Part 86
geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*; Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mount Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chania, 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, Lefkada, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethymnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serres, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos
Independence:
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
Constitution:
11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001
Legal system:
based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Georgios Andreas PAPANDREOU (since 6 October 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 February 2010 (next to be held by February 2015); president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government
election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS reelected president; number of parliamentary votes, 266 out of 300
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 4 October 2009 (next to be held by 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.9%, ND 33.5%, KKE 7.5%, LAOS 5.6%, SYRIZA 4.6%, other 4.9%; seats by party - PASOK 160, ND 91, KKE 21, LAOS 15, SYRIZA 13; note - seats by party as of 15 December 2010 - PASOK 156, ND 86, KKE 21 LAOS 15, SYRIZA 9, DISY 5, Democratic Left 4, independents 4 (DISY and Democratic Left entered parliament as members of ND and SYRIZA, respectively, and the independents entered parliament as members of PASOK); only parties supassing a 3% 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
Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges are appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council
Political parties and leaders:
Anticapitalist Left Cooperation for the Overthrow or ANTARSYA [Petros KONSTANTINOU]; Coalition of the Radical Left or SYRIZA [Alexis TSIPRAS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; Democratic Left [Fotis KOUVELIS]; Democratic Alliance or DISY [Theodora BAKOGIANNI]; Ecologist Greens [Nikos CHRYSOGELOS]; Golden Dawn [Nikolaos MICHALOLIAKOS]; New Democracy or ND [Antonis SAMARAS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Georgios PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally or LAOS [Georgios KARATZAFERIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Dimitris DASKALOPOULOS]; General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Ioannis PANAGOPOULOS]
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Vassilis KASKARELIS
chancery: 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel Bennett SMITH
embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens
mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951
FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282
consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
Flag description:
nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; a blue square bearing a white cross appears in the upper hoist-side corner; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country; there is no agreed upon meaning for the nine stripes or for the colors; the exact shade of blue has never been set by law and has varied from a light to a dark blue over time
National anthem:
name: "Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Liberty)
lyrics/music: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS
note: adopted 1864; the anthem is based on a 158 verse poem by the same name, which was inspired by the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Ottomans; Cyprus also uses "Hymn to Liberty" as its anthem
Economy ::Greece
Economy - overview:
Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP about two-thirds that of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between 2003 and 2007, due partly to infrastructural spending related to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and in part to an increased availability of credit, which has sustained record levels of consumer spending. But the economy went into recession in 2009 as a result of the world financial crisis, tightening credit conditions, and Athens' failure to address a growing budget deficit, which was triggered by falling state revenues, and increased government expenditures. The economy contracted by 2% in 2009, and 4.8% in 2010. Greece violated the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criterion of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criterion in 2007-08, before exceeding it again in 2009, with the deficit reaching 15.4% of GDP. Austerity measures reduced the deficit to 9.4% of GDP in 2010. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average while per capita income is below; unemployment rose to 12% in 2010. Eroding public finances, a credibility gap stemming from inaccurate and misreported statistics, and consistent underperformance on following through with reforms prompted major credit rating agencies in late 2009 to downgrade Greece's international debt rating, and has led the country into a financial crisis. Under intense pressure by the EU and international market participants, the government has adopted a medium-term austerity program that includes cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, decreasing tax evasion, reforming the health care and pension systems, and improving competitiveness through structural reforms to the labor and product markets. Athens, however, faces long-term challenges to push through unpopular reforms in the face of often vocal opposition from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public. Greek labor unions are striking over new austerity measures, but the strikes so far have had a limited impact on the government's will to adopt reforms. An uptick in widespread unrest, however, could challenge the government's ability to implement reforms and meet budget targets, and could also lead to rioting or violence. In April 2010 a leading credit agency assigned Greek debt its lowest possible credit rating; in May, the International Monetary Fund and Eurozone governments provided Greece emergency short- and medium-term loans worth $147 billion so that the country could make debt repayments to creditors. In exchange for the largest bailout ever assembled, the government announced combined spending cuts and tax increases totaling $40 billion over three years, on top of the tough austerity measures already taken. Greece, however, struggled to boost revenues and cut spending to meet 2010 targets set by the EU and the IMF, especially after Eurostat - the EU's statistical office - revised upward Greece's deficit and debt numbers for 2009 and 2010. Greece's lenders are calling on Athens to step up efforts in 2011 to increase tax collection, shore up public enterprises, and rein in health spending, and are planning to give Greece more time to repay its EU-IMF loan. Greece responded by introducing major structural reforms, but investors still question whether Greece can sustain fiscal efforts in the face of a bleak economic outlook and public discontent.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$321.7 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $337.9 billion (2009 est.)
$344.8 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$302 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-4.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 211 -2% (2009 est.)
2% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$30,200 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $31,500 (2009 est.)
