Greece

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Greece won independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830 and became a kingdom. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and other anti-communist and communist rebels. The communists were defeated in 1949, and Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a military coup forced the king to flee the country. The ensuing military dictatorship collapsed in 1974, and Greece abolished the monarchy to become a parliamentary republic. <br><br>In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. From 2009 until 2019, Greece suffered a severe economic crisis due to nearly a decade of chronic overspending and structural rigidities. Beginning in 2010, Greece entered three bailout agreements -- the first two with the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the IMF; and the third in 2015 with the European Stability Mechanism -- worth in total about $300 billion. The Greek Government formally exited the third bailout in 2018, and Greece's economy has since improved significantly. In 2022, the country finalized its early repayment to the IMF and graduated on schedule from the EU's enhanced surveillance framework.

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Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

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39 00 N, 22 00 E

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Europe

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slightly smaller than Alabama

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13,676 km

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temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

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

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<strong>note:</strong> Mount Olympus actually has 52 peaks but its highest point, Mytikas (meaning "nose"), rises to 2,917 meters; in Greek mythology, Olympus' Mytikas peak was the home of the Greek gods

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lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

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12,191 sq km (2021)

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one third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters

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severe earthquakes <br><br><strong>volcanism:</strong> Santorini (367 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are also classified as historically active

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

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Greek 91.6%, Albanian 4.4%, other 4% (2011 est.)

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<strong>note:</strong> data represent citizenship; Greece does not collect data on ethnicity

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Greek Orthodox 81-90%, Muslim 2%, other 3%, none 4-15%, unspecified 1% (2015 est.)

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-0.35% (2025 est.)

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7.38 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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11.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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one third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters

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3.154 million ATHENS (capital), 815,000 Thessaloniki (2023)

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30.7 years (2020 est.)

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5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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1.42 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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0.69 (2025 est.)

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6.58 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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4.2 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

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24.9% (2016)

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52.4% (2023 est.)

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air pollution; air emissions from transport and electricity power stations; water pollution; degradation of coastal zones; loss of biodiversity; municipal and industrial waste disposal

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temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

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14.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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68 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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parliamentary republic

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13 regions (<em>perifereies</em>, singular - <em>perifereia</em>) and 1 autonomous monastic state* (<em>aftonomi monastiki politeia</em>); Agion Oros* (Mount Athos), Anatoliki Makedonia kai Thraki (East Macedonia and Thrace), Attiki (Attica), Dytiki Ellada (West Greece), Dytiki Makedonia (West Macedonia), Ionia Nisia (Ionian Islands), Ipeiros (Epirus), Kentriki Makedonia (Central Macedonia), Kriti (Crete), Notio Aigaio (South Aegean), Peloponnisos (Peloponnese), Sterea Ellada (Central Greece), Thessalia (Thessaly), Voreio Aigaio (North Aegean)

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civil legal system based on Roman law

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accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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17 years of age; universal and compulsory

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<strong>note:</strong> only parties surpassing a 3% vote threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; parties need 10 seats to become formal parliamentary groups but can retain that status if the party participated in the last election and received the minimum 3% threshold

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Coalition of the Radical Left-Progressive Alliance or SYRIZA-PS <br>Communist Party of Greece or KKE <br>Course of Freedom<br>Democratic Patriotic Movement-Victory or NIKI<br>Greek Solution<br>New Democracy or ND<br>PASOK - Movement for Change or PASOK-KINAL<br>Spartans

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Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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3 February 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire)

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<strong>note:</strong> the national revolt against the Ottomans began on 25 March 1821; the London Protocol recognizing Greek independence was signed on 3 February 1830 by Great Britain, France, and Russia

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Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

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<strong>description:</strong> nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; a blue square with a white cross is in the upper-left corner<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion; there is no set meaning for the stripes and colors

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<strong>note:</strong> Greek legislation states that the flag colors are cyan and white, but cyan can mean "blue" in Greek, so the exact shade of blue has never been set and has varied from a light to a dark blue over time; the blue is now usually an azure

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Greek cross (white cross on a blue field)

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blue, white

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the coat of arms was designed by Greek artist Kostas Grammatopoulos and has been in use since 1975; depicted in the national colors of blue and white; the white cross represents the country&rsquo;s primary religion, Greek Orthodoxy, and the laurel branches symbolize victory

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<p>high-income EU and eurozone economy; growth above euro average, supported by private consumption and EU fund investments; structural reforms strengthening public finances and enhancing resilience within banking system; declining unemployment but low labor productivity and skill shortages</p>

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$257.145 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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maize, wheat, sheep milk, oranges, tomatoes, milk, peaches/nectarines, grapes, watermelons, barley (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum

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6.1% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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4.655 million (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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18.8% (2021 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP

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26.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

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<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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Italy 12%, Germany 6%, Cyprus 6%, Bulgaria 4%, USA 4% (2023)

