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NAVIGATION
Hellenic Republic
Elliniki Dhimokratia
former: Kingdom of Greece
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia |
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Government type:
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parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974 |
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Capital:
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Athens |
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Administrative divisions:
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51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos |
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Independence:
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1829 (from the Ottoman Empire) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 25 March (1821) |
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Constitution:
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11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001 |
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Legal system:
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based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA February 2005); prime minister appointed by the president head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA April 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%, KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party - PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6; note - seats by party as of January 2002 - PASOK 156, ND 122, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6, independents 5 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryious SAVVAIDES
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. MILLER
embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 101 60 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 725-3025 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki |
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Flag description:
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nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $201.1 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.5% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 9%
industry: 22% services: 70% (2000) (2000) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25% (1993 est.) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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33 (1993) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.6% (2002) |
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Labor force:
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4.32 million (1999 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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industry 21%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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10.3% (2002 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $45 billion
expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
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Industries:
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tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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7% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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49.581 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 92%
hydro: 7% other: 2% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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46.099 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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1.74 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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1.729 billion kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products |
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Exports:
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$12.6 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
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Exports - commodities:
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food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles |
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Exports - partners:
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EU 51.6% (Germany 15.9%, Italy 13.5%, UK 6.4%), US 5.7% (1999) |
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Imports:
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$31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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EU 66.2% (Italy 15.6%, Germany 15%, France 9.2%, Netherlands 6.4%) (1999) |
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Debt - external:
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$63.4 billion (2002 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.) |
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Currency:
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euro (EUR); drachma (GRD)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries |
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Currency code:
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EUR; GRD |
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Exchange rates:
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euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001); drachmae per US dollar - 380.21 (December 2000), 365.40 (2000), 305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997)
note: in January 2001, the drachma became a participating currency within the Eurosystem, and the euro market rate became applicable to all transactions |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |