Greece

From Imakoopedia

Greece is a country in Southern Europe with Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, Lybian Sea, and Mediterranean Sea coasts. Its surrounding countries are Albania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north and Turkey to the east. For historical reasons, it is considered to be a part of Western Europe, despite lying geographically to the east of Europe.

Greece has an ancient culture that has had a significant influence on western society. The country has a number of famous archeological sites with contemporary documented histories. It is also the home of the Olympic games.

Table of contents

1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 4.1 History 4.2 Climate 5 Get in 5.1 By plane 5.2 By train 5.3 By car 5.4 By bus 5.5 By boat 6 Get around 7 Talk 8 Buy 9 Eat 10 Drink 11 Sleep 12 Learn 13 Work 14 Stay safe 15 Stay healthy 16 Respect 17 Contact 18 External links 19 Geography 20 Economy 21 Communications 22 Transnational Issues

Regions

• Attica
• Central Greece
• Central Macedonia
• Crete
• East Macedonia and Thrace
• Epirus
• Ionian Islands
• North Aegean Islands
• Peloponnes
• South Aegean Islands
• Thessaly
• West Greece
• West Macedonia

Cities

Major cities include:

• Athens - the capital of Greece
• Patra
• Sparta
• Thessaloniki

Other destinations

On Peloponnes you'll find ancient Olympia, Epidarus, Mykene, Corinth, Mystra.

North of the gulf of Korinth ancient Delphi can be found.

In Central Greece you can visit the monasteries of Meteora.

Understand

History

Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories with Greek-speaking populations. Following the defeat of Communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992).

Climate

Greece enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate.

The latest weather and climatic information for Greece can be accessed via the Hellenic National Meteorological Service website (http://www.hnms.gr/hnms/english/index_html).

Get in

As Greece is a member of the European Union, most European and North American nationals do not need a visa. Citizens of the European Union may also enter with a valid identity card. Entering via ferryboat from Italy or by air from countries that are members of the Schengen agreement, too, you won't need to show any document of identity under normal circumstances. Prior to Cyprus's accession to the European Union persons carrying a passport with a stamp from the internationally not recognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus were denied entry. After Cyprus formally in full became part of the European Union such a denial of entry is according to European Union officials not to expect any more.

By plane

In summer charter flights to most islands arrive weekly from many European cities. Scheduled flights all the year round fly to Athens, Thesoloniki and Crete, with Athens being the main destination. The national airline is Olympic Airlines.

By train

The typical train journey from Western Europe involves a train to Venice or Brindisi in Italy, followed by a ferry to Patra. Trains from Sofia and Instanbul arrive in Thesoloniki daily.

By car

Driving to Greece from Western Europe usually involves driving to Venice or Brindisi and catching a ferry. Routes via the former Yugoslavia aren't dangerous any more if you keep away from Kosovo, but condition of roads can be worse than you're used to. On the other hand, driving through the Balkans is still a kind of adventure as you have to show your passport quite often which has become unusual in Western continental Europe. You will also face another culture and another kind of living as for example Serbia and Montenegro's standard of living is still not as high as Western European countries'.

By bus

By boat

Ferries to Igominitsa and Patra leave throughout the year from the Italian ports of Venice, Trieste, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi. There are also ferries from Egypt and Cyprus.

Get around

See also Continental Greece in ten days

Talk

The official language is Greek; English and French are widely spoken.

Buy

Since 2001, Greece's official currency has been the euro (€). Euro notes and coins were introduced in 2002.

Eat

Try gyros (γυροσ) and tzatziki (τζατζικι) which is a combination of meat and a kind of yoghurt.

Drink

Greeks drink wine (krasi: κρασι), sometimes in the special form of retsina (ρετσινα), and water (nero: νερο). Less popular ist beer (bira: μπιρα). A speciality is ouzo (ουζο).

Sleep

Learn

Students from countries constituting the European Union may enter many sites for free. Students from other countries have their entrance fees reduced. So take your International Student Identity Card with you.

Work

Stay safe

Stay healthy

Respect

Contact

External links

• Greek National Tourism Organization (http://www.gnto.gr) - the official government tourism site for Greece

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Geography

Climate 

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain 

mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Environment - international agreements 

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note 

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Economy

Economy - overview 

Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the Big Four European economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as the government tightened policy in the run-up to Greece's entry into the EU's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2001. Major challenges remaining include the reduction of unemployment and further restructuring of the economy, including privatizing several state enterprises, undertaking social security reforms, overhauling the tax system, and minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies. Economic growth is forecast at roughly 4% in 2003.

Communications

Telephone system 

general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name

Illicit drugs 

a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime