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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 17 (repeaters 20), shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

4,080,000 telephones; adequate, modern networks reach all areas; microwave radio relay carries most traffic; extensive open-wire network; submarine cables to off-shore islands local: NA intercity: microwave radio relay and open wire international: tropospheric links, 8 submarine cables; 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 EUTELSAT ground station

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 361 televisions: NA

Defense Forces

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 - $4.1 billion, 5.4% of GDP (1994) GREENLAND (part of the Danish realm)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 2,676,152; males fit for military service 2,046,996; males reach military age (21) annually 75,857 (1995 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

including fishing and forestry, accounts for 12% of GDP; principal products - wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; self-sufficient in food except meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta

Economic aid [time series]

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 [time series]

capacity: 8,970,000 kW production: 35.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,257 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

drachmae (Dr) per US$1 - 238.20 (January 1995), 242.60 (1994), 229.26 (1993), 190.62 (1992), 182.27 (1991), 158.51 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$9 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: manufactured goods 53%, foodstuffs 34%, fuels 5% partners: Germany 24%, Italy 14%, France 7%, UK 6%, US 4% (1993)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$26.9 billion (1993)

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]

$19.2 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: manufactured goods 72%, foodstuffs 15%, fuels 10% partners: Germany 16%, Italy 14%, France 7%, Japan 7%, UK 6% (1993)

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

growth rate 3.2% (1993 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

10.9% (1994 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power parity - $93.7 billion (1994 est.)

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

$8,870 (1994 est.)

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

0.4% (1994 est.)

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% 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 continues to be well above the EU average, and the national debt has reached 140% of GDP, the highest in the EU. Prime Minister PAPANDREOU will probably make only 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. Athens continues to rely heavily on EU aid, which recently has amounted to about 6% of GDP. Greece almost certainly will not meet the EU's Maastricht Treaty convergence targets of public deficit held to 3% of GDP and national debt to 60% of GDP by 1999. Per capita GDP has fallen below Portugal's level, the lowest among EU members.

Unemployment rate [time series]

10.1% (1994 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 131,940 sq km land area: 130,800 sq km 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]

current issues: air pollution; water pollution natural hazards: severe earthquakes international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over name, symbols, and certain constitutional provisions; Greece is involved in a bilateral dispute with Albania over border demarcation, the treatment of Albania's ethnic Greek minority, and migrant Albanian workers in Greece

Irrigated land [time series]

11,900 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 1,210 km, Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 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 Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Athens

Legislative branch (Chamber of Deputies (Vouli ton Ellinon)) [time series]

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 (replaced by Coalition of the Left and Progress) 2.94%; seats - (300 total) PASOK 170, ND 111, Political Spring 10, KKE 9

Constitution [time series]

11 June 1975

Digraph [time series]

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

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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Konstantinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) election last held 10 March 1995 (next to be held by NA 2000); results - Konstantinos STEPHANOPOULOS 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

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

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

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

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

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

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, FAO, G- 6, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WEU, WFTU, 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), Miltiades EVERT; Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Andreas PAPANDREOU; Communist Party (KKE), Aleka PAPARIGA; Ecologist-Alternative List, leader rotates; Political Spring, Antonis SAMARAS; Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos), Nikolaos KONSTANTOPOULOS

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: 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, 8401

Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos, autonomous region [time series]

Agion Oros (Mt. Athos)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 18% (female 904,374; male 947,494) 15-64 years: 67% (female 3,601,029; male 3,565,931) 65 years and over: 15% (female 919,044; male 709,639) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

10.56 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

9.31 deaths/1,000 population (1995 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]

8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

4.077 million by occupation: services 52%, agriculture 23%, industry 25% (1994)

Languages [time series]

Greek (official), English, French

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 77.92 years male: 75.39 years female: 80.59 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek

Net migration rate [time series]

5.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

10,647,511 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.72% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.46 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 79 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 17 with paved runways under 914 m: 22 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 130,000 km paved: 119,210 km (116 km expressways) unpaved: 10,790 km (1990)

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]

total: 1,046 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 29,076,911 GRT/53,618,024 DWT ships by type: bulk 469, cargo 105, chemical tanker 22, combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 31, container 40, liquefied gas tanker 5, oil tanker 239, passenger 14, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 16, short-sea passenger 67, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 1 note: ethnic Greeks also own 125 ships under Liberian registry, 323 under Panamanian, 705 under Cypriot, 351 under Maltese, and 100 under Bahamian

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km

Ports [time series]

Alexandroupolis, Elevsis, Iraklion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkira, Khalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Piraievs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

total: 2,503 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 100 km double track) narrow gauge: 887 km 1,000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge; 29 km 0.600-m gauge