Statistical information Greece 1993

Greece in the World
top of pageBackground: 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 had suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country was itself overthrown seven years later. Democratic elections in 1974 abolished the monarchy and created a parliamentary republic; Greece joined the EU in 1981.
top of pageLocation: Southern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and Bulgaria
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Africa, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: land: 130,800 km²
Land boundaries: total 1,210 km, Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 228 km
Coastline: 13,676 km
Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 6 nm, but Greece has threatened to claim 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
ElevationNatural resources: bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble
Land useArable land: 23%
Permanent crops: 8%
Meadows and pastures: 40%
Forest and woodland: 20%
Other: 9%
Irrigated land: 11,900 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 10,470,460 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 0.95% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Greek(s)
Adjective: Greek
Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2%
Languages: Greek (official), English, French
Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.95% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 10.42 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 9.36 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.46 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to severe earthquakes; air pollution
Current issues note:strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to
Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 8.9 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthMale: 75.02 years
Female: 80.12 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.44 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 93%
Male: 98%
Female: 89%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Hellenic Republic
Conventional short form: Greece
Local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
Local short form: Ellas
Former: Kingdom of Greece
Government type: presidential parliamentary government; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974
Capital: Athens
Administrative divisions:
52 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos);
Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos,
Dhrama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia,
Imathia, Ioannina, Iraklion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkira,
Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia,
Voiotia Xanthi Zakinthos autonomous region: Agion Oros (Mt. Athos)
Dependent areasIndependence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821) (proclamation of the war of independence)
Constitution: 11 June 1975
Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Greek Chamber of Deputies (Vouli ton Ellinon)
Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court, Special Supreme Tribunal
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
Australian Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD,
EC, ECE, EIB, FAO, G-6, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS,
MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO, ZC
Chief of mission: Ambassador Christos ZACHARAKIS
Chancery: 2,221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
Telephone: (202) 939-5,800
Fax: (202) 939-5,824
Consulates general:Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
Consulate: New Orleans
Diplomatic representationFrom the us chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James A. WILLIAMS
From the us embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10,160 Athens
From the us mailing address: PSC 108, Box 56, APO AE 9,842
From the us telephone: 30 (1) 721-2,951 or 721-8,401
From the us fax: 30 (1) 645-6,282
From the us consulate general: Thessaloniki
Flag description
: 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the basic entrepreneurial system overlaid in 1981-89 by a socialist system that enlarged the public sector from 55% of GDP in 1981 to about 70% when Prime Minister MITSOTAKIS took office. Tourism continues as a major source of foreign exchange, and agriculture is self-sufficient except for meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs. Since 1986, real GDP growth has averaged only 1.6% a year, compared with the Europen Community average of 3%. The MITSOTAKIS government has made little progress during its two and one-half years in power in coming to grips with Greece's main economic problems: an inflation rate still four times the EC average, a large public sector deficit, and a fragile current account position. In early 1991, the government secured a three-year,$2.5 billion assistance package from the EC under the strictest terms yet imposed on a member country, as the EC finally ran out of patience with Greece's failure to put its financial affairs in order. On the advice of the EC Commission, Greece delayed applying for the second installment until 1993 because of the failure of the government to meet the 1992 targets. Although MITSOTAKIS faced down the unions in mid-1992 in a dispute over privatization plans, social security reform, and tax and price increases, and his new economics czar, Stephanos MANOS, is a respected economist committed to renovating the ailing economy. However, a national elections due by May 1994 will probably prompt MITSOTAKIS to backtrack on economic reform. In 1993, the GDP growth rate likely will remain low; the inflation rate probably will continue to fall, while remaining the highest in the EC.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capita: $8,200 (1992)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: including fishing and forestry, accounts for 15% of GDP and 27% of the labor force; principal products - wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; self-sufficient in food except meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs; fish catch of 116,600 metric tons in 1988
Industries: food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, mining, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate -1.0% (1991; accounts for 20% of GDP
Labor force: 3,966,900
By occupation services: 45%
By occupation agriculture: 27%
By occupation industry: 28% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 9.1% (1992)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $37.6 billion; expenditures $45.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.4 billion (1993)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $6.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: manufactured goods 53%, foodstuffs 31%, fuels 9%
Partners: Germany 24%, France 18%, Italy 17%, UK 7%, US 6%
Imports: $21.5 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
Commodoties: manufactured goods 71%, foodstuffs 14%, fuels 10%
Partners: Germany 20%, Italy 14%, France 8%, UK 5%, US 4%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: drachma (Dr) per US$1 - 215.82 (January 1993), 190.62 (1992), 182.27 (1991), 158.51 (1990), 162.42 (1989), 141.86 (1988)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 10,500,000 kW capacity; 36,400 million kWh produced, 3,610 kWh per capita (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $4.2 billion, 5.1% of GDP (1992)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 78
Usable: 77
With permanentsurface runways: 63
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 20
With runways 1220-2439 m: 24
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 80 km; system consists of three coastal canals; including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Piraievs (Piraeus) by 325 km; and three unconnected rivers
Merchant marine:
998 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 25,483,768
GRT/47,047,285 DWT; includes 14 passenger, 66 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 128 cargo, 26 container, 15 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 14 refrigerated cargo, 1 vehicle carrier, 214 oil tanker, 19 chemical tanker, 7 liquefied gas, 42 combination ore/oil, 3 specialized tanker, 424 bulk, 22 combination bulk, 1 livestock carrier; note - ethnic Greeks also own large numbers of ships under the registry of Liberia, Panama, Cyprus, Malta, and The
Bahamas
Ports and terminalsGreece - Transnational issues 1993
top of pageDisputes international: air, continental shelf, and territorial water disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; northern Epirus question with Albania; Macedonia question with Bulgaria and Macedonia
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and limited opium; mostly for domestic production; serves as a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route