Greece | Geography | People | Economy, and Tourism

Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a beautiful and ancient country that is considered the birthplace of European civilization and democracy.

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Geography

Greece is a small country located in south-east Europe with a total land area of 131,957 km² and stretches into the Ionian, Mediterranean, and Aegean Seas. This country is bordered by 4 other countries on the north and east side.

The whole country of Greece is divided into 13 different regions, and the capital city is Athens which is one of the oldest capitals in the world, where nearly 40% of the entire population of the country lives.

In Greece, you will be no more than 137 km from the sea because it is the farthest distance from the coast.

In addition, Greece has about 2000 islands, of which only about 227 are inhabited.

Greece is about 80% mountainous, on both the mainland and the islands. Mt. Olympus is the tallest mountain in Greece, believed for being the home of the ancient Greek gods.

Almost all the rivers in Greece are not suitable for transportation, as they are too shallow. Nonetheless, the largest river is the Aliákmonas River, which flows through the Pindus range and ends into the Thermaic Gulf.

Trichonida is the largest lake in Greece, situated in the south-central region.

Demographics

Greece has about 10.3 million people and has one of the highest aging populations in Europe. In fact, the population of Greece is declining each year.

The majority of the people, about 93%, are ethnically Greeks, and the remaining 7% are mostly made up of other groups like Albanians, Gypsies, Turks, and other immigrants from all over the world.

Greece has had a significantly great impact on the modern world. The influence of Greek culture and language has become so widespread, that almost every language in Europe consists of some sort of Greek vocabulary.

For example, in the English language, we have some words like “academy” and “telephone”

The Greek language has been spoken for 3,000 years, making it one of the oldest languages in the world.

About 90% of people in Greece belong to Christianity however it is a secular country.

Do you know? In Greece, voting is compulsory for every citizen by law.

Instead of birthdays, many people celebrate Name Day, in which they have a party on the day they got their name from.

Traditional music is still alive in Greece and can be found everywhere, you’ll get to hear a lot of lutes, mandolins, and tambourines in different parts of the country. Traditional dances are also alive as well and practiced in fast-paced movements and jumpy actions.

About 50.2% of the population are women. Interestingly, Greece also has the lowest divorce rate in the whole European Union as well.

Economy

Greece is a developed economy where more than 80% of GDP comes from service sectors whereas industrial sectors only contribute 16%. Nonetheless, agriculture contributes about 4.1% of their economic output.

Major exports of Greece are petroleum products, aluminum, medicament, fruits and nuts, and fresh fish whereas major trading partners are Italy, Germany, Turkey, Cyprus, and Bulgaria.

Greece has one of the highest unemployment rates in the EU, as well nearly a quarter of the population is seeking jobs.

Tourism

In terms of Tourism, Greece is the 13th most visited country in the world and is a magnificent place in Europe where you can experience beautiful landscapes, ancient rich history, and shiny Mediterranean weather.

We all know Greece is a tourist hotspot. Naxos and Paros are known for being windy islands, great for sailing in water sports.

Santorini Island, with its attractive white marble villas.

Places to Visit in Greece

• Acropolis
• Parthenon
• Santorini
• The Meteora Pillar
• Necromanteion of Ephyra
• Knossos
• Corfu
• Neda Waterfalls
• Oracle of Delphi
• St. Theodora’s Chapel
• Pozar Hot Springs
• The Sculpted face on the Shore of Nisi
• The Chios Building

and of course, thousands of other sights.

Greece is a safe country to visit and it’s not that expensive like other western European countries like Germany, France, and Belgium.

Do you know? Greece has the highest number of archaeological sites per capita of any other country in the world.

Nature and Wildlife

Greece gets about 250 days of sunshine a year because of the Mediterranean impact. Greek beaches are really enjoyable. You would love that.

Naturally, Greece is so rich, roughly 7% of the world’s marble mines are alone in Greece. In fact, They’re also the third largest olive oil producer in the world, just behind Spain and Italy.

Greece is mostly mountainous which is covered by forest and bushes. The forests of Greece host various animals like bears, wild cats, brown squirrels, jackals, foxes, deer, and lynxes (especially in the northern region).

Innovations

Greece has a strong impact on global change and the modernized world. They have contributed a lot in every aspect like philosophy, mathematics, democracy, and scientific inventions.

Some Innovations of Greece:

• The Watermill
• Alarm Clocks
• Lighthouses
• The Crane
• Construction Levers
• Catapults
• Steam Engine
• Central Heating
• Concept of Citizenship
• Democracy
• Geometry Theory
• Theater
• Olympics

Some of the great people are Alexander the Great (Argument between Macedonia and Greece) singer Nana Mouskouri, Prince Phillip, Tommy Lee, and Queen Sofia of Spain.

International Relations

Greece is a really old country. They’ve established so many diplomatic ties throughout the period.

Serbia is probably the closest friend of Greece. Serbians are next-door neighbors. Greeks love both the Spanish and Italians and they share a similar Mediterranean climate, seafaring culture and have had historical relations with them for thousands of years. And lastly, these 3 friends are from Latin countries.

Turkey is like the whole Japan-South Korea thing, in which historically, they’ve been through some drama but they love to visit and enjoy each other’s cultures.

Cyprus is a small island country near Greece, many Greeks don’t really see Cyprus as a separate country. They love their little brothers and will do anything for each other.

They have maintained strong diplomatic relations with the US, Armenia, Egypt, UAE, China, and Romania. Greece is also an active member of the EU and NATO.

Problems

Greece is facing economic downfall because of improper management of public finance sectors. However, the economy is rising and public debt is decreasing gradually.

High Unemployment is the major problem in Greece. Around 16% of the total population is Unemployed which is the highest in the whole European Union.

Lastly, the Population of Greece is declining each year because of Low Fertility, emigration, and an aging population which can impact the whole productivity of the Greek economy.