Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
Greece won independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830 and became a kingdom. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and other anti-communist and communist rebels. The communists were defeated in 1949, and Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a military coup forced the king to flee the country.
- Capital
- Athens
- Government
- parliamentary republic
- Population
- 10,424,536
- Area
- 131,957 sq km
- Location
- Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
- Climate
- temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
- Natural resources
- lignite; petroleum; iron ore; bauxite; lead; zinc…
- Languages
- Greek (official) 99%; other (includes English and French) 1%
- Religions
- Greek Orthodox 81-90%; Muslim 2%; other 3%; none 4-15%…
- Independence
- 3 February 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire)
- Administrative divisions
- 13 regions (perifereies, singular - perifereia) and 1 autonomous monastic state* (aftonomi monastiki politeia);
- Currency
- euros (EUR)
- Export partners
- Italy 12%; Germany 6%; Cyprus 6%; Bulgaria 4%…
- Import partners
- Germany 10%; China 10%; Italy 8%; Iraq 7%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain