View Intelligence Dossier Back to 1993 CSV Excel Print All Years

Communications

Airports [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

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 [time series]

998 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 25,483,768 GRT/47,047,285 DWT; includes 14 passenger, 66 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 128 cargo, 26 container, 15 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 14 refrigerated cargo, 1 vehicle carrier, 214 oil tanker, 19 chemical tanker, 7 liquefied gas, 42 combination ore/oil, 3 specialized tanker, 424 bulk, 22 combination bulk, 1 livestock carrier; note - ethnic Greeks also own large numbers of ships under the registry of Liberia, Panama, Cyprus, Malta, and The Bahamas

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km

Ports [time series]

Piraievs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

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

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Defense Forces

Affiliation [time series]

(part of the Danish realm)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $4.2 billion, 5.1% of GDP (1992)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 2,606,267; fit for military service 1,996,835; reach military age (21) annually 73,541 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

including fishing and forestry, accounts for 15% of GDP and 27% 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; fish catch of 116,600 metric tons in 1988

Budget [time series]

revenues $37.6 billion; expenditures $45.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.4 billion (1993)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $525 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1,390 million

Electricity [time series]

10,500,000 kW capacity; 36,400 million kWh produced, 3,610 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

drachma (Dr) per US$1 - 215.82 (January 1993), 190.62 (1992), 182.27 (1991), 158.51 (1990), 162.42 (1989), 141.86 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$6.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: manufactured goods 53%, foodstuffs 31%, fuels 9% partners: Germany 24%, France 18%, Italy 17%, UK 7%, US 6%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$23.7 billion (1991)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

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 [time series]

$21.5 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: manufactured goods 71%, foodstuffs 14%, fuels 10% partners: Germany 20%, Italy 14%, France 8%, UK 5%, US 4%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate -1.0% (1991); accounts for 20% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

15.6% (1992)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $82.9 billion (1992)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$8,200 (1992)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

1.2% (1992)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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% when Prime Minister MITSOTAKIS took office. Tourism continues as a major source of foreign exchange, and agriculture is self-sufficient except for meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs. Since 1986, real GDP growth has averaged only 1.6% a year, compared with the Europen Community average of 3%. The MITSOTAKIS government has made little progress during its two and one-half years in power in coming to grips with Greece's main economic problems: an inflation rate still four times the EC average, a large public sector deficit, and a fragile current account position. In early 1991, the government secured a three-year, $2.5 billion assistance package from the EC under the strictest terms yet imposed on a member country, as the EC finally ran out of patience with Greece's failure to put its financial affairs in order. On the advice of the EC Commission, Greece delayed applying for the second installment until 1993 because of the failure of the government to meet the 1992 targets. Although MITSOTAKIS faced down the unions in mid-1992 in a dispute over privatization plans, social security reform, and tax and price increases, and his new economics czar, Stephanos MANOS, is a respected economist committed to renovating the ailing economy. However, a national elections due by May 1994 will probably prompt MITSOTAKIS to backtrack on economic reform. In 1993, the GDP growth rate likely will remain low; the inflation rate probably will continue to fall, while remaining the highest in the EC.

Unemployment rate [time series]

9.1% (1992)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 131,940 km2 land area: 130,800 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Alabama

Climate [time series]

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Coastline [time series]

13,676 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to severe earthquakes; air pollution

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

air, continental shelf, and territorial water disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; northern Epirus question with Albania; Macedonia question with Bulgaria and Macedonia

Irrigated land [time series]

11,900 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 1,210 km, Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 228 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Southern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and Bulgaria

Map references [time series]

Africa, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble

Note [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Athens

Constitution [time series]

11 June 1975

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Christos ZACHARAKIS chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 939-5800 FAX: (202) 939-5824 consulates general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate: New Orleans

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

President: last held 4 May 1990 (next to be held May 1995); results - Konstantinos KARAMANLIS was elected by Parliament Chamber of Deputies: last held 8 April 1990 (next must be held by May 1994); results - ND 46.89%, PASOK 38.62%, Left Alliance 10.27%, PASOK/Left Alliance 1.02%, Ecologist-Alternative List 0.77%, DIANA 0.67%, Muslim independents 0.5%; seats - (300 total) ND 150, PASOK 123, Left Alliance 19, PASOK-Left Alliance 4, Muslim independents 2, DEANA 1, Ecologist-Alternative List 1 note: deputies shifting from one party to another and the dissolution of party coalitions have resulted in the following seating arrangement: ND 152, PASOK 124, Left Alliance 14, KKE 7, Muslim deputies 2, Ecologist-Alternative List 1

Executive branch [time series]

president, prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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 [time series]

1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Judicial Court, Special Supreme Tribunal

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President Konstantinos KARAMANLIS (since 5 May 1990) Head of Government: Prime Minister Konstantinos MITSOTAKIS (since 11 April 1990)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Greek Chamber of Deputies (Vouli ton Ellinon)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

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

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

New Democracy (ND; conservative), Konstantinos MITSOTAKIS; Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Andreas PAPANDREOU; Left Alliance, Maria DAMANAKI; Democratic Renewal (DIANA), Konstantinos STEFANOPOULOS; Communist Party (KKE), Aleka PAPARIGA; Ecologist-Alternative List, leader rotates

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Government type (Type) [time series]

presidential parliamentary government; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James A. WILLIAMS embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, Box 56, APO AE 09842 telephone: [30] (1) 721-2951 or 721-8401 FAX: [30] (1) 645-6282 consulate general: Thessaloniki

People

Birth rate [time series]

10.42 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

9.36 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

3,966,900 by occupation: services 45%, agriculture 27%, industry 28% (1990)

Languages [time series]

Greek (official), English, French

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 77.5 years male: 75.02 years female: 80.12 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek

Net migration rate [time series]

8.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

10,470,460 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.95% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.44 children born/woman (1993 est.)