About greece
Where is Greece?
The official geographical coordinates of Greece (latitude and longitude) are 39 00 N, 22 00 E. Greece is considered part of southern Europe; It is also included as a Western European nation and part of the Baltic. It has served as a crossroads between many cultures for thousands of years.
Basic maps of Greece
You may also want to know how far Greece is from various countries, wars and conflicts.
How big is Greece?
Greece has a total area of 131,940 square kilometers or approximately 50,502 square miles. This includes 1,140 square kilometers of water and 130,800 square kilometers of land.
How long is the coast of Greece?
Including its island coasts, the coastline of Greece is officially given as 13,676 kilometers, which would be approximately 8,498 miles. Other sources claim that it is 15,147 kilometers or about 9,411 miles.
The 20 largest Greek islands
What is the population of Greece?
These statistics are from the General Secretariat of the National Statistical Service of Greece, where they have a LOT of other interesting statistics about Greece.
Demographic Census 2011: 9,904,286
Resident population 2011: 10,816,286 (down from 10,934,097 in 2001)
In 2008, there was a mid-year population estimate of 11,237,068. More official numbers from the 2011 census of Greece.
What is the flag of Greece?
The Greek flag is blue and white, with an equal-armed cross in the upper corner and nine alternating blue and white stripes.
Here is a picture of the Greek flag and information and lyrics of the Greek national anthem.
What is the average life expectancy in Greece?
The average Greek enjoys a long life expectancy; On most lists of countries with the longest life expectancy, Greece has 19 or 20 of the 190 countries counted. The islands of Ikaria and Crete have many active and very elderly residents; Crete was the island studied for the impact of the “Mediterranean Diet” which some believe is one of the healthiest in the world. A still high rate of smoking in Greece considerably reduces potential life expectancy.
Total population: 78.89 years
Male: 76.32 years
Female: 81.65 years (est. 2003)
What is the official name of Greece?
Conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
Conventional short form: Greece
Local short form: Ellas or Ellada
Local short form in Greek: Ελλάς or Ελλάδα.
Former Name: Kingdom of Greece
Local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia (also spelled Dimokratia)
What currency is used in Greece?
The euro has been the currency of Greece since 2002. Before that, it was the drachma.
What kind of government system is there in Greece?
The Greek government is a parliamentary republic. Under this system, the Prime Minister is the most powerful individual, with the President having the least direct power. See The Leaders of Greece.
The two largest political parties in Greece have been PASOK and New Democracy (ND). With the May and June 2012 elections, SYRIZA, also known as the Coalition of the Left, is now a strong runner-up to New Democracy, the party that won the June elections.
The far-right Golden Dawn party continues to win seats and is currently the third largest political party in Greece.
Is Greece part of the European Union? Greece joined the European Economic Community, the predecessor of the EU, in 1981. Greece became a member of the European Union in January 1999, and met the requirements to become a member of the European Monetary Union, using the euro as currency, in 2001 The euro entered into circulation in Greece in 2002, replacing the drachma.
How many Greek islands are there?
Counts vary. There are about 140 inhabited islands in Greece, but if you count each rocky outcrop, the total increases to about 3,000.
What is the largest Greek island?
The largest Greek island is Crete, followed by the lesser known island of Evvia or Euboia. Here is a list of the 20 largest islands in Greece with their sizes in square kilometers.
What are the regions of Greece?
Greece has thirteen official administrative divisions. They are:
- East Macedonia and Thrace
- Central macedonia
- Western macedonia
- Epirus
- Thessaly
- Western greece
- The ionian islands
- Central greece
- Attica, which includes Athens
- The Peloponnese peninsula
- The North Aegean islands
- The southern Aegean islands
- Crete
However, these do not exactly correspond to the areas and groupings that travelers will encounter as they move through Greece. Other Greek island groups include the Dodecanese Islands, the Cyclades Islands, and the Sporades Islands.
What is the highest point in Greece?
The highest point in Greece is Mount Olympus at 2917 meters, 9570 feet. It is the legendary home of Zeus and the other Olympian gods and goddesses. The highest point on a Greek island is Mount Ida or Psiloritis on the Greek island of Crete, at 2456 meters, 8058 feet.
Greece Pictures
Photo galleries of Greece and the Greek islands
Plan your own trip to Greece
Book your own Athens day trips
Book your own short trips around Greece and the Greek islands
