.

History

   The western side of the Parthenon on the acropolis
   Enlarge
   The western side of the Parthenon on the acropolis

   The shores of Greece's Aegean Sea saw the emergence of the first
   advanced civilizations in Europe whose impact is inseparable from
   today's western institutions. Home to the Classical civilization,
   Greece became a Roman province and in the process transformed Rome
   itself. Following the emergence of the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire
   and 400 years of Ottoman control the modern Greek state evolved after
   1821-1830 as an independent Kingdom. It increased its territorial area
   up until 1922, which saw the collapse of the Greek presence in Asia
   Minor.
   Bull-leaping fresco in the site of Knossos, Crete
   Enlarge
   Bull-leaping fresco in the site of Knossos, Crete

   Greece was growing economically, whilst becoming politically more
   liberal. In 1877, Prime Minister Charilaos Trikoupis curbed the power
   of the monarchy to interfere in the Assembly. This period was
   punctuated by the undertaking of one of the largest construction
   initiatives in Europe: the creation of the Corinth Canal (1881 - 1893),
   and in 1896 the Olympic Games were revived in Athens, judged a success.
   As a result of the Balkan Wars of 1912-13, Crete, Chios, Samos, most of
   Epirus and southern Macedonia, including Thessaloniki, were
   incorporated into Greece. King George was assassinated in Thessaloniki
   in 1913 and succeeded by his Germanophile son, King Constantine I,
   whose struggle with Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos resulted in
   Greece's joining of the Entente against Germany and Austria, and the
   abdication of King Constantine in favour of his son, Alexander.

   A small part of Asia Minor, which still retained a majority Greek
   population and was centred around the city of Smyrna (known today as
   Izmir), was awarded to Greece by the Great Powers for having sided with
   the entente powers in World War I against the Ottoman Empire. Very
   soon, however, Turkish nationalists, led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk,
   denounced the Sultan's government in Istanbul and formed a new one in
   Ankara, eventually defeating the Greeks ( Greco-Turkish War
   (1919-1922)) when the Great Powers stopped supplying the Greek armies.

   Following the regaining of control of Asia Minor and the destruction of
   Smyrna, a new government was established. Soon afterwards, the Treaty
   of Lausanne was signed, fixing the borders to this date. A population
   exchange was included in the agreement and immediately afterward,
   around five hundred thousand Muslims then living in mainland Greek
   territory left for Turkey in exchange for more than 1.22 million Greek
   residents of Asia Minor (excluding Constantinople, Imvros and Tenedos).

   In 1936, General Ioannis Metaxas established an authoritarian
   conservative dictatorship in Greece, known as the 4th of August Regime,
   and shortly before the outbreak of World War II a disputed referendum
   was held, resulting in a 'yes' to restore the monarchy under King
   George II.

   On October 28, 1940, the Italian dictator Mussolini demanded that
   Greece allow Axis troops to enter the country and to surrender its
   arms; the Greek government gave what became known as the simple
   negative response of “No” (see Okhi Day) — thereby immediately siding
   with the Allies (see Military history of Greece during World War II).
   Italian troops poured over from Albania but were foiled by the Greeks
   at the Albanian front, giving the Allies their first victory against
   fascism (see Greco-Italian War). Since Hitler and his generals needed
   to secure their strategic southern flank, German forces, whose ranks
   included troops from Bulgaria and Italy, successfully invaded, and the
   occupation of Greece by Nazi Germany began in April–May, 1941 (see
   Battle of Greece). Greek partisan resistance to the occupation was
   fierce, often with bitter retaliation from the occupiers. Greek
   Resistance however, such as that waged in Crete, is believed to have
   forced a delay in German plans to initiate invasion against the Soviet
   Union, thereby extending the campaign into the punishing Russian
   winter, while the extremely heavy losses of German paratroop forces
   foiled a planned German campaign in the Middle East against
   British-held Iraq and its oil fields. Germany retained its grip on the
   country until 1944 when German troops withdrew. The Jewish community of
   Thessaloniki suffered the heaviest toll by far and the Greek economy
   languished.

   After liberation from Nazi Germany, Greece experienced an equally
   bitter Greek Civil War between the communist-led Democratic Army and
   Hellenic Army lasting until 1949, when the communists were defeated in
   the battle of Grammos-Vitsi. During the 1950s and 1960s, Greece
   experienced a gradual and consistent economic growth, aided by
   significant grants and loans by the United States through the Marshall
   Plan. However, starting in 1965, a period of turbulence and the
   subsequent political uncertainty led to a coup d’etat against the
   elected government and King Constantine II that took place in the dawn
   of April 21, 1967, and the establishment of a US-supported military
   junta ( Regime of the Colonels). In the ensuing years, a number of
   sympathisers of the left, as well as a number of politicians and
   communists, were arrested and brutally tortured by the regime. Many
   politicians evaded capture and found political refuge in other European
   countries such as France and Sweden, but the then-head of state, King
   Constantine, officially acknowledged the new regime, which was also
   then duly recognized by the international community, and diplomatic
   relations continued; he attempted a counter coup in December, 1967
   which was to fail, and he went to Rome in exile. It collapsed in July
   1974.

   Ex Premier Constantine Karamanlis was invited back on July 23, 1974
   from Paris, where he had found political refuge. Marking the beginning
   of the Metapolitefsi era of Greek history, the plane carrying
   Constantine Karamanlis landed in Athens amidst massive celebrations and
   enormous crowds in Syntagma Square; Karamanlis was immediately
   appointed interim prime minister under President Gizikis, and founded
   the conservative New Democracy party, going on to win the ensuing
   elections by a large margin. Democracy was finally restored and a
   democratic republican constitution came into force in 1975. The
   monarchy was abolished by a referendum held that same year, denying
   King Constantine II and his family any access to the country until
   2004. Meanwhile, another prominent figure of the past, politician
   Andreas Papandreou, had also returned from the United States, and
   founded the Panhellenic Socialist Party, or PASOK.
   The widely praised 2004 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony was held on
   August 13 in the Athens Olympic Stadium.
   Enlarge
   The widely praised 2004 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony was held on
   August 13 in the Athens Olympic Stadium.

   Karamanlis won the 1977 parliamentary elections, but resigned in 1980
   giving way to George Rallis; Papandreou, however, won the elections
   held on October 18, 1981 by a landslide and formed the first socialist
   government in Greece's history. Papandreou dominated the Greek
   political stage for almost 15 years until his death in June 23, 1996,
   by which time Kostas Simitis, another prominent political figure of
   PASOK, had already succeeded him as Prime Minister. Simitis remained in
   office until March 7, 2004, when Kostas Karamanlis of the conservative
   New Democracy party won elections.

   Greece became the tenth member of the European Union on January 1, 1981
   and ever since the nation has experienced remarkable and sustained
   economic growth. Widespread investments in industrial enterprises and
   heavy infrastructure, as well as funds from the European Union and
   growing revenues from tourism, shipping and a fast growing service
   sector have raised the country's standard of living to unprecedented
   levels. The country adopted the Euro in 2001 and successfully organised
   the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Politics

   The Greek Parliament today
   Enlarge
   The Greek Parliament today

   The 1975 Constitution, describes Greece as a "presidential
   parliamentary republic”, grants extensive specific guarantees of civil
   liberties and vests the powers of the head of state in a President
   elected by parliament for a 5 year term. The Greek governmental
   structure is similar to that found in many Western democracies, and has
   been described as a compromise between the French and German models.
   The Prime Minister and cabinet play the central role in the political
   process, while the President performs some executive and legislative
   functions in addition to ceremonial duties.

   The Prime Minister of Greece is the head of government, and Executive
   power is exercised by that government. Legislative power is vested in
   both the government and the Hellenic Parliament. The Judiciary is
   independent of the executive and the legislature and comprises three
   Supreme Courts: the Court of Cassation (Άρειος Πάγος), the Council of
   State (Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας) and the Court of Auditors (Ελεγκτικό
   Συνέδριο). The Judiciary system is also comprised of civil courts,
   which judge civil and penal cases and administrative courts, which
   judge administrative cases, namely disputes between the citizens and
   the State.

