GEOGRAPHY

LOCATION

Greece is a country in the southeast tip of Europe with thousands of islands throughout the Aegean and Ionian seas. Greece is located at a crossroad between Europe, Asia and Africa. It also shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north and Turkey to the northeast.

Greece is a peninsular country next to the Mediterranean Sea with an archipelago of about 3000 islands, of which 227 are inhabited. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland, and the Ionian Sea to the west, the Cretan and Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin and the 11^th longest coastline in the world at 13 676km (8498 mi) in length.

Greece are very mountainous and the highest is Mount Olympus with the highest peak of 2918 meters (9573ft). The country is very rich in natural resources providing petroleum, magnetite, lignite, bauxite, hydropower, and marble. The geography of Greece has marked the development of many civilizations throughout the ages.

Greece are divided into thirteen traditional geographic regions: Macedonia (north), Sterea (Central Greece), the Peloponnese, Thessaly (east-central), Epirus (northwest), and Thrace (northwest). On the islands we have Crete, Cyclades, Dodecanese, Ionian, Sporades, Saronic and the Eastern Aegean islands.

Greece covers 130 647 square kilometres of land and 1310 square kilometres of water, making it the 97^th largest nation in the world with a total area of 131 957 square kilometres.

Greece has a very rich diversity of fauna and flora and many species are original in the country. These rare species can be found in forests, lakes, rivers, underground caves and canyons. The limestone and volcanoes of Greece have composited the Greek territory and allowed the formation of many caves and canyons.

Quick facts about Greece

Population	10.72 million (2019)
Density	82.4/sq km (213.5/ sq mi)
Language	Greek
Independence year	1829
Capital	Athens
Administrative divisions	13 regions
Currency	Euro
Calling code	+30
Time Zone	EET (UCT +02:00)
GDP	222.785 billion USD (2020 data)
GDP per Capita	20 845 USD (2020 data)
Land Area	130 647 sq km (50443 sq mi)
Water Area	1310 sq km (506 sq mi)
Neighbouring Countries	Albania, Macedonia, Turkey, Bulgaria
Driving side	right
Internet TLD	.gr
Minimum Longitude	19.380
Maximum Longitude	29.600
Minimum Latitude	34.800
Maximum Latitude	41.740

 

Athens is the Capital city of Greece with a population of around 664 046. Athens is also the political centre of Greece, which is considered a Republic and home to its Ceremonial head of state.

Quick facts about Athens:

City	Athens
Country	Greece
Population	664 046
Longitude	23.71622000
Latitude	37.97945000
Elevation	42 meters over sea level

 

CLIMATE

Greece has a very divers topographic landscape with coastal locations and therefore Greece has three types of climate:

Mediterranean type – characterized with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The regions in this category are the Cyclades, Dodecanese and Crete.

Alpine type – mostly found in the mountainous areas of North western Greece.

Temperature type – it covers the northern parts like Thrace and Central Macedonia. This has cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers.

The climate of Greece is Mediterranean with summers that are usually hot and dry and the winters that can be quite cold and wet. The upper part of Greece can be very cold during the winter and snow is not uncommon. The south of Greece and the islands have a much milder winter and quite rainy. Rains are more abundant on the coasts exposed to the west, on the Ionian island and the islands close to Turkey. During the winter much of Greece may have snow and the biggest snowfall can be expected in the higher mountains.

Summers in Greece are usually very hot and in July and August temperatures usually reach 30 to 35 degrees C, but sometimes even 40 degrees C. It is recommended in these temperatures to stay out of the sun from 11:00 to 14:00 when the sun is at its strongest.

During the winter temperatures in Greece progressively decrease as you head north with a daily average of 12.5 degrees C (54.5 degrees F) in January in Iraklion (southern island of Greece), 9.5 degrees C (49 degrees F) in Athens and 5.5 degrees C (42 degrees F) in Thessaloniki.

Therefore, the cold and rainy season lasts from early October to the end of March and the dry warm season lasting from April until September. The coldest period of the year is usually in the months of January and February. Bad weather days in the winter are often interrupted with sunny days, known as Halcyon days.

There is a strong northern wind called the “Meltemi” which usually sweeps through the east coast of Greece during July and August, and this offers a welcome relief to the heat. However, these winds can at times be very strong and make the sea very dangerous. This wind can blow for periods of two to four days, and sometimes even for weeks. This can lead to the schedules of the ferryboats to the islands being severely disrupted.

Lightweight cotton and linen clothing are recommended during the summer months and warmer medium-weight cloths and rainwear are recommended during the winter.

Spring is sunny and pleasant most of the time in Greece. The days with some rainfall become less and less frequent. However, by May, in northern areas in the mountain ranges, thunderstorms can erupt in the afternoon.

Autumn in Greece comes quite late, around September with summer like weather, especially in the south and on the islands. The temperature remains mild even in November (except in mountainous areas), however by October rainy periods begin to occur.

The climate of Greece is classified as Csa Climate; with average temperatures of 22 degrees Celsius.

 

Greece Yearly Temperature Chart per month:

 

Greece Yearly Precipitation Chart

 

 

Athens

Athens in the centre-south of the country, has a Mediterranean climate with mild, fairly rainy winters and hot and sunny summers. Athens, although close to the sea, is the hottest capital in Europe during summertime with an average daily temperature in July and August of 26-28 degrees C (79-82 degrees F). Temperatures around 37 degrees C (100 degrees F) are not rare.

Athens – Average temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Min (°C)	7	7	8	12	16	20	23	23	19	15	11	8
Max (°C)	13	14	16	21	26	31	33	33	29	24	18	14
Min (°F)	45	45	46	54	61	68	73	73	66	59	52	46
Max (°F)	55	57	61	70	79	88	91	91	84	75	64	57

 

The amount of sunshine in Athens is great in summer, when clear skies prevail, while it’s not so high from November to February, although there may be sunny days even in midwinter.

Athens – Sunshine
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hours	4	5	6	8	9	11	12	12	9	7	5	4

 

 

Thessaloniki

In the North Thessaloniki lays in plains and valleys where the climate is more continental. The winter is a bit cold wile precipitation is not abundant. In Thessaloniki you can find one out of three nights to be freezing. In July and August, the summers are very hot with a maximum temperature of 31 degrees C (89 degrees F) but hotter periods can easily rise to around 35/36 degrees C (96 degrees F).

Thessaloniki – Average temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Min (°C)	1	2	5	8	12	16	19	18	15	11	7	3
Max (°C)	9	11	14	19	25	29	32	31	27	21	15	11
Min (°F)	34	36	41	46	54	61	66	64	59	52	45	37
Max (°F)	48	52	57	66	77	84	90	88	81	70	59	52

 

In Thessaloniki, rainfall, which as mentioned is not abundant, has a maximum in autumn and winter and a minimum in summer, when rare thunderstorms occur. Here is the average rainfall.

Thessaloniki – Average precipitation
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Prec.(mm)	45	35	40	40	40	40	20	15	30	55	55	55	470
Prec.(in)	1,8	1,4	1,6	1,6	1,6	1,6	0,8	0,6	1,2	2,2	2,2	2,2	18,5
Days	7	5	6	6	6	4	3	2	4	7	8	7	65

 

The amount of sunshine in Thessaloniki is very good in summer, when clear skies prevail, while in autumn and winter it’s not high, since there are several cloudy periods.

Thessaloniki – Sunshine
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hours	4	5	5	8	9	10	12	11	8	6	4	4

 

 

Sea Temperatures

In the central part of the Aegean Sea (Naxos and Mykonos), the sea temperatures never become very hot due to the prevailing wind. The Meltemi prevents the sea from warming up, by mixing the upper layers of the water. Here is an example of the sea temperatures of Naxos:

Naxos – Sea temperature
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Temp (°C)	16	15	15	16	18	21	23	23	23	21	18	17
Temp (°F)	61	59	59	61	64	70	73	73	73	70	64	63

 

In the southern part of the Aegean Sea (see Crete) and in the Ionian Sea (see Corfu), the sea temperature in summer is a little higher, and it’s warm enough for swimming from July to September. Here is the sea temperature in Heraklion (Crete).

Heraklion – Sea temperature
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Temp (°C)	16	15	15	16	19	22	24	25	24	22	20	18
Temp (°F)	61	59	59	61	66	72	75	77	75	72	68	64

 

 

Best time to visit Greece

The best time to go for a beach holiday is during the long summer holiday which is from early June to mid-September. You will experience no clouds in the sky for long periods of time, heat might sometimes be intense, but on coasts and islands it is tempered by a breeze. In the Aegean Sea as mentioned the Meltemi often blows.

The best seasons to visit the historic and archaeological sites and cities are in spring and autumn. In summer it is too hot especially on the mainland. Winters are too cold in the north and mountainous areas and it could be windy and rainy in the south and on the islands. The only other advantage of this time is that tourist numbers would be low, and you could visit the sites with greater tranquillity and solitude.

In general, the best months to visit is May of from mid-September to mid-October. May offers longer days and the nature is in bloom while during September the sea would be warmer. In October, temperatures are pleasantly warm, although the days are shorter and sometimes rain could be expected especially towards the end of the month.

In November, the sky is often cloudy with frequent rains, but it is not that cold. In April, the weather is often mild and sunny, and could offer great weather for travelling.

 

What to pack

During winter inland and in the mountainous areas you will need warm clothes like down jacket, a hat, gloves and a scarf.

In Athens and in central and northern coastal areas you will need warm clothes like a sweater, jacket, raincoat or umbrella.

In Crete and the southern islands, you will need light clothing, sunglasses, a sweater, jacket, light scarf and a sweatshirt for the evenings for when the wind blows. For the mountains you will need a sweater, jacket, hiking shoes, raincoat or umbrella.

 

DEMOGRAPHY

Greece’s official statistical body, the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), estimated the Greek population in 2011 at 10 816 286. Eurostat placed the population in 2018 at 10.7 million people.

Over the past decades the Greek society changed dramatically. They had a declining fertility rate and a rapid aging rate, but at the same time they had an increased mortality rate. Marriage rates are also on the declining and the divorce rate are on an increase from 1991.

With all of the above in mind, the average Greek household is smaller and older that in previous generations. The economic crises have exacerbated this development with lots of young Greek adults emigrating since 2010.

 

Cities

Almost two-thirds of the Greek population live in urban areas. Greece’s largest and most influential cities as Athens and Thessaloniki. Athens is the capital and Thessaloniki sometimes gets referred to as the “co-capital”. Other prominent cities with large populations are Patras, Heraklion, Larissa, Volos, Rhodes, Ioannina, Agrinio, Chania and Chalcis.

 

Religion

Religion plays a very big part in the Greek culture. Around 97% of the population are Christian Orthodox. The rest of the population is Muslims, Catholic, Jewish, Jehovah’s Witness and other minorities. Greece and Russia are the only countries to have such a great proportion of the Orthodox population.

The Orthodox Church forms the third largest branch of Christianity, after Roman Catholics and the Protestants. Estimates shows that the Greek Muslims, around 1% of the population, are mostly located in Thrace.

In the history of Orthodoxy, Saint Paul came to Greek in 49 AD to preach Christianity. Many converted to Christianity over the centuries, but this did not become the official religion until Emperor Constantine the Great established Christianity as the official religion of the Byzantine Empire.

Christianity was divided into Eastern and Western Church, the Orthodox and the Catholics in 1054 AD and this was called “The Schism”. This led to long disputes between the Pope of Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople.

The Orthodox Church is strongly connected with the Greek Nation through history. The Orthodox religion was an important element for the conservation and the definition of the Greek Nationality. Over time the Orthodox Church made great efforts to preserve the Greek language, culture, traditions and the Orthodox faith.

 

Languages

The first written language was found on baked mud tablets near Minoan Knossos Palace of Crete island. The language they found was called Linear A written in the famous Phaistos Disc and up till today it is not fully decoded.

During the 15^th century BC evidence of Greek language appears called Linear B script which was associated with the Mycenaean Civilization. This is where each drawing symbol is a consonant-vowel combination. Greek was a spoken lingua franca in the Mediterranean world.

Later on, in the Classical times Greece was divided into different states and each had his own dialect. The two most important dialects were Ionic and Attic. Due to the fact that Athens was the business city of that time Attic became the more commonly used language.

Alexander the Great had lots of expeditions to different countries and to the East and millions of people started to speak Attic. This later on developed to the Hellenistic Koine language with all the mixing dialects and grown bigger all through the Byzantine times.

In the 19^th and 20^th centuries there was a dispute between the Greek language Dimotiki, which was seen as the language used by common people, and Katharevousa, a purified language. The dispute was resolved in 1976, and the Dimotiki was made the only official variation of the Greek language and Katharevousa fell to disuse.

Today the biggest proportion of Greece use Greek as their first language. Some Muslim minorities in Thrace speaks Turkish, Bulgarian and Romani. Near the northern Greek borders there are Slavic-speaking groups and the Jewish communities in Greece still speaks Ladino (Judeo-Spanish). Other notable languages that are left in Greece are Armenian, Georgian and Greco-Turkic dialect which are spoken by the Urums.

 

Varieties of ancient Greek alphabets:

 

Migration

A large Greek diaspora were created in the 20^th century when millions of Greeks migrated to United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Germany. From 1990 there were an influx of returning Greeks from Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Czech Republic and the Soviet Bloc.

A census was done in 2011 and 9 903 268 Greek citizens (91.56%) was recorded. 480 824 Albanian citizens (4.44%), 75 915 Bulgarian citizens (0.7%), 46 523 Romanian citizens (0.43%), 34 177 Pakistani citizens (0.32%), 27 400 Georgian citizens (0.25%), and 247 090 people from unidentified citizenship (2.3%).

In the urban areas there are a larger number of non-EU immigrants. In Athens around 17% of the local population which is 132 000. And in Thessaloniki 7% which comprise to 27 000 immigrants.

Greece, Italy and Spain are major entry points for illegal immigrants trying to enter the EU. They mostly enter Greece for the Turkish border at the Evros River of the islands of the eastern Aegean across from Turkey (Lesbos, Chios, Kos and Samos).

In 2012 the majority of illegal immigrants came from Afghanistan, Pakistan and then Bangladesh. In 2015 arrivals of refugees by sea increased dramatically mainly due to the ongoing Syrian war. 856 723 arrivals by sea were recorded, a fivefold increase since 2014, of which almost 45% were Syrians.

 

Education

Since the Hellenic world Greece placed a very high value on education. In the 5^th century the first University was founded, called University of Constantinople which by some measures are seen as the world’s first university.

Compulsory education in Greece are primary schools, gymnasiums and Kindergartens for children 4 years of age. Children start primary school aged six and remain there for six years. At 12 years of age they start attending gymnasia which last for three years.

Greece’s post-compulsory secondary education consists of two types of schools: unified upper secondary schools or technical-vocational educational schools. You also get vocational training institutes whish provide a formal by unclassified level of education.

Public higher education “Highest Educational Institutes” have to parallel sectors: The University sector and the Technological sector. There are also State Non-University Tertiary Institutes offering vocational oriented courses of shorter duration (2 to 3 Years). The Capodistrian University of Athens is the oldest university in the eastern Mediterranean.

The Greek education system provides special kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools for kids with special needs or difficulties to learn. There are also specialists’ gymnasia and high schools offering musical, theological and physical education.

 

Healthcare System

The standard of healthcare in Greece is generally high, although there are some variations between the mainland and many of the country’s smaller islands, and lower spending on healthcare since the country’s financial crises has had a negative impact.

In Greece you will find universal health care, which is a mixed system, combining national health service with social health insurance (SHI). This is a National Health System (ESY) which aims to ensure free and equitable access to quality health services for all residents. The system is made up of a mix of public and private health service providers, which are broadly divided into primary, secondary and tertiary tiers of service delivery.

During 2000 the World Health Organization report indicated that Greece has ranked 14^th in overall performance out of 191 countries surveyed.

