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| {{redirect|Hellas}} | |||
| {{otheruses}} | |||
| {{Infobox Country or territory | |||
| |native_name = <span style="line-height:1.33em;"> Ελληνική Δημοκρατία <br/>''Ellinikí Dimokratía''</span> | |||
| |conventional_long_name = <span style="line-height:1.33em;">Hellenic Republic</span> | |||
| |common_name = Greece | |||
| |image_flag = Flag of Greece.svg | |||
| |image_coat = COA of Greece.svg | |||
| |image_map = EU location GRE.png | |||
| |map_caption = Map showing the location of Greece (dark orange) within the EU (]). | |||
| |national_motto = {{lang|el|Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος}}<br/>{{lang|el|'']''}}{{nbsp|2}}<small>(])<br/>"Freedom or Death"</small><!--See http://www.culture.gr/4/42/421/42103/42103e/g42103e3.html and http://humanitas.filg.uj.edu.pl/files/terminus/artykuly/d9b23762d6da8f325e2b215ff5338d2b.pdf--> | |||
| |national_anthem = {{lang|el|Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν}}<br/><small>"]"</small> | |||
| |official_languages = ] | |||
| |capital = ] ] | |||
| |latd=38| latm=00| latNS=N| longd=23| longm=43| longEW=E | |||
| |largest_city = ] ] | |||
| |government_type = ]ary ] | |||
| |leader_title1 = ] | |||
| |leader_title2 = ] | |||
| |leader_name1 = ] | |||
| |leader_name2 = ] | |||
| |accessionEUdate = ], ] | |||
| |area_rank = 96th | |||
| |area_magnitude = 1 E11 | |||
| |area = 131,990 | |||
| |areami² = 50,944 <!--Do not remove per ]--> | |||
| |percent_water = 0.8669 | |||
| |population_estimate = 11,244,118 | |||
| |population_estimate_rank = 74th | |||
| |population_estimate_year = 2005 | |||
| |population_census = 10,964,020 | |||
| |population_census_year = 2001 | |||
| |population_density = 84 | |||
| |population_densitymi² = 218 <!--Do not remove per ]--> | |||
| |population_density_rank = 108th | |||
| |GDP_PPP = $261.018 ] <!--IMF--> | |||
| |GDP_PPP_rank = 37th | |||
| |GDP_PPP_year = 2006 | |||
| |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $23,518 | |||
| |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 30th | |||
| |GDP_nominal = $225.591 ] | |||
| |GDP_nominal_rank = 29th | |||
| |GDP_nominal_year = 2005 | |||
| |GDP_nominal_per_capita = $20,327 | |||
| |GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 28th | |||
| |sovereignty_type = Formation | |||
| |established_event1 = First known<br/>{{nbsp|3}}Greek civilizations<sup>1</sup> | |||
| |established_date1 = <br/>]3000 BC | |||
| |established_event2 = Last previously<br/>{{nbsp|3}}independent state<sup>2</sup> | |||
| |established_date2 = <br/>1461 | |||
| |established_event3 = Independence from<br/>{{nbsp|3}}the ] | |||
| |established_date3 = <br/>] ] | |||
| |established_event4 = Recognized | |||
| |established_date4 = 1829 | |||
| |HDI = {{increase}} 0.921 | |||
| |HDI_rank = 24th | |||
| |HDI_year = 2004 | |||
| |HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font> | |||
| |currency = ] (])<sup>3</sup> | |||
| |currency_code = EUR | |||
| |country_code = | |||
| |time_zone = ] | |||
| |utc_offset = +2 | |||
| |time_zone_DST = ] | |||
| |utc_offset_DST = +3 | |||
| |cctld = ] <sup>4</sup> | |||
| |calling_code = 30 | |||
| |footnotes = <sup>1<sup> ] and ] civilizations.<br/><sup>2</sup> ].<br/><sup>3</sup> Prior to 2001: ].<br/><sup>4</sup> The ] domain is also used, as it is shared with other ] member states. | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Greece''' ({{lang-el|Ελλάδα}} {{IPA|}} or Ελλάς {{IPA|}}), officially the '''Hellenic Republic''' (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία {{IPA|}}), is a country in southeastern ], situated on the southern end of the ]. It is bordered by ], the ] and ] to the north and by ] to the east. The ] lies to the east and south of mainland Greece, while the ] lies to the west. Both, parts of the eastern ] basin, feature a vast number of ]. | |||
| Greece lies at the juncture of ], ], and ]. It is heir to the heritages of ], the ],<ref>Sir Steven Runciman, ''The Fall of Constantinople''</ref> and nearly four centuries of ] rule<ref>"Greece." ]. ]. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 6 Sept. 2006 <http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9106266>.</ref>. Regarded as the cradle of ] and being the birthplace of ],<ref>Finley, M. I. Democracy Ancient and Modern. 2d ed., 1985. London: Hogarth.</ref> Western ],<ref>History of Philosophy, Volume 1 by Frederick Copleston</ref> the ], ], ], major scientific principles and ]<ref>Brockett, Oscar G. History of the Theatre. 6th ed., 1991. Boston; London: Allyn and Bacon.</ref> (including both ] and ]), Greece has a particularly long and eventful history and a cultural heritage considerably influential in ], ] and the ]. Today, Greece is a ], a member of the ] since ] and a member of the ] since ]. ], ], ] and ] are the country's major cities. | |||
| ==History== | |||
| {{main|History of Greece}} | |||
| {{see also|Ancient Greece|Names of the Greeks}} | |||
| ] on the ].]]] of ] bearing the infant ], attributed to the greatest of the ancient attic sculptors, ].]] | |||
| The shores of Greece's ] saw the emergence of the first advanced civilizations in ] whose impact is inseparable from today's western institutions and western cultural and political development. | |||
| In the wake of the ] and ] civilizations, there emerged across the Greek peninsula and islands ''poleis'', or city-states, each with their own distinct social and governmental infrastructure, uniting under ] and ] to repel Persian advance. The conditions had been created for the flowering of Athens and birth of ] civilization, drawing to a close only with the culmination of the perennial conflict between Athens and Sparta, the ]. Within a century the Greek tribes had been united under the rule of ] to roll back Persian gains and herald the ] era, itself brought only partially to a close with the establishment of ] rule in 146 BC. | |||
| Although the establishment of ] rule did not break the continuity of Hellenistic society and culture, which remained essentially unchanged until the advent of ], it did mark the end of Greek political independence. The Greek peninsula became a province of ], while Greek culture continued to dominate the eastern ]. | |||
| When the ] finally split in two, the ], known as the Empire of the Greeks and later ] and centered around ] (known in ancient times as Byzantium), remained Greek in nature, encompassing Greece itself. During the Byzantine imperial period Greece experienced fluctuating fortunes, but succeeded in Hellenizing and institutionalizing most of its new invaders, and by the late 8th century Greeks from ] and ] were brought in as settlers. The 11th and 12th centuries are said to have been the Golden Age of Byzantine art in Greece, while the crusading epochs between 1204 and 1458 saw Greece hit by a series of non-Orthodox armies in the name of religion. The Byzantine era persisted, nevertheless, until the Fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1453, to the ]. | |||
| ]''. The painter was inspired by the ].]] | |||
| While the ] were completing the main conquest of Greek Mainland ], two Greek migrations occurred. The first saw the Greek intelligentsia migrate to ] — especially to Italy — and was a significant factor in the advent of the ]. The second migration of Greeks left the plains of the Greek peninsula and resettled in the mountains, the islands and other Greek regions where the Ottomans were unable to create a permanent military and administrative presence. As a result some Greek mountain clans across the peninsula, as well as some islands, were able to maintain a status of independence. The ] system contributed to the ethnic cohesion of Orthodox Greeks by segregating the various peoples within the ] based on religion. Eventually, religion played an integral part in the formation of the Modern Greek and other post-Ottoman national identities. On March 25, 1821 the Greeks rebelled thus declaring their strong will for independence (]). Their struggle ended in 1829, when the newly formed Greek state was finally created and recognized (]). In 1830, the Russian ex-minister of foreign affairs, ], a noble Greek from the ], was chosen as the President of the new Republic. However, the ] soon dissolved that republic and installed a monarchy. The first king, ], was of the Bavarian House of ]. The War of Independence also set in motion the establishment of major new cities and centres of trade such as ], ] and ]. In ] King Otto was forced, as a result of an uprising, to grant his subjects a constitution and a representative assembly. He was deposed in ] only to be replaced by a Danish Prince who took the name ] and brought with him the ] as a coronation gift from Britain. | |||
| Greece was growing economically, whilst becoming politically more liberal. In ], Prime Minister ] curbed the power of the monarchy to interfere in the Assembly. | |||
| ], covening as prime minister ] gives a speech, during the late 19th century.]] | |||
| This period was punctuated by the undertaking of one of the largest construction initiatives on the European continent, one of significant commercial importance; the creation of the ], lasting from 1881 to 1893. In ] the ] were revived in ], and hailed a success. As a result of the ], ], ], ], most of ] and southern Macedonia, including ], were incorporated into Greece. ], monarch for five decades, was assassinated in Thessaloniki in ], succeeded by his Germanophile son, ]. His struggle with Prime Minister ] resulted in Greece's joining the ] against Germany and Austria and the abdication of King Constantine in favour of his son, ]. | |||
| At that time, a part of ] centered around the city of ] (known today as ]) still retained a Greek population majority. The area was awarded to Greece by the ] as a reward for having sided with the ] powers in ] against the ]. Three years later, Turkish nationalists led by ] denounced the Sultan's government in ] and formed a new one in ], eventually re-establishing control over Asia Minor (]). | |||
| ], the Prime Minister who defined his era.]] | |||
| Following the withdrawal of Greek forces, the destruction of Smyrna and the displacement of thousands of Greeks from the city, a new government was established in Greece. Soon afterwards, the ] was signed, fixing the borders to this date. A population exchange was included in the agreement and immediately afterwards around five hundred thousand Muslims, then living in mainland Greece went to Turkey in exchange for more than 1.22 million Greek residents of Asia Minor (excluding ], ] and ]). In ], General ] established an authoritarian conservative ] in Greece, known as the ]. Shortly before the outbreak of ] a disputed referendum was held, resulting in a 'yes' to restore ] under the rule of ]. | |||
| ] (left), architect of the famous Greek "]" against the Italian dictator ], with King ], crown prince ] and General ] at the successful Albanian Campaign against the invasion of ] ] during ].]] | |||
| During the night of ], ], the ] dictator ] demanded that Greece surrender all its arms and allow ] troops to invade the country; the Greek government gave what became known as the simple negative response of “No” (see ]) — thereby immediately siding with the ] (see ]). Italian troops poured over from southern ], but were foiled by significantly outnumbered Greek forces at the Albanian front, giving the Allies their first victory against the axis powers (see ]). A prolonged period of fierce fighting in the ] mountains followed, in which Mussolini's forces were successfully pushed back. ] and his generals realized that their strategic southern flank needed to be secured more effectively and German forces, whose ranks included troops from ] and ], managed to successfully invade. The ] began on ], ] (see ]). Greek partisan resistance to the occupation was fierce, often with bitter retaliation from the occupiers. ] however, such as that waged in ] (see the ]), is believed to have forced a delay in German plans to initiate invasion against the ], thereby extending the campaign into the punishing Russian winter, while the extremely heavy losses of German paratroop forces foiled a planned German campaign in the ] against British-held Iraq and its oil fields. Germany retained its disastrous grip on the country until ], ] when its troops finally withdrew after the landing of Allied Forces in Athens. The Jewish community of Thessaloniki suffered the heaviest toll by far and the economy languished. | |||
| ], ]: A Military tank standing in front of the Athens Polytechnic School, only moments before crushing the gates of that institution, putting a bloody end to the now famous ].]]After liberation from ], Greece experienced an equally bitter ] between the Greek Democratic Army and the Hellenic Army lasting until ] when left-wing forces were defeated in the battle of Grammos-Vitsi. During the 1950s and 1960s, Greece experienced a gradual and consistent economic growth, also aided by significant grants and loans by the ] through the ]. However, starting in ], a period of political turbulence, and the subsequent uncertainty, led to a coup d’etat against the elected government and ] that took place in the dawn of ], ], and the establishment of a US-supported ] (referred to as the ]). In the ensuing years, a number of sympathisers of the left, as well as a number of politicians and communists, were arrested and brutally tortured by the regime. Many politicians evaded capture and found political refuge in other European countries such as ] and ], but the then head of state, King Constantine, officially acknowledged the new regime, which was also then duly recognized by the international community and diplomatic relations continued. The King himself, however, attempted a counter coup in ] ], which was to fail, and the former head of state now in his turn went into exile in Rome. In ] ] the ] sent shockwaves across the regime, but it would not be until ], ] that it suffered its decisive blow. On that day ] invaded ], allegedly to protect the island's Turkish minority from a Colonel-sponsored coup d'etat; the developing crisis led to the collapse of the regime on ], ]. | |||
| ], ]: ] arrives in ] on the French Presidential jet, courtesy of French President ], to assume the leadership of government of national unity that would lead to free elections. He is greeted by jubilant crowds of supporters craving for the restoration of democratic rule.]] | |||
| Ex-Premier ] was immediately invited back from Paris, where he had resided since ]. Marking the beginning of the ] era of modern Greek history, the plane carrying Constantine Karamanlis landed in ] in the early hours of ], amidst massive celebrations and enormous crowds, extending from the capital's ] to ]; Karamanlis was immediately appointed as the interim prime minister under President Gizikis and founded the conservative ] party, going on to win the ensuing elections by a large margin. Democratic rule was finally restored in its birthplace and a democratic republican constitution activated in ]. The monarchy was abolished by a referendum held that same year, denying King Constantine II and his family any access to the country until ]. Meanwhile, another prominent figure of the past, ], had also returned from the United States and had already founded the Panhellenic Socialist Party, or ]. | |||
| Karamanlis won the ] parliamentary elections but resigned in ] giving way to ]; Papandreou, however, won the elections held on ], ] by a landslide and formed the first ] government in Greece's history. Papandreou dominated the Greek political stage for almost 15 years (excepted only by the ]-] period when ] of the ] party won elections), until his death in ], ]. By that time ], one of many prominent political figures of PASOK, had already succeeded the ailing and hospitalized Papandreou as the new Prime Minister. Following a long period of diplomatic tension and the threat of a military confrontation (see ]), relations with neighbouring ] have improved substantially over the last decade, since successive earthquakes hit both nations in the summer of ]. Rapprochement came about through what became known as ] and today Greece is an active supporter of Turkey's effort to be accepted by the European Union as a full member. | |||
| ], ]: The widely praised ] ] was held in the ].]] Prime Minister Simitis remained in office until ], ] when ] of the conservative ] party and a nephew of ], won the parliamentary elections. Greece became the tenth member of the ] on ] ] and ever since the nation has experienced a remarkable and sustained economic growth. Widespread investments in industrial enterprises and heavy infrastructure, as well as funds from the European Union and growing revenues from tourism, shipping and a fast growing service sector have raised the country's standard of living to unprecedented levels. The country adopted the ] in ] and successfully organised the ] in ]. | |||
| == Politics == | |||
| {{morepolitics|country=Greece}} | |||
| ] today.]] | |||
| The 1995 ] (Greek: ''Σύνταγμα''), describes Greece as a "presidential parliamentary republic” (Greek: ''Προεδρευομένη Κοινοβουλευτική Δημοκρατία''), grants extensive specific guarantees of ] and vests the powers of the ] in a President elected by ] for a 5 year term. | |||
| The Greek governmental structure is similar to that found in many Western democracies, and has been described as a compromise between the French and German models. The ] (Greek: ''Πρωθυπουργός'') and cabinet play the central role in the political process, while the President performs some executive and legislative functions in addition to ceremonial duties. | |||
| The ] is the head of government, and ] is exercised by that government. ] is vested in both the government and the ]. The ] is independent of the executive and the legislature and comprises three Supreme Courts: the ] (Άρειος Πάγος), the ] (Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας) and the Court of Auditors (Ελεγκτικό Συνέδριο). The ] system is also comprised of civil courts, which judge civil and penal cases and administrative courts, which judge administrative cases, namely disputes between the citizens and the State. | |||
| ] is the current ].]] | |||
| Greece elects a ] by ] of all citizens over the age of 18. The ] (Vouli ton Ellinon) has 300 members, elected for a four-year term. Since the restoration of democracy the party system is dominated by the liberal-conservative ] (Νέα Δημοκρατία - Nea Dimokratia) and the socialist PASOK, or ] (Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα - Panellinio Sosialistiko Kinima). Non-negligible parties include the ] and the ]. {{see|List of political parties in Greece}} | |||
| On ], ], ], president of the ] party and nephew of the late ] was elected as the new ], thus marking his party's first electoral victory in nearly 11 years. Karamanlis took over government from ] of PASOK, who had been in office since ] ], replacing the ailing charismatic leader ] who died on ], ]. | |||
| == Administrative divisions == | |||
| {{main|Peripheries of Greece|Regions of Greece|Prefectures of Greece}} | |||
| ] port in the island of ] is the capital of the ].]] | |||
| '''Peripheries:''' Greece consists of 13 administrative regions known as peripheries, which subdivide further into the 54 ]s ({{lang|el|''nomoi''}}, singular — {{lang|el|'']''}}). For more detailed maps of the peripheries and/or prefectures, see the ] or ] articles. | |||
| '''Autonomous region:'''Greece has one autonomous region, ] ({{lang|el|''Agio Oros''}} — Holy Mountain) in ]. | |||
| == Geography == | |||
| {{main|Geography of Greece}} | |||
| ] | |||
| Greece consists of a mountainous and craggy mainland jutting out into the sea at the southern end of the ]. The ] peninsula (separated from the mainland by the canal of the ]); and ] (around 3,000), including ], ], ], ], the ] and the ] groups of the ] as well as the ] islands. Greece has the 10th longest coastline in the world with over 15,000 ]s; its land boundary is 1,160 kilometres (721 mi). | |||
| Four fifths of Greece consist of mountains or hills, making the country one of the most mountainous in ]. Western Greece contains a number of lakes and wetlands and it is dominated by the ] mountain range. Pindus has a maximum elevation of 2,636 metres (8,648 ]) and it is essentially a prolongation of the ]. | |||
| ] (2,919 m) from the town of ].]] | |||
| ].]] | |||
| ] formation in central Greece.]] | |||
| The range continues through the western ], crosses the islands of ] and Antikythera and find its way into southwestern Aegean, in the island of ] where it eventually ends. (the islands of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains that once constituted an extension of the mainland). Pindus is characterized by its high, steep peaks, often dissected by numerous canyons and a variety of other karstic landscapes. Most notably, the impressive ] formation consisting of high, steep boulders provides a breathtaking experience for the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit the area each year. Special lifts transfer visitors to the scenic monasteries that lie on top of those rocks. Meteora is situated in the ] prefecture. The Vikos-Aoos Gorge is yet another spectacular formation. The Vikos-Aoos Gorge is a popular hotspot for those fond of extreme sports. The mythical ] is the highest mountain in the country, located in the southwestern ] prefecture, near ]. Mytikas in the Olympus range has a height of 2,919 metres (9,570 ft) at its highest peak. Once considered the throne of the Gods, it is today extremely popular among hikers and climbers who deem its height as a challenge. Moreover, northeastern Greece features yet another high altitude mountain range, the Rhodope range, spreading across the periphery of ]; this area is covered with vast, thick, ancient forests. The famous Dadia forest is in the prefecture of ], in the far northeast of the country. | |||
| Expansive plains are primarily located in the prefectures of ], ] and ]. They constitute key economic regions as they are among the few arable places in the country. ] and ] are the two largest cities of Thessaly. | |||
| Rare marine species such as the Pinniped Seals and the ] live in the seas surrounding mainland Greece, while its dense forests are home to the endangered ], the ], the ] and the Wild Goat. | |||
| ==Climate== | |||
| {{main|Climate of Greece}} | |||
| ] beach in the island of ].]] | |||
| The ] of Greece can be categorised into three types that influence well-defined regions of its territory. The ] mountain range strongly affects the climate of the country by making the western side of it (areas prone to the south-westerlies) wetter than the areas lying to the east of it (] of the mountains). The three distinct types are the Mediterranean, the Alpine and the Temperate types. The first one features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Severe weather also presents in northern Greece, during the hot months of summer,with dangerous ] ] and big ]. The Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, Eastern Peloponessus and parts of the Sterea Ellada region are mostly affected by this particular type. Temperatures rarely reach extreme values although snowfalls do occur occasionally even in the Cyclades or the Dodecanese during the winter months. The Alpine type is dominant mainly in the mountainous areas of Northwestern Greece (], Central Greece, ], ] as well as in the central parts of ], including the prefectures of ], ] and parts of ], where the ] range passes by). Finally, the Temperate type affects ] and ], mainly affecting the cities of ], ] and the towns of northern ]; it features cold, damp winters (with 52 inches of rain in Corfu and 25 inches in ]) and hot, dry ]s. ] is located in a transitional area featuring both the Mediterranean and the Temperate types. It averages about 16 inches of rain annually. The city's northern suburbs are dominated by the temperate type while the downtown area and the southern suburbs enjoy a typical Mediterranean type. | |||
| ==Economy== | |||
| {{main|Economy of Greece}} | |||
| ] depicting Goddess ]'s symbol, the ].]] | |||
| Greece operates on a ] ]. The nation's main economic activity is primarily based on tourism, shipping, banking & finance, manufacturing and construction and telecommunications sectors while the country serves as the regional business hub for many of the world's major multinational companies. Greece enjoys a high standard of living, ranking 24th on the 2006 ] and 22nd on ]'s 2005 world-wide quality-of-life index and it has an average per capita income that has been estimated at $23,518<ref>IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2006.</ref> for the year 2006. Greece's present prosperity is largely owed to the post-WWII "]". The implementation of a number of structural and fiscal reforms, combined with considerable European Union funding over the last 25 years and increasing private consumption have contributed to the fact that the Greek GDP annual growth consistently out-performs the European average. | |||
| ] near the city of ] is the longest ] in the world. It connects the ] with mainland Greece.]] | |||
| ].]] | |||
| ], make up the largest, most vital and fastest-growing sector of the ], followed by manufacturing and agriculture. | |||
| The ] is a major source of foreign exchange earnings and revenue accounting for 14.3% of Greece’s total GDP and employing (directly or indirectly) 659,719 people (or 16.5% of total employment). In 2005 Greece welcomed almost 18 million visitors and in 2006 that figure almost reached the 20 mn mark. | |||
| The shipping industry is considered as one of Greece's most important industries, earns €12 bn in foreign exchange and maintains a leading fleet on a global basis. In fact, according to a 2007 economic report published in Belgium, Greek ships make 20% of the global fleet, with more than 3500 ships of Greek interest worldwide. One in five (1/5) oil tankers of the global fleet belong to Greek shipping companies. | |||
| The Greek banking & finance sector is also an important source of revenue and employment and Greek banks have invested heavily in the Balkan region. The manufacturing sector accounts for about 13% of GDP with the food industry leading in growth, profit and export potential. | |||
| High-technology equipment production, especially for telecommunications, is also a fast-growing sector. Other important areas include textiles, building materials, machinery, transport equipment, and electrical appliances. Construction (10%GDP) and agriculture (7%) are yet two other significant sectors of the Greek economic activity. | |||
| == Science and technology == | |||
| Because of its strategic location, qualified workforce and political and economic stability, many multinational companies, such as ], ], ], ], ] have their regional R&D Headquarters in Greece. | |||
| The of the is responsible for designing, implementing and supervising national research and technological policy. | |||
| In 2003, public spending on R&D was 456,37 million Euros (12,6% increase from 2002). Total R&D spending (both public and private), as a percentage of GDP has increased considerably since the beginning of the past decade, from 0,38% in 1989, to 0,65% in 2001 | |||
| R&D spending in Greece remains lower than the EU average of 1,93% but according to Research DC, based on OECD and Eurostat data, between 1990 and 1998, total R&D expenditure in Greece enjoyed the third highest increase in Europe, after Finland and Ireland. | |||
| In 2001, there were 55,626 researchers (from 30,500 in 1993)in such fields as telecommunications, microelectronics, multimedia, computer science, computer networks and software engineering, attracting the interest of many multinational companies and producing an increasing number of high quality publications. Of that number approximately, 33,507 were employed in Higher Education Foundations, 13,100 by private companies, 8,800 in State-owned Research Centres and approximately 200 in non-profit private research centres. | |||
| Greece's technology parks with incubator facilities include: , the , the and the . | |||
| Greece has been a member of the ], or ], since 2005. Cooperation between ESA and the ] began in the early 1990s. In 1994 Greece and ESA signed their first cooperation agreement. Having formally applied for full membership in 2003, Greece became ESA's 16th member on March 16 2005. As member of the ESA, Greece participates in the agency's telecommunication and technology activities, and the ] Initiative. | |||
| == Demography == | |||
| {{main|Demographics of Greece}} | |||
| The official Statistical body of Greece is the . | |||
| === Statistics === | |||
| ] is Greece's second largest city and a major economic, industrial, commercial and cultural center. Here, an aerial view of the city's eastern districts.]] | |||
| According to the NSSG, in 2005, Greece had a total population of 11,082,752 of whom 5,486,632 were males and 5,596,119 females. As statistics from 1971, 1981 and 2001 show, the Greek population has been ageing the past several decades. The birth rate in 2003 stood 9.5 per 1,000 inhabitants (14.5 per 1,000 in 1981). At the same time the mortality rate increased slightly from 8.9 per 1,000 inhabitants in 1981 to 9.6 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2003. | |||
| In 2001, 16.71% of the population were 65 years old and older, 68.12% between the ages of 15 and 64 years old, and 15.18% were 14 years old and younger. In 1971 the figures were 10.92%, 63.72% and 25.36% respectively. Greek society has also rapidly changed with the passage of time. For example, marriage rates kept falling from almost 71 per 1,000 inhabitants in 1981 until 2002, only to increase slightly in 2003 to 61 per 1,000. Divorce rates on the other hand, have seen an everlasting and accelerating increase – from 89.2 per 1,000 marriages in 1981 to 191 per 1,000 marriages in 2002. | |||
| Almost 2/3 of Greeks live in urban areas. Greece's largest cities in 2005 were: Athens (3,190,336), Thessaloniki (980,419), Patra (216,592),Larissa (207,000), Iraklio (188,650) and Volos (151,591). (source: ''The Regions of Greece, All Media Publication, 2005'') | |||
| ===Minorities=== | |||
| {{main|Minorities in Greece}} | |||
| '''Ethnic Minorities:''' The only minority in Greece which receives special minority treatment is the ] (Μουσουλμανική μειονότητα) in Thrace, which amounts to approximately 0.95% of the total population and mainly consists of ethnic ], ] and ]. Other recognized ethnic minorities include approximately 35,000 ], and 5,500 ]. | |||
| ===Immigration=== | |||
| '''Immigration: '''Due to the complexity of Greek immigration policy, practices and data collection, truly reliable data on immigrant populations in Greece is difficult to gather and therefore subject to much speculation. A study from the maintains that the 2001 Census from the NSSG recorded 762,191 persons residing in Greece without Greek citizenship, constituting around 7% of total population and that, of these, 48,560 were EU or ] nationals and 17,426 Cypriots with privileged status. At the same time, Albanians constituted some 56% of total immigrants, followed by Bulgarians (5%), Georgians (3%) and Romanians (3%). Americans, Cypriots, British and Germans appeared as sizeable foreign communities at around 2% each of total foreign population. The rest were around 690,000 persons of non-EU or non-homogeneis status. | |||
| The greatest cluster of non-EU immigrant population is in the Municipality of Athens –some 132,000 immigrants, at 17% of local population. Thessaloniki is the second largest cluster, with 27,000 – but reaching only 7% of local population. | |||
| After this, the predominant areas of location are the Athens environs. | |||
| According to the same study, the foreign population (documented and undocumented) residing in Greece may in reality figure upwards to 8.5% or 10.3%, that is approximately meaning 1.15 million - if immigrants with ''homogeneis'' cards are accounted for. | |||
| ===Religion=== | |||
| '''Religious Affiliation:''' | |||
| ].]] | |||
| The majority of Greek citizens (95-98%) are baptised into the ] and most of them celebrate at least the main ]s, especially Pascha (Greek Orthodox ]). | |||
| According to the ], the Greek Government does not keep statistics on religious groups and censuses do not ask for religious affiliation. The Department of State's International Religious Freedom Report of 2005 maintains that approximately 97 percent of citizens identify themselves at least nominally with the ] faith. Estimates of the officially recognised ] range from 98,000 to 140,000, while the immigrant Muslim community is between 100,000 and 300,000. In an address to the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece on ] ] Archbishop ] stated: "Today more than 500,000 Moslems live in our country." <ref>''Εκκλησία'', Official Gazette of the Church of Greece, October 2006, page 737</ref> Greek members of the ] faith (including both ] and ]) are estimated at 50,000, with the immigrant Catholic community (mostly ] and ] ]) approximating 200,000. The ] report having 30,000 active members. The State Department report calculates ], including Evangelicals, at about 30,000. The two biggest Protestant denominations are the: Greek Evangelical Church and the Free Evangelical Church. The independent Pentecostal denomination, ] is very active with over than 20,000 members.{{Fact|date=January 2007}} There are also 12,000 Pentecostals from many different churches. In Greece you can find some Adventists, Mormons and Quakers. The longstanding ] community numbers approximately 5,000 adherents, about 2,000 of whom reside in ]. The worship of ] is also making a comeback,<ref name="Polytheist Comeback"> CNN, http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/01/21/ancient.gods.ap/index.html</ref> with approximately 2,000 adherents.<ref name="Greek polytheists"> US Department of State, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71383.htm</ref> | |||
| According to the most recent ] ''Eurobarometer'' poll, in 2005,<ref name="Eurostat poll on the social and religious beliefs of Europeans"> Eurobarometer, http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf</ref> 81% of Greek citizens responded that they "believe there is a God", whereas 16% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 3% that they "do not believe there is a God, spirit, nor life force". Greece's percentage of respondents asserting that they "believe there is a God" was the third highest among ] members. | |||
| <font size=+20 color=red face=arial> | |||
| </font> | |||
| ==Education== | |||
| {{main|Education in Greece}} | |||
| ] School building at the ]; Greece's largest University]] | |||
| '''Compulsory education''' is comprised of Primary Schools (Dimotikó Scholeio, Greek: ''Δημοτικό Σχολείο'') and Gymnasia (Greek: ''Γυμνάσιο''). There are also kindergartens (Paidikós Stathmós, Greek: ''Παιδικός σταθμός'') and nursery schools (Nipiagogeío, Greek: ''Νηπιαγωγείο) , albeit popular, are not of compulsory attendance. | |||
| Attendance at Primary Schools lasts for six years and children are admitted at the age of 6. There are also all-day primary schools in operation with an extended timetable and an enriched syllabus. Attendance at Gymnasia starts at the age of 12 and last for three years. | |||
| '''Post-compulsory Secondary Education''', consists of two school types: Eniaia Lykeia (Unified Upper Secondary Schools, Greek: ''Ενιαίο Λύκειο'') and the Technical Vocational Educational Schools (TEE, Greek: ''Τεχνικά και Επαγγελματικά Εκπαιδευτήρια''). Post-compulsory Secondary Education also includes the Vocational Training Institutes (IEK, Greek: ''Ινστιτούτα Επαγγελματικής Κατάρτισης'') , which provide formal but unclassified level of education. These Institutes are not classified as an educational level, because they accept both Gymnasio (lower secondary school) and Lykeio (upper secondary school) graduates according to the relevant specializations they provide. | |||
| '''Public higher education''' is divided into ], the so called Highest Educational Institutions (Anótata Ekpaideytiká Idrýmata, Greek: ''Ανώτατα Εκπαιδευτικά Ιδρύματα, ΑΕΙ'') and the Highest Technological Educational Institutions (Anótata Technologiká Ekpaideytiká Idrýmata, Greek: ''Ανώτατα Τεχνολογικά Εκπαιδευτικά Ιδρύματα, ATEI''). Students are admitted to these Institutes according to their performance at national level examinations taking place after completion of the third grade of Lykeio. Additionally, students are admitted to the Hellenic Open University upon the completion of the 22 year of age by drawing lots. | |||
| Formal education is characterized by the fixed length of study, the possibility of repetition and the award of a formal school-leaving certificate which is the official authorization. As a consequence of the classification of the education institutions, a title (school-leaving certificate, degree etc.) is compulsory for students at each education level in order to continue to the next. | |||
| The Greek Education System also provides Special kindergartens, primary and secondary education schools for people with special needs or difficulties in learning. Musical, Ecclesiastical and Physical Education Gymnasia and High Schools are also in operation. | |||
| == Culture == | |||
| {{main|Culture of Greece}} | |||
| ] | |||
| Greek culture evolved over thousands of years, with its beginnings in ], continuing into ], the birth of the ] and through the influence of the ] and its ] successor the ]. The ] also had a significant influence on Greek culture, but the ] is credited with revitalizing Greece and giving birth to a single entity of its multi-faceted culture throughout the ages. | |||
| Greece is often known as ''the cradle of ]''. | |||
| {{see|List of Greeks}} | |||
| ==Photo Gallery== | |||
| {{cleanup-gallery}} | |||
| <!-- Galleries of freely licensed photography should be at Wikimedia Commons --> | |||
| <gallery> | |||
| Image:Img2005-04-30T17.43.54.JPG|The Pontikonisi island in ]. | |||
| Image:Rhodes_road_hg.jpg|The Avenue of the Knights in the old section of the ]. | |||
| Image:Delphi_145.jpg|The Tholos at the sanctuary of ] Pronaia in the ancient site of ]. | |||
| Image:Mykonos_Windmills.JPG|The ] windmills. | |||
| Image:P9070134s.jpg|Navagio Bay on the island of ]. | |||
| Image:Rethymnon-harbour-at-night.jpg|The old venetian port of the city of ], ]. | |||
| Image:Emborios.JPG|The island of ], ]. | |||
| Image:Agrafa_Templa.jpg|Spring in ]. | |||
| </gallery> | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| {{portal|Greece|Flag of Greece.svg}} | |||
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| ===History=== | |||
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| == Notes == | |||
| <div class="references-small"><references/></div> | |||
| == Further reading == | |||
| *Richard Clogg, ''A Concise History of Greece'', Second Edition, Cambridge University Press 2002 | |||
| *Minorities in Greece - historical issues and new perspectives. History and Culture of South Eastern Europe. An Annual Journal. München (Slavica) 2003. | |||
| == External links == | |||
| {{sisterlinks|Greece}} | |||
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| <br/>{{Ancient Greece}} | |||
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Revision as of 02:39, 13 February 2007
i hate school you cant block me so get over it retar you are stupid