Greece

Physical and Outline maps of Greece

The Europe Map of Greece

Greece FLAG

Greece – Quick facts National Name Hellenic Republic - Ellīnikī́ Dīmokratía

Greece – Quick facts Population More than 11 million people.

Greece – Quick facts Capital Athens is the capital city of Greece. Athens is also the largest city of Greece.

Greece – Quick facts National Animal – Dolphin National Flower – Laurel branch National Anthem - The Greek Anthem (Ode to Freedom) is based on the "Hymn to the Freedom", a lengthy poem written by Dionysios Solomos. Dionysios Solomos was a distinguished poet from Zakynthos Island

Greece – Quick facts Greece Time Zones Greece time zones Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+03:00) Eastern European Time Zone (UTC+02:00)

Greece – Quick facts Current Monetary Unit - Euro

Greece – Quick facts Former Monetary Unit - Greek drachma

Greece – Quick facts National Language: Greek

Greece – Quick facts Religions Orthodoxy - 98%, Islam- 1.3%, Unaffiliated or other – 0.7%

The State Map of Greece

Greece - States The country consists of nine geographic regions: Macedonia, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, the Aegean Islands (including the Dodecanese and Cyclades), Thrace, Crete, and the Ionian Islands. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin and the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km (8,498 mi) in length.

Landforms in Greece

Greece is strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. It also shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north and Turkey to the northeast. Eighty percent of Greece consists of mountains, of which Mount Olympus is the highest, at 2,917 m (9,570 ft).

Neighbors of Greece Greece lies in the center of Europe and shares borders with these countries: (Clockwise from the top/north) 1. Albania 2. Macedonia 3. Bulgaria 4. Turkey

Highest Mountains in Greece

Mountain Ranges Greece is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. Its 13,676 km toothy-edged shoreline is deeply indented by dozens of gulfs. The western half of the country is dominated by the steep peaks of the Pindus mountains, a range of the Dinaric Alps that stretch south from Albania and Macedonia. Typical elevations here exceed 2,500 meters, and those mountains are punctuated by numerous lakes, rivers and wetlands. The highest Greek mountain is Mount Olympus, rising to 2,918 meters (9,570 ft). To its immediate southwest stand the massive Meteora rock formations; gigantic pillars of stones worn smooth by wind and water over thousands of years. In the far-north along its border with Bulgaria, the heavily-forested Southern Rhodope Mountain range spreads across the land. Greece is home to a series of ancient volcanoes, including those on the islands of Kos, Methana, Milos, Nisyros, Poros and Santorini. None are currently erupting, and the last recorded significant eruptions occurred on the island of Nisyros in 1887/1888, and on the island of Santorini in EuropeAlbaniaMacedoniaBulgariaSantorini

Mountain Ranges The highest peak of Mount Olympus is Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,919 metres (9,570 ft). It is one of the highest peaks in Europe in terms of topographic prominence.

Rivers Aliakmonas Acheloos Pineiós Maritsa

Rivers

Haliacmon, often referred to as Aliákmon or Aliákmonas is the longest river of Greece and runs a 200 mile course through the country. Rising in the Pindus Mountains in the Greco - Albanian border, the river flows south east through the prefectures of Kastoria, Grevena, Kozani, Imathia, and Pieria before draining into the Thermaic Gulf. The river forms and feeds Lake Kastoria. The Achelous is another major river that flows through Greece. The Achelous is also called the Thoas or the Thestios. With its origin in the ancient region of Acarnania, the river drains into the Ioonian Sea after running a course of about 134 miles. The 134 mile long River Pineios originates in the Pindus Mountains and drains into the Aegean Sea near Syomio. The Pineios valley is a rich and fertile region and many important cities such as Larissa, Kalabaka and Trikala lie on the banks of the Pineios and its tributary, the Lithaios.

Rivers The Eurotas, also called the Evrotas, flows mainly through the Laconia prefecture and is one of the most important rivers of the Peloponnese. The Eurotas is fed by the springs in Laconia, Arcadia, and Pellana. The river runs about 51 miles through Greece and drains into the Laconian Gulf. The Nestos rises in the Rila Mountains of Bulgaria and enters Greece. Nestos is considered the natural boundary between Thrace and Greek Macedonia. In all the Nestos is about 142 miles long and empties its waters into the Aegean Sea near Thasos. The Dospat River forms its longest tributary. The Struma River, also known as the Strymon, has its source in the Vitosha Mountain in Bulgaria. The Struma feeds the Lake Kerkini in Greece. The river then flows through Greece into the Aegean Sea at the Strymonian Gulf in Serres prefecture.

Greece Borders Natural borders of Greece: west by the Ionian Sea; to the south by the Mediterranean Sea to the east by the Aegean Sea

Olympia Remnants of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. The ancient grounds of the original Olympic Games, Olympia stands on a plain in Peloponnese, near the Ionian Sea. The site is dedicated to Zeus, the father of the Greek gods.

Parthenon The Parthenon is a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron.

Important Monuments Theatre of ancient Greece

The Temple of Hephaestus in Athens.

Financial crisis (2010–2014) Greek public debt 1999–2010 compared with Eurozone average By the end of 2009, as a result of a combination of international and local factors the Greek economy faced its most-severe crisis since the restoration of democracy in 1974 as the Greek government revised its deficit from an estimated 6% to 12.7% of gross domestic product (GDP). In early 2010, it was revealed that through the assistance of Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and numerous other banks, financial products were developed which enabled the governments of Greece, Italy and many other European countries to hide their borrowing. According to Der Spiegel credits given to European governments were disguised as "swaps" and consequently did not get registered as debt. As Eurostat at the time ignored statistics involving financial derivatives. In May 2010, the Greek government deficit was again revised and estimated to be 13.6% which was the second highest in the world relative to GDP with Iceland in first place at 15.7% and the United Kingdom third with 12.6%.[139] Public debt was forecast, according to some estimates, to hit 120% of GDP during As a consequence, there was a crisis in international confidence in Greece's ability to repay its sovereign debt. To avert such a default, in May 2010 the other Eurozone countries, and the IMF, agreed to a rescue package which involved giving Greece an immediate €45 billion in loans, with more funds to follow, totaling €110 billion. To secure the funding, Greece was required to adopt harsh austerity measures to bring its deficit under control.

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