   Greece elects a legislature by universal suffrage of all citizens over
   the age of 18. The Hellenic Parliament (Vouli ton Ellinon) has 300
   members, elected for a four-year term. Since the restoration of
   democracy the party system is dominated by the liberal-conservative New
   Democracy (Νέα Δημοκρατία - Nea Dimokratia) and the socialist PASOK, or
   Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα -
   Panellinio Sosialistiko Kinima). Non-negligible parties include the
   Communist Party of Greece and the Coalition of the Radical Left.

   On March 7, 2004, Kostas Karamanlis, president of the New Democracy
   party and nephew of the late Constantine Karamanlis, was elected as the
   new Prime Minister of Greece, thus marking his party's first electoral
   victory in nearly 11 years. Karamanlis took over Government from Kostas
   Simitis of PASOK, who had been in office since January 1996.

Administrative divisions

   Peripheries: Greece consists of 13 administrative regions known as
   peripheries, which subdivide further into the 54 prefectures (nomoi,
   singular — nomos). For more detailed maps of the peripheries and/or
   prefectures, see the Peripheries of Greece or Prefectures of Greece
   articles.

   Autonomous region:Greece has one autonomous region, Mount Athos (Agio
   Oros — Holy Mountain) in Macedonia.

Military

   See Military of Greece

Geography

   Map of Greece
   Enlarge
   Map of Greece

   Greece consists of a mountainous and craggy mainland jutting out into
   the sea at the southern end of the Balkans. The Peloponnesus peninsula
   (separated from the mainland by the canal of the Isthmus of Corinth);
   and numerous islands (around 3,000), including Crete, Euboea, Lesbos,
   Chios, the Dodecanese and the Cycladic groups of the Aegean Sea as well
   as the Ionian Sea islands. Greece has the 7th or 8th longest coastline
   in the world with more than 15,000 kilometres (9,300  mi); its land
   boundary is 1,160 kilometres (721 mi).

   Four fifths of Greece consist of mountains or hills, making the country
   one of the most mountainous in Europe. Western Greece contains a number
   of lakes and wetlands and it is dominated by the Pindus mountain range.
   Pindus has a maximum elevation of 2,636 metres (8,648  ft) and it is
   essentially a prolongation of the Dinaric Alps.

   The range continues through the western Peloponnese, crosses the
   islands of Kythera and Antikythera and find its way into southwestern
   Aegean, in the island of Crete where it eventually ends. (the islands
   of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains that once consisted an
   extension of the mainland). Pindus is characterized by its high, steep
   peaks, often dissected by numerous canyons and a variety of other
   karstic landscapes. Most notably, the impressive Meteora formation
   consisting of high, steep boulders provides a breathtaking experience
   for the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit the area each year.
   Special lifts transfer visitors to the scenic monasteries that lie on
   top of those rocks. Meteora are situated in the Trikala prefecture. The
   Vikos-Aoos Gorge is yet another spectacular formation. The Vicos-Aoos
   Gorge is a popular hotspot for those in fond of extreme sports.

   The mythical Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in the country,
   located in the southwestern Pieria prefecture, near Thessaloniki.
   Mytikas in Olympus range has a height of 2,918 metres (9,570 ft) at its
   highest peak. Once considered the throne of the Gods, it is today
   extremely popular among hikers and climbers who deem its height as a
   challenge. Moreover, northeastern Greece features yet another high
   altitude mountain range, the Rhodope range, spreading across the
   periphery of East Macedonia and Thrace; this area is covered with vast,
   thick, ancient forests. The famous Dadia forest is in the prefecture of
   Evros, in the far northeast of the country.

   Expansive plains are primarily located in the prefectures of Thessaly,
   Central Macedonia and Thrace. They constitute key economic regions as
   they are among the few arable places in the country. Volos and Larissa
   are the two largest cities of Thessaly.

   Rare marine species such as the Pinniped Seals and the Loggerhead Sea
   Turtle live in the seas surrounding mainland Greece, while its dense
   forests are home to the endangered brown bear, the lynx, the Roe Deer
   and the Wild Goat.
   The cosmopolitan island of Mykonos.
   Enlarge
   The cosmopolitan island of Mykonos.

Climate of Greece

   The climate of Greece can be categorised into three types that
   influence well defined regions of its territory. The Pindus mountain
   range strongly affects the climate of the country. The three distinct
   types are the Mediterranean, the Alpine and the Temperate types. The
   first one features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The
   Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, Eastern Peloponessus and parts of the
   Sterea Ellada region are mostly affected by this particular type.
   Temperatures rarely reach extreme values although snowfalls do occur
   occasionally even in the Cyclades or Crete during the winter months.
   The Alpine type is dominant mainly in Western Greece (Epirus, Central
   Greece, Thessaly, Western Macedonia as well as in the western and
   central parts of Peloponessus, including the prefectures of Achaea,
   Arcadia and parts of Laconia, where the Pindus range passes by).
   Finally the Temperate type affects Central and Eastern Macedonia as
   well as Thrace, mainly affecting the cities of Komotini, Xanthi and the
   towns of northern Evros; it features cold, damp winters (with 52 inches
   of rain in Corfu and 25 inches in Crete)and hot, dry summers. Athens is
   located in a transitional area featuring both the Mediterranean and the
   temperate types.It averages about 16 inches of rain annually. The
   city's northern suburbs are dominated by the temperate type while the
   downtown area and the southern suburbs enjoy a typical Mediterranean
   type.

Economy

   Greek 1 euro coin depicting Goddess Athena's symbol, the owl.
   Enlarge
   Greek 1 euro coin depicting Goddess Athena's symbol, the owl.

   Greece has a capitalist mixed economy. The nation's main economic
   activity is primarily based on the tourism, shipping, banking & finance
   and construction sectors while the country serves as the regional
   business hub for many of the world's largest multinational companies.
   Greece enjoys a high standard of living, ranking 24th on the 2006 Human
   Development Index and 22nd on The Economist's 2005 world-wide
   quality-of-life index and it has an average per capita income that has
   been estimated at $23,518 for the year 2006. The implementation of a
   number of structural and fiscal reforms, combined with considerable
   European Union funding over the last 25 years and increasing private
   consumption have contributed to the fact that the Greek GDP annual
   growth consistently out-performs the European average.
   The Rio-Antirio bridge connects the Peloponnese with mainland Greece.
   Enlarge
   The Rio-Antirio bridge connects the Peloponnese with mainland Greece.

   Main exports from Greece include:

   Services, make up the largest, most vital and fastest-growing sector of
   the Greek economy, accounting for about 70% of GDP in 2002 followed by
   manufacturing and agriculture. The thriving tourism industry is a major
   source of foreign exchange earnings and revenue accounting for 14.3% of
   Greece’s total GDP and employing (directly or indirectly) 659,719
   people (or 16.5% of total employment). Fifteenth country in the world
   concerning the total number of tourists, Greece welcomed over 16.5
   million visitors in 2004 alone, and almost 18 million in 2005, after
   the 2004 Summer Olympic Games. With earnings of €12 bn in foreign
   exchange and a leading fleet on a global basis, the shipping industry
   is arguably considered as one of Greece's most important industries.
   The Greek banking & Finance sector is also an important source of
   revenue and employment and Greek banks have invested heavily in the
   Balkan region. The manufacturing sector accounts for about 13% of GDP
   with the food industry leading in growth, profit and export potential.
   High-technology equipment production, especially for
   telecommunications, is also a fast-growing sector. Other important
   areas include textiles, building materials, machinery, transport
   equipment, and electrical appliances. Construction (10%GDP) and
   agriculture (7%) are yet two other significant sectors of the Greek
   economic activity.
   The tourism industry is an important source of income in Greece. Here,
   the popular Milopotas Beach in the island of Ios.
   Enlarge
   The tourism industry is an important source of income in Greece. Here,
   the popular Milopotas Beach in the island of Ios.

