Hellas
(Greece)
Table of contents:
Greece, otherwise known
by its local name Hellas, is one of the most ancient countries in the world,
its civilisation spanning more than 5 millennia. The birthplace of western
civilisation and of numerous scientific, philosophical and cultural advances,
Greece was incorporated into the Roman Empire during the two last centuries
before Christ. Later becoming a part of the Ottoman Empire, Greece declared
its independence January 1/13 1822, becoming a kingdom in 1832. Following
more than a century of turmoil in the Balkans, Greece reached its current
territorial expanse in 1948 and 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 (the Third Hellenic Republic,
the First being between 1822 and 1832 and the Second between 1924 and 1935)
and abolished the monarchy. Greece joined the European Community or EC
in 1981 (which became the European Union in 1992). The Third Hellenic Republic
has been marked as the longest period of political stability and growth
in Greek history for more than 1,000 years.
The total area of the
country is equal to 131,940 sq km (slightly smaller than Alabama); its
coastline has a total length of 13,676 km. The climate of Greece is temperate,
with generally mild winters, but with hot and dry summers. Mount Olympus,
the domicile of the Gods of the ancient Greek Pantheon is the highest mountain
of Greece, its peak reaching an altitude of 2,917 m.
The population of Greece
is 10,939,605 (2001 census), growing at a rate of 0.7% p.a. 98% of the
Greeks are Orthodox Christians, with Muslims being about 1.3% of the population.
In 1991, literacy rate for people above 15 years old was at 95%.
The government type
is of parliamentary republic. Greece is divided into 51 prefectures, while
there is also one autonomous region (Agion Oros). The capital of Greece
is Athens, a metropolis of 2,000,000, selected as host of the 2004 Olympic
Games (and also host of the 1896 Olympic Games).
Greece has a mixed
capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of
GDP. Tourism is a key industry, providing a large portion of GDP and foreign
exchange earnings. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about
4% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as
the government has tightened policy in the run-up to Greece's entry into
the EU's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2001. In particular,
Greece has cut its budget deficit to below 1% of GDP and tightened monetary
policy, with the result that inflation fell from 20% in 1990 to 3.1% in
2000. Major challenges remaining include the reduction of unemployment
and further restructuring of the economy, including the privatization of
some leading state enterprises. Growth, 3.8% in 2000, increased to 4.1%
in 2001, contrary to projections and the global trend, proving the robustness
of the country's economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $181.9 billion
(2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity
- $17,200 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture:
8.3%, industry: 27.3%, services: 64.4% (1998)
The currency of Greece is the euro (EUR, symbol €). The traditional currency of Greece, the drachma (GRD), in use since 1832, will cease to be legal tender in February 28, 2001. The exchange rate between the euro and the drachma is 340.750 drachmae per euro.
4 drachmae (Athens Mint, ca. 430 B.C.)
1 euro (Athens Mint, 2002)
Scientific Discovery of
Disputed Origin and Age:
Heracles receiving his first
PC from the godess Athena.
Note visor on helmet, connected
with optical fibre to the CPU.
From the Stamatios Koutsoukos
Collection, Washington, DC.