$32,200 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 17.6%
services: 78.5% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
5.05 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 12.4%
industry: 22.4%
services: 65.1% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
12% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 9.4% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
20% (2009 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 26% (2000 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33 (2005) country comparison to the world: 96 35.4 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
14.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Public debt:
144% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 126.8% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 1.2% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
1.75% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 117 3% (31 December 2008)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.59% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 8.65% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$152.8 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 22 $172.8 billion (31 December 2009 est)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
Stock of broad money:
$335.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $368.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$419.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $394.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$54.72 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 37 $90.4 billion (31 December 2008)
$264.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries:
tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Electricity - production:
58.79 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Electricity - consumption:
58.28 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Electricity - exports:
1.962 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
7.575 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
6,779 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
Oil - consumption:
414,400 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Oil - exports:
153,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Oil - imports:
520,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Oil - proved reserves:
10 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Natural gas - production:
9 million cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Natural gas - consumption:
3.528 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Natural gas - imports:
3.556 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36
Natural gas - proved reserves:
991.1 million cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 99
Current account balance:
-$17.1 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 -$34.43 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$21.14 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $21.34 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
Exports - partners:
Germany 11.11%, Italy 11.05%, Cyprus 7.28%, Bulgaria 6.74%, US 4.95%, UK 4.4%, Turkey 4.23% (2009)
Imports:
$44.9 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $64.2 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Germany 13.73%, Italy 12.71%, China 7.08%, France 6.1%, Netherlands 6.02%, South Korea 5.68%, Belgium 4.34%, Spain 4.08% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
$5.546 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$532.9 billion (30 June 2010) country comparison to the world: 19 $504.6 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$48.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $44.93 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$38.66 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $40.45 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)
Communications ::Greece
Telephones - main lines in use:
5.93 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 29
Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.295 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 54
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: country code - 30; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; a number of smaller submarine cables provide connectivity to various parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Cyprus; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat - Indian Ocean region)
Broadcast media:
broadcast media dominated by the private sector; roughly 150 private TV channels, about a dozen of the private channels broadcast at the national or regional level; 3 publicly-owned terrestrial TV channels with national coverage, 1 publicly-owned satellite channel, and 3 stations designed for digital terrestrial transmissions; multi-channel satellite and cable TV services obtainable; upwards of 1,500 radio stations broadcasting, nearly all of them privately-owned; state-run broadcaster has 7 national stations, 2 international stations, and 19 regional stations (2007)
Internet country code:
.gr
Internet hosts:
2.574 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 31
Internet users:
4.971 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 46
Transportation ::Greece
Airports:
81 (2010) country comparison to the world: 68
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 67
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 14
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 9 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 12 (2010)
Heliports:
9 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 1,197 km; oil 75 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 2,548 km country comparison to the world: 66 standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 117,533 km country comparison to the world: 38 paved: 107,895 km (includes 880 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,638 km (2005)
Waterways:
6 km country comparison to the world: 108 note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2010)
Merchant marine:
total: 886 country comparison to the world: 12 by type: bulk carrier 263, cargo 53, carrier 1, chemical tanker 72, container 34, liquefied gas 13, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 116, petroleum tanker 312, roll on/roll off 13, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 62 (Belgium 16, Bermuda 3, Cyprus 4, Italy 5, UK 27, US 7)
registered in other countries: 2,391 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Bahamas 209, Barbados 14, Belize 2, Bermuda 2, Brazil 1, Cambodia 2, Cayman Islands 11, Comoros 3, Cyprus 216, Denmark 1, Dominica 9, Egypt 8, Georgia 3, Germany 1, Gibraltar 7, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 22, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 57, Italy 8, Jamaica 8, Liberia 454, Malta 458, Marshall Islands 358, Mexico 1, Moldova 4, Panama 402, Philippines 4, Portugal 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 63, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 4, Singapore 19, Slovakia 1, Togo 1, UAE 3, UK 1, Uruguay 1, Vanuatu 4, Venezuela 4, unknown 8) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Agioi Theodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki
Military ::Greece
Military branches:
Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 1 year for all services; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,502,268
females age 16-49: 2,486,171 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,050,018
females age 16-49: 2,033,450 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 53,222
female: 49,828 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Transnational Issues ::Greece
Disputes - international:
Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia; the mass migration of unemployed Albanians still remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and Italy
Illicit drugs:
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; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime
page last updated on January 12, 2011
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@Greenland (North America)
Introduction ::Greenland
Background:
Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland voted in favor of increased self-rule in November 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs in June 2009. Denmark, however, continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs, security, and financial policy in consultation with Greenland's Home Rule Government.
Geography ::Greenland
Location:
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Geographic coordinates:
72 00 N, 40 00 W
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 2,166,086 sq km country comparison to the world: 13 land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered)
Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
44,087 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
Climate:
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Terrain:
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn Fjeld 3,700 m
Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
Environment - current issues:
protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting
Geography - note:
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap
People ::Greenland
Population:
57,637 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 6,727/female 6,533)
15-64 years: 70.1% (male 21,696/female 18,669)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 2,000/female 1,975) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 33.5 years
male: 34.9 years
female: 31.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.064% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Birth rate:
14.68 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Death rate:
8.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
Net migration rate:
-5.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Urbanization:
urban population: 84% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.053 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate: