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NAVIGATION
Hellenic Republic
Elliniki Dhimokratia
former: Kingdom of Greece
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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). |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey |
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Geographic coordinates:
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39 00 N, 22 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 131,940 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km land: 130,800 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Alabama |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,228 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 246 km |
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Coastline:
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13,676 km |
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 6 NM |
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Climate:
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temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential |
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Land use:
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arable land: 22.12%
permanent crops: 8.47% other: 69.41% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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14,220 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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severe earthquakes |
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Environment - current issues:
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air pollution; water pollution |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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10,645,343 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 14.8% (male 814,605; female 765,613)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 3,579,945; female 3,564,068) 65 years and over: 18.1% (male 851,087; female 1,070,025) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.2% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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9.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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6.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 78.74 years
female: 81.48 years (2002 est.) male: 76.17 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.34 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.16% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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8,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek |
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Ethnic groups:
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Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece |
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Religions:
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Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% |
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Languages:
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Greek 99% (official), English, French |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 98.5% female: 96% (1999) |