CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Greece


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!| 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, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between royalist supporters of the king and communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece was able to join NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 democratic elections 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); it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 1,140 sq km land: 130,800 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 8.78% other: 70.12% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds !| Geography - note:
 * Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
 * 39 00 N, 22 00 E
 * Europe
 * total: 131,940 sq km
 * slightly smaller than Alabama
 * total: 1,228 km
 * 13,676 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
 * mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
 * lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
 * lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
 * arable land: 21.1%
 * 14,220 sq km (1998 est.)
 * severe earthquakes
 * air pollution; water pollution
 * party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
 * strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 67% (male 3,563,703; female 3,566,549) 65 years and over: 18.6% (male 873,540; female 1,104,680) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 39.1 years female: 41.3 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: male: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) !| Life expectancy at birth: female: 81.59 years (2004 est.) male: 76.44 years !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Greek !| Ethnic groups: note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: female: 96.5% (2003 est.) total population: 97.5% male: 98.6% !| People - note:
 * 10,647,529 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 14.5% (male 792,938; female 746,119)
 * total: 40.2 years
 * 0.2% (2004 est.)
 * 9.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 10.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
 * total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 78.94 years
 * 1.32 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 0.2% (2001 est.)
 * 8,800 (2001 est.)
 * less than 100 (2003 est.)
 * noun: Greek(s)
 * Greek 98%, other 2%
 * Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
 * Greek 99% (official), English, French
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
 * women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Greece local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by February 2005); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos KARAMANLIS (since 7 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90% !| Legislative branch: elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by March 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%, KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE 12, Synaspismos 6 !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and Tampa consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
 * parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974
 * Athens
 * 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos
 * 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
 * Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
 * 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001
 * based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts
 * 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
 * chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995)
 * unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
 * Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council
 * Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]
 * General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos POLYZOGOPOLOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS]
 * Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryios SAVVAIDIS
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Charles RIES
 * 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
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 22% services: 71.2% (2003 est.) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.) !| Distribution of family income - Gini index: !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $79.48 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) !| Public debt: !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Oil - proved reserves: !| Natural gas - production: !| Natural gas - consumption: !| Natural gas - exports: !| Natural gas - imports: !| Natural gas - proved reserves: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by about 4.0% for the past two years, largely because of an investment boom and infrastructure upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Despite strong growth, Greece has failed to meet the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000; public debt, inflation, and unemployment are also above the eurozone average. Further restructuring of the economy include privatizing several state enterprises, undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies.
 * purchasing power parity - $213.6 billion (2003 est.)
 * 4.7% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 6.7%
 * 25.5% of GDP (2003)
 * NA
 * lowest 10%: 3%
 * 32.7 (1993)
 * 3.6% (2003 est.)
 * 4.39 million (2003 est.)
 * agriculture 20%, industry 20%, services 60% (2000 est.)
 * 9.4% (2003 est.)
 * revenues: $76.84 billion
 * 100.9% of GDP (2003)
 * wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
 * tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
 * 0.7% (2003 est.)
 * 49.79 billion kWh (2001)
 * 48.8 billion kWh (2001)
 * 1.062 billion kWh (2001)
 * 3.562 billion kWh (2001)
 * 5,992 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 405,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 84,720 bbl/day (2001)
 * 468,300 bbl/day (2001)
 * 4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)
 * 35 million cu m (2001 est.)
 * 2.021 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 * 2.018 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)
 * $-11.33 billion (2003)
 * $5.899 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
 * Germany 12.6%, Italy 10.5%, UK 7%, US 6.5%, Bulgaria 6.2%, Cyprus 4.8%, France 4.2%, Turkey 4% (2003)
 * $33.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
 * Germany 12.5%, Italy 12.2%, France 6.6%, Russia 6.1%, South Korea 5.4%, US 5.2%, Netherlands 5.2%, Japan 4.3%, UK 4.2% (2003)
 * $5.802 billion (2003)
 * $65.51 billion (2003 est.)
 * $5.4 billion from EU (1995)
 * euro (EUR)
 * EUR
 * euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 365.399 (2000), 305.647 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands international: country code - 30; 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) !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 5,205,100 (2003)
 * 8,936,200 (2003)
 * general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service
 * AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)
 * 5.02 million (1997)
 * 36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)
 * 2.54 million (1997)
 * .gr
 * 208,977 (2004)
 * 27 (2000)
 * 1,718,400 (2003)
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!| Railways: standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2003) !| Highways: paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.) !| Waterways: note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2004) !| Pipelines: !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 2,443 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Israel 1, Italy 1, Liberia 3, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 2, Panama 3, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, United Kingdom 2, United States 5 by type: bulk 298, cargo 57, chemical tanker 38, combination bulk 5, combination ore/oil 3, container 49, liquefied gas 5, passenger 10, petroleum tanker 267, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 19, short-sea/passenger 38, specialized tanker 3 !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.) !| Heliports:
 * total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified)
 * total: 117,000 km
 * 6 km
 * gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2004)
 * Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos
 * total: 793 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,186,624 GRT/52,943,968 DWT
 * 79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001) (2003 est.)
 * total: 66
 * total: 14
 * 7 (2003 est.)
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force (EPA), National Guard
 * 18 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment after reaching January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 12 months for the Army, 14 months for the Air Force, 15 months for the Navy (April 2003)
 * males age 15-49: 2,638,949 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 2,004,343 (2004 est.)
 * males: 63,496 (2004 est.)
 * $7,288.9 million (2003)
 * 4.3% (2003)
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