   After the end of the Greek Civil War in 1949 and for more than two
   decades Greece achieved the second highest economic growth rate in the
   world after Japan, resulting in a dramatic improvement of living
   standards (the " Greek economic miracle"). Since Greece became a full
   member of the European Union, on January 1, 1981, it has benefited from
   cohesion funds, along with Portugal, Spain and Ireland that have
   contributed considerably to the nation's remarkable economic
   development since the 1980s. In 1989 Greece belonged to a group of 22 "
   advanced economies".

   During the second quarter of 2006, Greece experienced a strong 4.1%
   growth rate, while in the same period of the previous year, the growth
   rate was 3.4%. This is among the highest rates in the EU and the
   Eurozone, where the average growth rates for these periods were
   estimated to stand as 1.6% and 1.3% respectively. Current challenges
   include the further reduction of unemployment which currently stands at
   8.8%, the reform of the social security system, the further
   privatization of the public sector, the overhauling of the tax system
   and the further reduction of certain bureaucratic inefficiencies.
   Reduction of the fiscal deficit to the Eurozone target of 3% of GDP had
   also become a key issue. Under a negotiated agreement, the EU has given
   Greece a two year deadline (budgets of 2005 and 2006) in order to bring
   the deficit in line with the criteria of the European stability pact,
   namely below 3%. In 2005, the deficit had declined significantly and
   stood at 4.5% of GDP, in line with Greece's commitments to the European
   Union. As of mid 2006, the achievement of that goal is deemed as
   certain within the time constraints set by Eurostat.

Science and technology

   Because of its strategic location, qualified workforce and political
   and economic stability, many multinational companies, such as Ericsson,
   Siemens AG, SAP, Motorola, have their regional R&D Headquarters in
   Greece.

   The General Secretariat for Research and Technology of the Hellenic
   Ministry of Development is responsible for designing, implementing and
   supervising national research and technological policy.

   In 2003, public spending on R&D was 456,37 million Euros (12,6%
   increase from 2002). Total R&D spending (both public and private), as a
   percentage of GDP has increased considerably since the beginning of the
   past decade, from 0,38% in 1989, to 0,65% in 2001.

   R&D spending in Greece remains lower than the EU average of 1,93% but
   according to Research DC, based on OECD and Eurostat data, between 1990
   and 1998, total R&D expenditure in Greece enjoyed the third highest
   increase in Europe, after Finland and Ireland.

   In 2001, there were 55,626 researchers (from 30,500 in 1993)in such
   fields as telecommunications, microelectronics, multimedia, computer
   science, computer networks and software engineering, attracting the
   interest of many multinational companies and producing an increasing
   number of high quality publications. Of that number approximately,
   33,507 were employed in Higher Education Foundations, 13,100 by private
   companies, 8,800 in State-owned Research Centres and approximately 200
   in non-profit private research centres.

   Greece's technology parks with incubator facilities include: the
   Science and Technology Park of Crete (Heraklion), the Thessaloniki
   Technology Park, the Lavrio Technology Park and the Patras Science
   Park.

   Greece has been a member of the European Space Agency, or ESA, since
   2005. Cooperation between ESA and the Hellenic National Space Committee
   began in the early 1990s. In 1994 Greece and ESA signed their first
   cooperation agreement. Having formally applied for full membership in
   2003, Greece became ESA's 16th member on March 16th 2005. As member of
   the ESA, Greece participates in the agency's telecommunication and
   technology activities, and the Global Monitoring for Environment and
   Security Initiative.

Demography

   Part of the series on
   Greek culture

   Architecture

   Art

   Cinema

   Cuisine

   Dance

   Dress

   Language

   Literature

   Music

   Politics

   Philosophy

   Religion

   Sport

   The official Statistical body of Greece is the National Statistical
   Service of Greece (NSSG).

   Vital Statistics: According to the NSSG, in 2005, Greece had a total
   population of 11.082.752 of whom 5.486.632 were males and 5.596.119
   females. As statistics from 1971, 1981 and 2001 show, the Greek
   population has been ageing the past several decades. The birth rate in
   2003 stood 9,5/1,000 inhabitants (14,5/1,000 in 1981). At the same time
   the mortality rate increased slightly from 8,9/1,000 inhabitants in
   1981 to 9,6/1,000 inhabitants in 2003. In 2001, 16,71% of the
   population were 65 years old and older, 68,12% between the ages of 15
   and 64 years old, and 15,18% were 14 years old and younger. In 1971 the
   figures were 10.92%, 63.72% and 25,36% respectively. Greek societal
   traits have also rapidly changed through the passage of time. For
   example, marriage rates kept falling from almost 71/1,000 inhabitants
   in 1981 until 2002, only to increase slightly in 2003 to 61/1,000.
   Divorce rates on the other hand, have seen an everlasting and
   accelerating increase – from 89,2/1,000 marriages in 1981 to 191/1,000
   marriages in 2002. Almost 2/3 of Greeks live in urban areas. Greece's
   largest cities in 2005 were: Athens (3,190,336), Thessaloniki
   (980,419), Patra (216,592), Iraklio (188,650) and Volos (151,591).
   (source: The Regions of Greece, All Media Publication, 2005)

   Ethnic Minorities: The only minority in Greece which receives special
   minority treatment is the Muslim minority (Μουσουλμανική μειονότητα) in
   Thrace, which amounts to approximately 0.95% of the total population
   and mainly consists of ethnic Turks, Pomaks and Roma. Other recognized
   ethnic minorities are approximately 35,000 Armenians, and 5,500 Jews.
   For more information on ethnic minority-related issues see: Minorities
   in Greece and Demographics of Greece.

   Immigration: Due to the complexity of Greek immigration policy,
   practices and data collection, truly reliable data on immigrant
   populations in Greece is difficult to gather and therefore subject to
   much speculation. A study from the Mediterranean Migration Observatory
   maintains that the 2001 Census from the NSSG recorded 762.191 persons
   residing in Greece without Greek citizenship, constituting around 7% of
   total population and that, of these, 48.560 were EU or EFTA nationals
   and 17.426 Cypriots with privileged status. At the same time, Albanians
   constituted some 56% of total immigrants, followed by Bulgarians (5%),
   Georgians (3%) and Romanians (3%). Americans, Cypriots, British and
   Germans appeared as sizeable foreign communities at around 2% each of
   total foreign population. The rest were around 690.000 persons of
   non-EU or non-homogeneis status. The greatest cluster of non-EU
   immigrant population is in the Municipality of Athens –some 132.000
   immigrants, at 17% of local population. Thessaloniki is the second
   largest cluster, with 27.000 – but reaching only 7% of local
   population. After this, the predominant areas of location are the
   Athens environs.

   According to the same study, the foreign population (documented and
   undocumented) residing in Greece may in reality figure upwards to 8,5%
   or 10,3%, that is approximately meaning 1,15 million - if immigrants
   with ‘’homogeneis’’ cards are accounted for.

   Religious Affiliation: The majority of Greek citizens (95-98%) are
   baptised into the Greek Orthodox Church and most celebrate at least the
   main religious feasts, especially Pascha (Greek Orthodox Easter).
   St Dionysius's Cathedral (Greek Orthodox), Zakynthos City.
   Enlarge
   St Dionysius's Cathedral (Greek Orthodox), Zakynthos City.

