GREECE GEOGRAPHY Total area: 131,940 km2; land area: 130,800 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Alabama Land boundaries: 1,228 km total; Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Yugoslavia 246 km Coastline: 13,676 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation; Territorial sea: 6 nm Disputes: complex maritime and air (but not territorial) disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; Macedonia question with Bulgaria and Yugoslavia; Northern Epirus question with Albania Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of islands Natural resources: bauxite, lignite, magnesite, crude oil, marble Land use: arable land 23%; permanent crops 8%; meadows and pastures 40%; forest and woodland 20%; other 9%; includes irrigated 7% Environment: subject to severe earthquakes; air pollution; archipelago of 2,000 islands Note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits PEOPLE Population: 10,042,956 (July 1991), growth rate 0.2% (1991) Birth rate: 11 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 75 years male, 80 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Greek(s); adjective--Greek Ethnic divisions: Greek 98%, other 2%; note--the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece Religion: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% Language: Greek (official); English and French widely understood Literacy: 93% (male 98%, female 89%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 3,860,000; services 43%, agriculture 27%, manufacturing and mining 20%, construction 7% (1985) Organized labor: 10-15% of total labor force, 20-25% of urban labor force GOVERNMENT Long-form name: Hellenic Republic Type: presidential parliamentary government; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974 Capital: Athens Administrative divisions: 51 departments (nomoi, singular--nomos); Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Iraklion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkira, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos Independence: 1827 (from the Ottoman Empire) Constitution: 11 June 1975 Legal system: NA National holiday: Independence Day (proclamation of the war of independence), 25 March (1821) Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral Greek Chamber of Deputies (Vouli ton Ellinon) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State--President Constantinos KARAMANLIS (since 5 May 1990); Head of Government--Prime Minister Constantinos MITSOTAKIS (since 11 April 1990) Political parties and leaders: New Democracy (ND; conservative), Constantinos MITSOTAKIS; Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Andreas PAPANDREOU; Democratic Renewal (DIANA), Constantine STEFANOPOULOS; Communist Party (KKE), Aleka PAPARIGA; Greek Left Party (EAR), Leonidas KYRKOS; Ecologist-Alternative List, leader NA; note--KKE and EAR have joined in the Left Alliance, Maria DAMANAKI, president Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18 Elections: President--last held 4 May 1990 (next to be held May 1995); results--Constantinos KARAMANLIS was elected by Parliament; Parliament--last held on 8 April 1990 (next to be held April 1994); results--ND 46.89%, PASOK 38.62%, Left Alliance 10.27%, PASOK/Left Alliance 1.02%, Ecologist-Alternative List 0.77%, DIANA 0.67%, Muslim independents 0.5%; seats--(300 total) ND 150, PASOK 123, Left Alliance 19, PASOK-Left Alliance 4, Muslim independents 2, DIANA 1, Ecologist-Alternative List 1; note--one DIANA deputy joined ND in July, giving ND 151 seats; in November a special electoral court ruled in favor of ND on a contested seat, giving ND 152 seats and taking one from PASOK (now 122) Communists: an estimated 60,000 members and sympathizers Member of: BIS, 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, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Christos ZACHARAKIS; Chancery at 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 667-3168; there are Greek Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, and a Consulate in New Orleans; US--Ambassador Michael G. SOTIRHOS; Embassy at 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens (mailing address is APO New York 09255-0006); telephone 30 (1) 721-2951 or 721-8401; there is a US Consulate General in Thessaloniki Flag: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Christianity, the established religion of the country ECONOMY Overview: Greece has a mixed capitalistic economy with the basic entrepreneurial system overlaid in 1981-89 by a socialist government that enlarged the public sector from 55% of GDP in 1981 to about 70% when Prime Minister Mitsotakis took office. Mitsotakis inherited several severe economic problems from the preceding socialist and caretaker governments, which neglected the runaway budget deficit, a ballooning current account deficit, and accelerating inflation. With only a two-seat majority in the Chamber of Deputies, Mitsotakis has concentrated on cutting the public-sector payroll, cautiously expanding the tax base, and adopting guidelines for privatizing Greece's loss-ridden state-owned enterprises. Once the political situation is sorted out, Greece will have to face the challenges posed by the steadily increasing integration of the European Community, including the progressive lowering of trade and investment barriers. Tourism continues as a major industry, providing a vital offset to the sizable commodity trade deficit. GDP: $76.7 billion, per capita $7,650; real growth rate 0.9% (1990) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 19.0% (1990) Unemployment rate: 9.0% (1989) Budget: revenues $20.9 billion; expenditures $34.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990) Exports: $9.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels and lubricants, raw materials; partners--FRG 20%, Italy 17%, France 8%, UK 7%, US 6% Imports: $20.2 billion (c.i.f., 1990); commodities--machinery and transport equipment, light manufactures, fuels and lubricants, foodstuffs, chemicals; partners--FRG 21%, Italy 16%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, UK 6% External debt: $18.7 billion (1989) Industrial production: growth rate - 1.0% (1990 est.); accounts for 22% of GDP Electricity: 10,500,000 kW capacity; 36,420 million kWh produced, 3,630 kWh per capita (1989) Industries: food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, mining, petroleum Agriculture: including fishing and forestry, accounts for 13% of GNP and 27% of the labor force; principal products--wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes, beef, mutton, pork, dairy products; self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 135,000 metric tons in 1987 Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $525 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1.35 billion Currency: drachma (plural--drachmas); 1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta Exchange rates: drachma (Dr) per US$1--159.87 (January 1991), 158.51 (1990), 162.42 (1989), 141.86 (1988), 135.43 (1987), 139.98 (1986), 138.12 (1985) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Railroads: 2,479 km total; 1,565 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, of which 36 km electrified and 100 km double track, 892 km 1.000-meter gauge; 22 km 0.750-meter narrow gauge; all government owned Highways: 38,938 km total; 16,090 km paved, 13,676 km crushed stone and gravel, 5,632 km improved earth, 3,540 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 80 km; system consists of three coastal canals and three unconnected rivers Pipelines: crude oil, 26 km; refined products, 547 km Ports: Piraeus, Thessaloniki Merchant marine: 958 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,585,048 GRT/39,011,361 DWT; includes 13 passenger, 63 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 152 cargo, 21 container, 17 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 23 refrigerated cargo, 1 vehicle carrier, 185 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 15 chemical tanker, 10 liquefied gas, 25 combination ore/oil, 5 specialized tanker, 407 bulk, 19 combination bulk; note--ethnic Greeks also own large numbers of ships under the registry of Liberia, Panama, Cyprus, and Lebanon Civil air: 35 major transport aircraft Airports: 81 total, 79 usable; 60 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 20 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; 4,122,317 telephones; stations--30 AM, 17 (20 repeaters) FM, 39 (560 repeaters) TV; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), EUTELSAT, and MARISAT systems DEFENSE FORCES Branches: Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 2,434,762; 1,870,699 fit for military service; 72,707 reach military age (21) annually Defense expenditures: $3.7 billion, 5.5% of GDP (1990)