Historically, like in many other countries, social insurance played an important role in the development of the Greek healthcare system. In particular, the Social Insurance Fund (IKA) established in 1937 and the Farmers’ Social Insurance Fund (OGA) established in 1961 contributed significantly to the development to the healthcare system.

In 2011 Greece had 77 hospitals with 36 035 beds and it has grown to 124 public hospitals (106 general hospitals and 18 specialised hospitals), with around 40 000 beds. There are also approximately 13 military hospitals and two university hospitals managed and funded by the Ministries of Defence and Education respectively, with a total of 4000 beds.

The public healthcare system also comprises about 200 Primary Care Health Centres and 1500 Rural Medical Surgeries which provide primary care services in rural areas free of charge and are funded by the state budget.

According to the 2011 OECD report life expectancy in Greece is among the highest in the world with an average living age of 80.3 years. And according to the 2015 report this has increased to 81.1 years.

The island of Icaria has been classified as a “blue zone”, because they have the highest percentage of nonagenarians in the world. Around 33% of the island is 90 years or older and they have a very low rate of cancer, heart disease or chronic illnesses.

Greece do have a high rate of daily adult smokers and an obesity rate of 18.1% which is above the OECD average of 15.1%.

Public healthcare is available to expat residents and their families who contribute to the Social Insurance Institute (IKA). This is a public insurance company overseeing Greece’s social security. When expats start working in Greece, they need to apply for national health insurance, which is administrated by IKA. Then they will be given a social security card known as AMKA.

Generally, IKA-approved practitioners are free, although patients have to pay a fee for prescribed medicines. They also receive free laboratory services, maternity care, medical-related appliances or devices as well as emergency transportation.

Other members of the EU are also allowed to make use of this free services for a period of time, as long as they have their European Health Card. State benefits are also available to retirees who plan to settle in Greece and who are receiving pension.

Primary healthcare is provided through ESY, which includes rural health centres and surgeries as well as public hospital outpatient departments. Other public primary healthcare is provided through health centres operated by social insurance funds, local authorities and municipalities. Greek hospitals are either general or specialised. General hospitals include multi-speciality departments across most disciplines of medicine and specialised hospitals are referral centres for a single specialty.

Private healthcare includes physicians in private practices who are under contract with one or more insurance funds, other autonomous physicians in. private practice as well as physicians who work in diagnostic centres, laboratories and private hospital outpatient departments.

Private health services normally have better facilities and equipment and are normally less affected by the country’s economic state. Doctors and nurses in private hospitals are more likely to speak and understand English. Treatments are not covered by IKA and is expensive.

Many Greeks take out private health insurance to cover any medical expenses not covered by the public health scheme. In addition, if expats prefer to have private health care, they will need to take out comprehensive private health insurance.

Pharmacies are plentiful in Greece, especially in the main cities. They would also be the first line of defence against an illness. They are marked by a green cross against a white

background. Most pharmacies are well stocked, staff are knowledgeable, and they would be able to speak English. Most medication is easily accessible, although more specialised forms may only be available from hospitals.

Opening hours for pharmacies: 8am – 1pm and 5pm – 8:30pm.

 

Emergency services

Public ambulance services, known as EKAV, are widely available in larger cities. Their response times are generally very good, but access may be restricted in some islands and rural areas.

Expats can dial 166 in case of an emergency or 112 for the General European emergency number for an English operator.

 

POLITICS

The conventional short form of the country’s name is Greece (Hellas or Ellada). The country’s official name is Hellenic Republic (Elliniki Dimocratia) with Athens as its capital.

Greece is a unitary parliamentary republic. In 1975 after the fall of the military junta of 1967-1974, the current Constitution was drawn up and adopted by the Fifth Revisionary Parliament of the Hellenes and entered into force.

The nominal head of state is the President of the Republic and gets elected by Parliament for a period of five years. Executive power is exercised by the President and the Government. The Presidents duties are largely ceremonial as the Prime Minister has the political power and seen as the head of the government.

The President appoints the Prime Minister, and on this recommendation appoints and dismisses other member of the Cabinet. Legislative powers are exercised by a 300-member elective unicameral Parliament, called “Vouli ton Ellinon”. Voting takes place every 4 years and the voting age is 17.

The judicial power is organized as follows: Supreme Judicial Court and Special Supreme Tribunal are formed by judges appointed for life by the president after he has a judicial council. The legal system is based on codified Roman law and is judiciary divided into civil, criminal and administrative courts.

Currently the Prime Minister of Greece is Kyriakos Mitsotakis, from the New Domocracy party, who was elected in July 2019 and the President of the Hellenic Republic since 2020 is Katerina Sakellaropoulou (the first woman in this position). The previous Prime Minister was Alexis Tsipras.

Greece is divided into 13 administrative regions since 1 January 2011 and subdivided into a total of 325 municipalities. There is also one autonomous area which borders the region of Central Macedonia.

Here are the following regions with their Capitals:

• Attica (Athens)
• Central Greece (Lamia)
• Central Macedonia (Thessaloniki)
• Crete (Heraklion)
• East Macedonia and Thrace (Komotini)
• Epirus (Ioannina)
• Ionian Islands (Corfu)
• North Aegean (Mytilene)
• Peloponnese (Tripoli)
• South Aegean (Ermoupoli)
• Thessaly (Larissa)
• West Greece (Patras)
• West Macedonia (Kozani)
• Autonomous State: Mount Athos (Karyes)

 

Political parties in Greece are the liberal-conservative New Democracy (ND), the social-democratic Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA), the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Greek Solution and MeRA25.

 

The Hellenic Armed Forces are overseen by the Hellenic National Defence General Staff with civilian authority vested in the Ministry of National Defence.

It consists of three branches:

• Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES)
• Hellenic Navy (Elliniko Polemiko Navtiko, EPN)
• Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia EPA)

 

For law enforcement at sea, search and rescue and port operations, Greece maintains the Hellenic Coast Guard. This falls under the Ministry of Shipping and they are able to support the Navy during wartime.

Mandatory military service is 9 months for the Army and one year for the Navy and Air Force. The Hellenic Police is the national police force for Greece, whose duties range from roadblocks to counterterrorism.

Concerning international politics for Greece, is their relationship with Turkey as they have frequent disputes about territory, air and sea matters. They also have disputes with Cyprus and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Greece is a member of NATO since 1952 and the EU since 1981.

 

ECONOMY

The Greek economy has improved over the past decades due to industrial development and tourism, as they went through a severe economic crisis. In January 2001 the Euro replaced the drachma at an exchange rate of 340.75 drachma to the Euro. In 2004 the Olympic Games which was held in Greece helped the economy to grow a bit. However, this was not enough as the country faced a large debt crisis and by December 2012 the unemployment rate was 25%. In 2013 Greece had the 15^th largest economy in the 27^th member European Union.

Greece has a high ranking in the Human Development Index due to their high standard of living and the development of the country. Its economy is based on the service sector (85%), industries (12%), agriculture (3%), tourism and merchant shipping.

Tourism is one of the most important industries in Greece as around 20 million tourists visit Greece every year, which makes it the 7^th most visited country in the EU and 16^th in the world.

Marchant shipping is also seen as one of Greece’s most important industries as they have the largest marine in the world as it covers 16% of the world’s total capacity.

Still the unemployment sector struggled and by April 2017 the Greek unemployment stood at 21.7%. The youth unemployment rate was 42.3% in March 2018, which is extremely high compared to EU standards.

Greece was a founding member of the following organizations: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

Today Greece is a member of the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization and is ranked 24^th on the KOF Globalization Index for 2013.

 

Debt crises

The Greek crises was triggered by the Great Recession which happened in 2007-2009. In 2009 Greece lost control of its public debt to GDP ratio, which already reached 127% of GDP. The country also didn’t have autonomous monetary policy flexibility. They had a high rate of unemployment, and face tax invasion and corruption of political parties.

Eventually the International Monetary Fund agreed on a rescue package to help Greece pay back their loans. To secure the fund, Greece was required to adopt harsh austerity measures to bring its deficit under control. A second bail-out was agreed in 2012 and a third one in 2015.

The financial assistance they received did not have significant results on Greece’s economy and there was a 25% drop in Greece’s GDP, connected with the bailout programmes due to the harsh imposition of excessive austerity. Public anger led to riots, social unrest and strikes.

Between 2009 and 2017 the Greek government debt rose from 300 billion Euros to 318 billion Euros and the debt-to-GDP ratio rose from 127% to 179%.

Greece’s bailouts successfully ended on 20 August 2018.

 

Agriculture

Farming in Greece is based on small units that are family owned and run. Greek agriculture employs around 528 000 farmers. Many immigrants in the country are employed in the agricultural sector as well as the construction and public works. Fisheries plays a very big role while forestry plays a secondary role in Greece.

According to the 2010 figures agriculture contributes 3.8% to the country’s GDP and employs 12.4% of the country’s labour force.

Greece is the European Union’s largest producer of cotton (183 800 tons) and pistachios (8 000 tons). They are also ranked second in production of rice (229 500 tons) and olives (147 500 tones), third in the production of figs (11 000 tons), almonds (44 000 tons), tomatoes (1 400 000 tons), and watermelons (578 400 tons) and fourth in the production of tobacco (22 000 tons).

Greece is a major beneficiary of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union. Organic farming has grown by 885% since 2000 – 2007, the highest change percentage in the EU.

 

Energy and Electricity

220 Volts AC, 50 Hz.

In Greece Round two-pin plugs are used. Visitors from North America will need a transformer and British visitors will require an adaptor. Some hotels might supply these, or they could be bought from the airport or electric venues.

Electricity is produced and supplied by the state-owned Public Power Corporation called DEI. Electricity use to be powered from lignite, hydroelectric power plants, and natural gas. These days more than 20% of the electricity are produced by renewable energy sources and hydroelectric power plants.

 

Maritime industry

Since ancient time the shipping industry in Greece played an important role. Around 4% of workforce are employed in the shipping industry. Greece’s merchant fleet ranks first in total tonnage, fourth in number of ships, first in tankers and dry bulk carriers, fourth in number of containers and fifth in other ships.

Greece has a significant shipbuilding and maintenance industry with six shipyards around the port of Piraeus and are among the largest in Europe. They have also become a leader in construction and maintenance of luxury yachts.

 

Tourism

Tourism is a key element of the economic activity of Greece and one of the most important sectors. Greece has been a main tourist destination since 1970 for its rich culture and heritage. In 2018 tourism has contributed 25% of the country’s GDP and around 33 million tourists visited Greece. The major tourist destinations are the capital Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Corfu, Crete and Chalkidice.

