Greece
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Athens
- Population
- 10,424,536 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 131,957 sq km
- Government
- parliamentary republic
- Religions
- Greek Orthodox 81-90%, Muslim 2%, other 3%, none 4-15%, unspecified 1% (2015 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Greek 91.6%, Albanian 4.4%, other 4% (2011 est.)
- Currency
- euros (EUR)
- Life Expectancy
- 81.9 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .gr
- Climate
- temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
- Terrain
- mountainous with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
- Natural Resources
- lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
- Major Exports
- refined petroleum, packaged medicine, aluminum, olive oil, tobacco (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
Greece won independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830 and became a kingdom. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations.