Maps of World
Current, Credible, Consistent
Maps / Greece / Greece Facts

Greece Facts

Know Facts about World Countries

Quick Facts

Where is Greece?
infographic of Greece Facts

click to view full Infographic

Greece is located in the southeastern region of the European continent, on the far southern edge of the Balkan Peninsula.

What is the capital of Greece?

Athens is the capital city of Greece. It has a population of approximately 655,780. The Greek capital is also the largest city of the country, covering an area of 159 square miles. There are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Athens: the Acropolis of Athens and the Daphni Monastery.

How big is Greece?

Greece has a total area of 50,502 square miles. The country is well known for the thousands of islands. Mountains, forests and lakes that make up the mainland of the country.

What countries border Greece?

Greece is bordered by Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria on the north, Turkey and the Aegean Sea on the east, Ionian Sea on the west, and the Libyan Sea and the Mediterranean Sea on the south.

What are the administrative divisions of Greece? Greece comprises thirteen peripheries, which are subdivided into a total of 325 municipalities. They are: Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Central Macedonia, Western Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Western Greece, the Ionian Islands, Central Greece Attica, which includes Athens, Peloponnese Peninsula, Northern Aegean Islands, Southern Aegean Islands, and Crete.

Who are the political leaders of Greece?

Greece has a unitary parliamentary republic type of government.
President: Prokopis Pavlopoulos
Prime Minister: Giorgos Papandreou MP

What currency is used in Greece?

Euro is the official currency of Greece. It was adopted in 2002, replacing the initial currency Drachma.

What is the official language of Greece?

The official language of Greece is Greek. Macedonian is the largest minority language, spoken by 1.8% of the population. Albanian, Turkish, Arumanian and Bulgarian are some of the other languages spoken in the country. None of these minority languages is granted official status.

What is the religion of Greece?

The Greek Orthodox Church is the official religion practiced by the majority of the Greek population. Islam, Roman Catholicism, Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestantism are the minority religions.

What are the economic features of Greece?

The Greek economy is the twenty-seventh largest in the world by nominal gross domestic product. The per capita GDP is $27,716. Tourism is the most important industry of the country; about twenty million tourists visit Greece annually. It also has an important maritime industry, which is the largest in the world; it accounts for 4.5% of the GDP and employs about 160,000 people.

Greece is an agricultural country; almost twenty percent of the people are employed in this sector. Wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, tobacco, potatoes, beef, dairy products and wine are the major agricultural products. Food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products, mining and petroleum are the major industries employing twenty-one percent of the Greek population. Fifty-nine percent of the workforce is employed in the services sector. The country is rich in natural resources like petroleum, marble, hydropower, magnetite, lignite, bauxite and gold. Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, and the United States are the major trading partners.

What is the largest island in Greece?

Crete is the biggest island in Greece, covering an area of 3,219 square miles. It is followed by the island of Evvia or Euboia. Paros is the smallest island, with an area of 75 square miles.

What is the highest point in Greece?

Mytikas or Mitikas on Mount Olympus is the highest point in Greece. Located in the northeast of Greece in the region of Thessaly, the mountain is 2,919 meters high or approximately 9,577 feet. It is considered to be the legendary home of the Greek gods and goddesses.

What is the national sport of Greece?

Football is the national sport of Greece. Basketball is also popular in the country.

For further info please get in touch with
Bill Spicer Executive VP, MapXL
For US Queries
  (408) 637-0064   bill@mapxl.com