In 2010 Lonely planet ranked Thessaloniki as “the worlds fifth best party town worldwide”. In 2011 Santorini was voted “the World’s Best Island” in Travel and Leisure, and Mykonos came 5^th in the European category.

There are 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Greece, and Greece is ranked 16^th in the world in terms of total sites.

Religious tourism also became more popular and pilgrimages to regions with significant historical religious presence such as monasteries in Meteora and Mount Athos.

Greece has a variety of tourist places to visit from beach resorts, thermal spas, marinas, museums, archaeological sites and cities. With its rich history and well-preserved sites, it is definitely a country to visit.

 

Transport

The rail and road network in Greece have significantly been upgraded and modernised since 1980s. Lots of work has been done to the motorways. The A2 that connects Thessaloniki (northern Greece) with Igoumenitsa (north-western Greece) has the longest suspension cable bridge in Europe (2250m) connecting the Peloponnese with Aetolia-Akarnania.

The A5 motorway connects Ioannina (north-western Greece) and Antirrio (western Greece), the A1 motorway connects Athens with Thessalonikiand Evonoi in northern Greece, and the A8 motorway in Peloponnese connects Athens and Patras.

Olympic Air and Aegean Airlines serves the islands with air travel from the mainland. Sea travel has been improved with modern high-speed crafts, including hydrofoils and catamarans.

Railways plays a lesser role in Greece although improvement works are being done to railways. A modern intercity rail connection between Athens and Thessaloniki has been established. International railway lines connect Greek cities with the rest of Europe, the Balkans and Turkey.

 

Telecommunications

Modern digital information and communication networks reach all areas. According to 2017 data, around 82% of the general population use internet regularly on 3G, 4G or WI-FI networks which can be found nearly anywhere.

Greece has been rated by the United Nations International Telecommunications Union among the top 30 countries with a highly developed information and communications infrastructure.

 

Working hours

Working hours are as follows:

Banks and Public Services 08:00-14:00

Shops are normally open Monday -Wednesday, Saturday 09:00 – 15:00 and

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 09;00-14:00 and 17:00-20:00

For 3 days in the week the shops close for siesta and open again in the afternoon. In the tourist destinations or high season, shops tend to open all day, from early morning till late in the evening. Malls in the cities are also open all day long.

 

Time Zone

Normally during the Summertime in Europe (Daylight-Saving) the time is shifted by 1 hour; 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +3). Normally the last weekend in March. And after the Summer months, time in Greece are shifted back 1 hour to Eastern European Time (EET) or (GMT +2). This normally happens the last weekend in October.

Press

In Greece you will be able to find English printed newspapers and magazines on the islands and the mainland especially near tourist areas. In general Greece has a large production of newspapers and magazines in a variety of sectors from motorcycles, finance, weddings, fitness to cooking. Not only will you find the printed versions but also online.

 

NATURE

Greece has a very rich diversity with an amazing array of biodiversity and ecological value when it comes to nature. With its national parks, waterfalls, forests, wetlands, rivers, lakes, canyons, mountain ranges, caves, volcanoes and fauna and flora it’s a pleasure to visit Greece in every season.

With its mild climate the natural environment is ideal for hiking, riding, off-road driving, rafting, canoeing, rock and mountain climbing, kite surfing, water sports and many more.

 

There are 419 Natura 2000 sites (nature protected areas), as well as 4 Geoparks that are part of the European Geoparks Network (EGN).

• Lesvos and its fossilised forest,
• The Natural Park of Psiloritis on Crete,
• Helmos-Vouraikos National Park in the Peloponnese and
• Vikos-Aoos National Park in the Zagorohoria region of Epirus

 

Greece has over 400 wetlands, which are places of special beauty and offer a rich world of vegetation and are home to countless birds, amphibians, mammals and fish. These wetlands are protected by the Ramsar Convention or belong to the Natura 2000 network.

There are around 446 different bird species to be found in the wetlands, islands and mainland. The best places for birdwatching are the Dadia forest, the Evros and Pineios deltas, lakes Kerkini, Heimaditis and Zazari, the Gialova lagoon and Mount Olympus.

Two-thirds of Greece is mountainous and about 25% of the total surface is covered with forest which consist of fir, oaks, poplars, plane trees and bushes. National Parks are established in some areas to protect human activity.

 

Some aesthetic forests in Greece are:

• The Virgin Forests of Rodopi in northern Greece,
• The Oak Forest in Foloi Peloponnese,
• The Black Fir Forest in Kefalonia

 

Hiking trails and forest roads will lead you to lakes, rivers, hot springs, forests, waterfalls and valleys as well as ancient temples, old castles and churches.

Limestone are very common in Greece and this plays a big part in the forming of their underground caves with their stalactites and stalagmites.

With a rich fauna and flora in Greece, more than 6000 plant species have been recorded. The fauna is a rare mixture of European, Asian and African species. Many species are endemic, while others are migratory, particularly bird species that stop in Greece on their way from northern to southern countries.

Lakes and rivers are great places for bird watching because the migrating species creates unique ecosystems. The rivers are small and can be turbulent, therefore allowing extreme sports activities like rafting, canoeing and river trekking.

The best seasons to visit Greece are autumn and spring, when the weather is mild and when the countryside farms are busy with agricultural works that allow volunteers to help and learn.

Farming in Greece consists of the production of cotton, tobacco, olives, olive oil, milk for feta cheese, flour products (wheat, barley, corn), honey, meat from livestock, tomatoes, raisins, fruit, vegetables, wine and more. Around 70% of the countries land cannot be cultivated due to poor soil and forests and it suffers from a lack of many natural resources like low rainfall in certain areas, emigration of rural communities to urban areas or abroad and the rural land ownership system. Fishing still plays a part as well but lessened over time due to pollution in the Mediterranean which has damaged the industry.

Agrotourism are also on the increase and it allows visitors to learn about farming activities like milking a cow and making cheese or gathering olives, local culture and daily life in the countryside. Locals will welcome you at traditional guest houses and offer you local specialities like wine, raki and other authentic products at their restaurants and tavernas. There are also amazing wineries to be visited in Greece.

 

CULTURE

Greek traditions

One of the most important elements in the Greek culture is their traditions and customs. The majority of the local traditions are religious and vary in each region, but they are celebrated all over the country.

The Greeks are very religious but also superstitious and believe in the supernatural or paranormal phenomenon. Greek traditions are still honoured today by old and young.

Please see below different traditions and superstitions still in place today.

• Traditional customs

Engagement

It is custom in Greece to first get engaged before getting married. The man has to ask permission for the hand of the woman from her father and close family, while the two families would give presents to the bride and groom. The couple have to exchange wedding rings which they wear on their left hands. After the wedding, they will wear their wedding rings on their right hands. Engagement can last for years before people get married, but it is a commitment to one another. This custom is still vivid in Greece, but slowly busy to disappear over time.

Weddings, Baptisms, Dance, Christmas, New Year

• Traditions

Name day Celebrations:

This is a very important day in Greek culture as many Greeks are named after a religious saint. And if your name is coming from a saint celebrated by church, you can celebrate your name on a given day of the year. On that day friend and family can visit you unannounced and brings you small gifts or presents. It is the hostess duty to offer food like pastries, sweets and hors d’oevres to the guests. In Greece this day is more important than your birthday.

Carnaval

The Carnival period in Greece is a two-week period beginning from the Sunday of Meat Fare and ends with the first day of Lent, which is called Clean Monday (Kathari Deutera). It is called Clean Monday because Christians “clean” their bodies physically from food and spiritually preparing themselves. It is a day of fasting and a holiday for Christians in Greece.

To celebrate this day everyone is costumed, and parties take place in the street and bars, throwing coloured confetti at each other. The most famous Carnival Parade takes place in Patra. The Carnival is believed to have come from paganism, and more precisely from the old festivals worshipping Dionysus, the god of wine and feast.

Clean Monday

This day is celebrated on the first day of Lent, on the day the Carnival ends. Christians celebrate this day by “cleaning” their bodies by fasting from food and prepare themselves spiritually by starting a more intense operational life. People fly a kite as a symbol that humans were made to “fly” spiritually according to Christianity.

Easter

Easter is seen as the most important celebration in the Greek culture. On Good Thursday or Good Saturday, women dye eggs in red which symbolizing the blood and sacrifice of Christ and then they bake buns.

On Good Friday, the day of mourning, the tomb of Christ with its icon (Epitaphios), gets decorated with flowers in the church. This then gets carried around the village followed by a slow procession. After the procession everyone goes to church where they kiss the image of Christ.

A ceremony is held in church on the night of the Holy Saturday (Megalo Savato), when everyone dresses up well for the ceremony. Just before midnight, the church lights are turned off, symbolizing the darkness and silent of the tomb, while the priest lights a candle from the Eternal Flame from Jerusalem. Everyone sings the psalm Christos Anesti (meaning Christ has risen) and is offered the flame to light the candles of the people by passing it from one to another, while fireworks are thrown with the bell ringing continuously.

The Good Saturday dinner takes place after midnight and consist of mayiritsa, tsoureki (Easter cake) and red eggs. On Easter Sunday family gets together to roast a lamb on the spit and some crack their red eggs. The lamb symbolizes Jesus Christ because He has been associated as the lamb of God who will take the sins of the world on his back from John the Baptist.

 

Corfu island is the most famous place for Easter where “Pot Throwing” takes place on Holy Saturday at 11am when people throw pots out of their windows, smashing them into the streets below.

In Crete children make an effigy of Judas which they burn on a huge bonfire outside the church after the Saturday midnight service.

On the island of Tilos, the candles are dyed red with dye from a local root.

 

Greek Easter food:

Mageiritsa Easter Soup

A soup made with boiled lamb offal – liver, heart and intestines, flavoured with onions, dill, thyme and lemon.

 

Koulourakia

Sweet Easter biscuits

 

Tsoureki

A braided sweet bread.

Kalitsounia (Crete)

Soft cheese wrapped in filo pastry and baked in the oven.

 

Red Eggs

Hard boiled eggs are dyed red to symbolize the blood of Christ

 

Greek Easter Traditions:

There are many traditions in Greece revolving around Easter and the week leading up to Easter plays a major role in these. This week is known as Holy Week or ‘Megali Evdomada’ (literally meaning the Big Week).

Throughout Holy Week the churches hold services at least once a day. Traditionally the people fast and no meat, oil or dairy products are eaten until midnight on Easter Saturday, after the symbolic Ressurection.

Holy Monday – Megali Deftera

The first day of Holy Week. People go to church and kiss the icon of Christ.

Holy Tuesday – Megali Triti

A day of mourning. The women bake Easter biscuits “koulouraki’ with oil and eggs, to be eaten after the fast is over on Saturday.

Holy Wednesday – Megali Tetarti

A special church service for worshippers to be blessed with oil. All household chores must be finished today.

Holy Thursday – Megali Pempti

Communion services in church start early morning today and churchgoers bow before Christ on the Cross. The women dye eggs red to symbolise the blood of Christ, and bake Easter bread – Tsoureki. These will be placed on the Easter table to be eaten after Saturday.

Holy Friday – Megali Paraskevi

The most sacred day of Holy Week and is a day of mourning. The church bells ring the death knell all morning. Girls decorate the Epitafio – the funeral bier and a service is held for Christ’s funeral. Today is a day of rest for women and men are forbidden to play cards. At dusk the Epitafio is paraded through the village or town streets with a quiet processon in tow. This is a sombre parade.

Holy Saturday – Megalo Savvato

The church once again holds a service in the morning, and the church is filled with flowers. In the villages men slaughter lambs for Easter Sunday. The women bake cheese pies – kalitsounia. In Crete children make an efigy of Judas to burn on bonfires later at the midnight celebration.

The Midnight Easter Service & The Resurrection – Saturday Night

The Anastasi, the Resurrection, takes place at midnight and is the culmination
of Holy Week. The whole of Greece, it seems, attends church for the midnight
service and the lighting of the Holy Flame. The Priest passes the Holy Flame throughout the congregation and all light a candle with cries of Christos Anesti!- Christ is Risen. Fireworks are then let off in celebration. The people take their lit candles home and make the sign of a cross with the black from the candle flame in the doorway of their homes before entering.

The breaking of the Fast takes place now, at midnight after the church service people go home to eat Mageiritsa – a meat soup made with offal, plus the red eggs and kalitsounia.

Easter Sunday – Kyriaki tou Paska

Families and friends meet up for the Easter Day roasting of lamb outside on a spit and a big celebration party with food, wine, music and dancing all day long. Kalo Paska! Happy Easter.

Greek Independence Day

Every year the Greeks celebrates the declaration of the Independence War against the Ottomans on March 25^th, 1821. Apart from a national celebration, this day is also a religious celebration dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.

The Assumption of Virgin Mary

Every year on the 15^th of August the Assumption of Virgin Mary gets celebrated all over Greece through festivals and revivals of old customs.

The Flower Wreath of May

On the first day of May people celebrates the rebirth of nature as it is the first day of Spring. On that day they make flower wreaths.

The Ohi Day

On 28^th of October every year the Greeks celebrated Ohi (NO) day. This is the day when dictator Mexatas refused to let the Italians invade the country during World War II. It is the celebration of the heroic OXI (NO) where most Greeks put the Greek flag in their windows and balconies, while a parade takes palace with participation of school students and the army.

The Ship of Christmas

Greece has a special Christmas custom, as a country dominated from the sea. The decoration of a ship on Christmas is a traditional Greek tradition of old times, symbolizing the new “ride” of human in life after birth of Christ. However, the tradition tends to disappear replacing it from the fir tree as it is interwoven with unpleasant memories of the war period, and as a vow of seafarers in times of distress, and it could not symbolize family gatherings.

The Wristband of March

Every March, Greeks make wristband from white and red thread (Martis), which they wear from the 1^st until the 31^st of March. Martis is worn from children in order to protect their faces from the first sun of spring. At the end of March, they take the wristbands of and hung it from a rose tree, so that swallows, migrating birds, will use it in order to fasten their nests.

Tsiknopemti Tradition

Tsiknopemti is the Thursday of the Carnival period of Greece which marks the beginning of the last weekend of the Lent period. Everybody eats meat on that day as derived from the word tsikna referring to the smell of cooked meat.

 

Superstitions

Black Cat

When someone sees a black cat, it is believed that he would have bad luck for the rest of the day as a black cat symbolizes magic. Also, if a glass or mirror breaks, it is believed to be bad luck for seven years.

Evil Eye (Mati)

One of the most well-known customs of Greece is the evil eye, coming from the envy and jealousy of someone else (matiasma). A person caught with the evil eye is yawning and usually feels bad physically and psychologically. It is the time when xematiasma (person driving of the evil eye) tells a special pray to release the person in pain from the bad effects of the evil eye.

To avoid the matiasma, those who in it wear a charm, a little blue bead with an eye painted on it. Blue is believed to be the color that wards off the evil eye, but it is also believed that people with blue eyes are most possible givers of the matiasma.

Piase Kokkino (Touch Red)

This expression is used when two people say the same thing at the same time. They have to immediately say piase kokkino (touch red) to one another and touch any item around them that is red. The happens because Greeks believe that saying the same thing is an omen and that the two people will get into a fight or an argument if they don’t touch something red.

Spiting

It is usual for Greeks to spit three times saying ftou ftou ftou, if they make a compliment of if they hear bad news. This symbolizes the use of the Holy Trinity to defend and prevent him against the evil eye. It is also used to compliment a baby, a child or even an adult for its beauty.

Hobgoblins

They are known as kallikantzari in Greece and believed to be short, ugly creatures with many deformities. They live underground all year and saw the tree of the year. From Christmas until Epiphany Day (6^th of January), they come up to the world and tease people with many pranks. The priest will go on Epiphany day from house to house and sprinkles the rooms with blessed water that the hobgoblins return underground.

Tuesday the 13^th

In Greece they believe in the unlucky day of Tuesday the 13^th and Friday the 13^th like the rest western beliefs.