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<strong>note:</strong> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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refined petroleum, packaged medicine, aluminum, olive oil, tobacco (2023)

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<strong>note:</strong> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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Germany 10%, China 10%, Italy 8%, Iraq 7%, Netherlands 6% (2023)

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<strong>note:</strong> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, packaged medicine (2023)

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<strong>note:</strong> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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broadcast media dominated by the private sector; roughly 150 private TV channels, about 10 of which broadcast nationwide; 1 state-owned terrestrial TV channel with national coverage; 3 privately owned satellite channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV services available; over 1,500 radio stations, all privately owned; state-owned broadcaster has 2 national radio stations

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.gr

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SX

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82 (2025)

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59 (2025)

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Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF; Ellinikes Enoples Dynamis, EED): Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES; includes National Guard), Hellenic Navy (Elliniko Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia, EPA; includes air defense) (2025)

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<strong>note 1:</strong> the police (under the Ministry of Citizen Protection) and the armed forces (Ministry of National Defense) share law enforcement duties in certain border areas; the Greek Coast Guard is under the Ministry of Shipping Affairs and Island Policy<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> the National Guard was established in 1982 as an official part of the Army to help protect Greece and provide reinforcements and support to the Army in peacetime and in times of mobilization and war

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approximately 112,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

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the military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and imported armaments from Europe and the US; in recent years, France, Germany, the UK, and the US have been major suppliers of weapons systems; Greece's defense industry is capable of producing a range of military hardware, including naval vessels and associated subsystems (2025)

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<strong>note:</strong> Greece is in the midst of a military modernization program which includes acquisitions of fighter aircraft and naval ships from France and armored vehicles and tanks from Germany; it has also boosted purchases of US equipment, including fighter aircraft upgrades, helicopters, and naval patrol craft

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18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; all Greek men 19-45 are subject to compulsory military service; 12-month obligation for all services (note - as an exception, the duration of the full military service is 9 instead of 12 months if conscripts, after the initial training, serve the entire remaining time in certain areas of the eastern borders, in Cyprus, or in certain military units)  (2026)

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<strong>note 1: </strong>in July 2025, the Greek Government unveiled several defense reforms which went into effect on 1 January 2026, including abolishing mandatory military service for the Air Force and Navy, with exceptions only for specialized roles such as aircraft engineers and ship captains; all conscripts are to be classified exclusively into the Army; ground forces will also take over facility security duties previously managed by the other branches<strong><br></strong><br><strong>note 2: </strong>as of 2025, women comprised about 17% of the military's full-time personnel

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approximately 1,000 Cyprus; 120 Kosovo (NATO); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)

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<strong>note: </strong>Greece also has air and naval units deployed in support of NATO missions

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the Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF) are responsible for protecting Greece’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; the HAF also maintains a presence on Cyprus (the Hellenic Force in Cyprus or ELDYK) to assist and support the Cypriot National Guard; as a member of the EU, NATO, and other international organizations, the HAF participates in multinational peacekeeping and other security missions abroad, taking a particular interest in missions occurring in the near regions, such as the Balkans, the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, the Middle East, and North Africa; areas of focus for the HAF include instability in the Balkans, territorial disputes with Turkey, and support to European security through the EU and NATO<br><br>Greece’s NATO membership is a key component of its security; it became a NATO member in 1952 and occupies a strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean on NATO’s southern flank; Greece is host to several NATO facilities, including the Deployable Corps Greece (NDC-GR) headquarters in Thessaloniki, the Combined Air Operations Center in Larissa, the Multinational Peace Support Operations Training Center in Kilkis, the Multinational Sealift Coordination Center in Athens, and the Naval Base, Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre, and NATO Missile Firing Installation at Souda, Crete (2025)

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Hellenic Space Center (HSC; aka Hellenic Space Agency; established 2018) (2025)

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focuses on building and operating satellites for communications and remote sensing (RS); researches and develops space-related technologies in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, defense, environmental studies, RS, and telecommunications; contributes to and participates in ESA capabilities and programs; also participates in EU space programs and cooperates bilaterally with European and US space agencies and commercial space sectors; has a commercial space sector that researches, develops, and produces a variety of space technologies and capabilities (2025)

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1994 - signed first cooperation agreement with the ESA<br><br>2005 - first satellite (Hellas-Sat) for a domestic telecommunications satellite network launched by US; joined ESA (became member state in 2011)<br><br>2017 - first domestically manufactured communications satellite (UPSat) released from International Space Station<br><br>2019 - began participating in ESA’s quantum communications infrastructure (EuroQCI or “fiber in the sky”) and the US Gateway Lunar orbital/landing programs<br><br>2021 - launched ESA-assisted national program to develop, manufacture, launch, and operate small satellites <br><br>2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and Moon exploration<br><br>2025 - launched demonstrator/experimental RS cube satellite (DUTHSat-2) under ESA-assisted national small satellite program

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Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Revolutionary Struggle (RS); Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C)

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<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide