Greece

Greece. The country that gave birth to the society we know today is also a country full of developing miracles. After the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece showed the world in a grand manner the great things Greeks can achieve. Greece has beautiful beaches drewn from fairy tales, idillic villages full of enchantment and myths and someof if not the best sunset in the world. Words are not enough to describe this culture, discover by yourself what ancient gods and heroes begot in this dream land.

Area: 131.992 Km²
Population: 10.624.000 (2001 est.)
Density: 80 pop/Km²

System of government: Parliamentary republic
Capital: Athens (900.000 pop., 3.095.000 urban aggl.)
Major cities: Thessaloniki 430.000 pop. (987.000 urban aggl.), Peiraiefs 190.000 pop., Patrai 155.000 pop.
Ethnic majority: Greek 98,5%
Border countries: Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria NORTH, Turkey EAST

Principal mountains: Mount Olympus 2917 m
Principal rivers: Aliákmon 291 Km
Principal lakes: Limni Volvi 74 Km², Limni Vegorritis 68 Km², Limni Trihonida 59 Km²
Principal islands: Crete 8259 Km², Eubea 3654 Km², Lesvos 1630 Km², Rhodes 1398 Km², Chios 842 Km²
Climate: Mediterranean

Language: Greek (modern)
Religion: Greek Orthodox 97%
Currency: Euro (€)

Fixed public holidays: 1/1, 6/1, 25/3, 1/5, 15/8, 28/10, 25/12, 26/12
Dialling code: 0030
GMT: +2

World Heritage List:

• Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae (1986)
• Acropolis, Athens (1987)
• Archaeological Site of Delphi (1987)
• Archaeological Site of Epidaurus (1988)
• Medieval City of Rhodes (1988)
• Meteora (1988)
• Mount Athos (1988)
• Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika (1988)
• Archaeological Site of Olympia (1989)
• Mystras (1989)
• Delos (1990)
• Monasteries of Daphni, Hossios Luckas and Nea Moni of Chios (1990)
• Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos (1992)
• Archaeological Site of Vergina (1996)
• Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns (1999)
• Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint John "the Theologian" and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Pátmos (1999)