   According to the US Department of State, the Greek Government does not
   keep statistics on religious groups and censuses do not ask for
   religious affiliation. The Department of State's International
   Religious Freedom Report of 2005 maintains that approximately 97
   percent of citizens identify themselves at least nominally with the
   Greek Orthodox faith. Estimates of the, mainly Turcophone, Muslim
   community range from 98,000 to 140,000 – the immigrant Muslim community
   is between 200,000 and 300,000. Members of the Roman Catholic faith are
   estimated at 50,000, with the immigrant Catholic Community
   approximating 200,000. The Jehovah's Witnesses report having 30,000
   active members. The State Department report calculates Protestants,
   including evangelicals, at about 30,000. The longstanding Jewish
   community numbers approximately 5,000 adherents, about 2,000 of whom
   reside in Thessaloniki. There is also a significant, although
   unconfirmed, number of followers of the Ethnic Hellenic religion
   (100,000 members according to the Supreme Council of Ethnikoi
   Hellenes).

   According to the most recent Eurostat Eurobarometer poll, in 2005, 81%
   of Greek citizens responded that they "believe there is a God", whereas
   16% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life
   force" and 3% that they "do not believe there is a God, spirit, nor
   life force". Greece's percentage of respondents asserting that they
   "believe there is a God" was the third highest among EU members.

Education

   Education in Greece is compulsory for all Greek children 6-15 years
   old, or for 9 years in general (Elementary school and junior high
   school).

   Compulsory education is comprised of Primary there are also Nipiaka
   Tmimata (nursery classes) which operate along with the Nipiagogeia
   (kindergartens). Attendance at Primary Education (Dimotiko) lasts for
   six years, and children are admitted at the age of 6. Along with the
   regular kindergartens (Nipiagogeia) and the Dimotika, All-day primary
   schools are in operation, with an extended timetable and an enriched
   Curriculum. The Greek Education System also provides Special Nipagogeia
   (kindergartens), Dimotika, Gymnasia, Lykeia and special upper secondary
   classes in operation, for students with special educational needs.
   Musical, Ecclesiastical and Physical Education Gymnasia and Lykeia are
   also in operation.

   Post-compulsory Secondary Education, consists of two school types:
   Eniaia Lykeia (Unified Upper Secondary Schools) and the Technical
   Vocational Educational Schools (TEE). Post-compulsory Secondary
   Education also includes the Vocational Training Institutes (IEK) ,
   which provide formal but unclassified level of education. These
   Institutes are not classified as an educational level, because they
   accept both Gymnasio (lower secondary school) and Lykeio (upper
   secondary school) graduates according to the relevant specializations
   they provide.

   Public higher education is divided into Universities and Technological
   Education Institutes (TEI). Students are admitted to these Institutes
   according to their performance at national level examinations taking
   place at the third grade of Lykeio. Additionally, students are admitted
   to the Hellenic Open University upon the completion of the 22 year of
   age by drawing lots.

   Formal education is characterized by the fixed length of study, the
   possibility of repetition and the award of a formal school-leaving
   certificate which is the official authorization. As a consequence of
   the classification of the education institutions, a title
   (school-leaving certificate, degree etc.) is compulsory for students at
   each education level in order to continue to the next.

Photo Gallery

   The bell tower of the church of St. Spyridon, patron Saint of the
   island of Corfu.

   The popular Porto Katsiki beach in the island of Lefkada. Shannon Davis
   2006.

   The White Tower of Thessaloniki; in Thessaloniki, Greece's second
   largest city.

   The 6.3 Km long Corinth Canal, built from 1881 to 1893, connects the
   Gulf of Corinth to the Saronic Gulf.

   The famous Knights' Avenue in the Old town of the city of Rhodes.

   The Tholos at the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia in the site of Delphi.

   A portion of Arthur Evans' reconstruction of the Minoan palace at the
   site of Knossos, Crete.

   Night shot of central Athens.

   The old Venetian Port in the city of Rethymno, Crete.

   The Old City of Monemvasia, in southern Peloponnese.

   The Mykonos windmills.

   The popular Oia resort, Santorini at night.

   The town of Fiscardo, Kefallonia.

   The port of Hermoupolis in the island of Syros.

   Part of the Old Town of Corfu.

   Interchange at the Attiki Odos, the Athens' ring road.

   The Porto Carras resort in Chalkidiki peninsula.

   The port of Patras in Peloponnese.

   Aristotelous Square in Thessaloniki.

   The harbour of Pythagoreio, in Samos island.

Neighbouring countries

   Flag of Albania  Albania Flag of the Former Yugoslav Republic of
   Macedonia   Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Flag of Bulgaria
   Bulgaria
   Flag of Turkey  Turkey
   Flag of Italy  Italy  Image:Template CanadianCityGeoLocation West.png
   Ionian Sea North Aegean Sea  Image:Template CanadianCityGeoLocation
   East.png   Flag of Turkey  Turkey
   West    Flag of Greece  Greece     East
   South
   Mediterranean Sea
   Image:Template CanadianCityGeoLocation South.png
   Flag of Libya  Libya Mediterranean Sea
   Image:Template CanadianCityGeoLocation South.png
   Flag of Egypt  Egypt

   Topics about Ancient Greece
   Places: Aegean Sea | Hellespont | Macedon | Sparta | Athens | Corinth |
     Thermopylae | Antioch | Alexandria | Pergamon | Miletus | Delphi |
                               Olympia | Troy
       Life: Agriculture | Art | Cuisine | Economy | Law | Medicine |
                Pederasty | Pottery | Prostitution | Slavery
      Philosophy: Pythagoras | Heraclitus | Parmenides | Protagoras |
      Empedocles | Democritus | Socrates | Plato | Aristotle | Zeno |
                                  Epicurus
   Literature: Homer | Hesiod | Pindar | Aeschylus | Sophocles | Euripides
       | Aristophanes | Herodotus | Thucydides | Xenophon | Polybius
   Buildings: Parthenon | Temple of Artemis | Acropolis | Ancient Agora |
    Arch of Hadrian | Statue of Zeus | Temple of Hephaestus | Samothrace
                               temple complex
   Chronology: Aegean civilization | Mycenaean civilization | Greek dark
         ages | Ancient Greece | Hellenistic Greece | Roman Greece

   Countries of Europe

   Albania · Andorra · Armenia^1 · Austria · Azerbaijan^2 · Belarus ·
   Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus^1 ·
   Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia^2 ·
   Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan^2 ·
   Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia
   · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland
   · Portugal · Romania · Russia^2 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia ·
   Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey^2 · Ukraine · United
   Kingdom · Vatican City

   (1) Entirely in Asia but having socio-political connections with
   Europe. (2) Has significant territory in Asia.
   Countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea

   Albania • Algeria • Bosnia and Herzegovina • Croatia • Cyprus • Egypt •
   France • Greece • Israel • Italy • Lebanon • Libya • Malta • Monaco •
   Montenegro • Morocco • Slovenia • Spain • Syria • Tunisia • Turkey

   For dependent and other territories, see Dependent territory and List
   of unrecognized countries.
   Countries on the Aegean Sea

   Flag of Greece  Greece • Flag of Turkey  Turkey
   European Union members and candidates

   Austria • Belgium • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia •
   Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy •
   Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Netherlands • Poland •
   Portugal • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • United Kingdom

   Countries acceding on January 1, 2007: Bulgaria • Romania

   Candidate countries: Croatia • Turkey • Republic of Macedonia (referred
   to as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia by the European Union)
   North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
   Flag of NATO

   Belgium • Bulgaria • Canada • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia •
   France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Italy • Latvia •
   Lithuania • Luxembourg • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal •
   Romania • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Turkey • United Kingdom •
   United States

   Candidate countries: Albania • Croatia • Republic of Macedonia (as
   FYROM)
   UN Security Council Members
   Flag of the UN

   Permanent Members: China • France • Russia • United Kingdom • United
   States

   Term ending 31 December 2006: Argentina • Denmark • Greece • Japan •
   TanzaniaTerm ending 31 December 2007: Congo-Brazzaville • Ghana • Peru
   • Qatar • Slovakia
   Black Sea Economic Cooperation

   Albania • Armenia • Azerbaijan • Bulgaria • Georgia • Greece • Moldova
   • Romania • Russia • Serbia • Turkey • Ukraine

   hsb:Grjekska
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
