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Greece

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Background:
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Greece achieved
independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. 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. In World War II, Greece was first
invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany
(1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between
supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the latter's
defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship,
which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king
to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 democratic
elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and
abolished the monarchy. In 1981 Greece joined the EC (now the EU);
it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001. |
Location:
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Southern Europe,
bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea,
between Albania and Turkey |
Geographic
coordinates:
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39 00 N, 22 00 E
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Area:
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total:
131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km |
Land boundaries:
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total: 1,228
km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206
km, Macedonia 246 km |
Coastline:
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13,676 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea:
12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
Climate:
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temperate; mild, wet
winters; hot, dry summers |
Terrain:
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mostly mountains
with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of
islands |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m
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Natural resources:
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lignite, petroleum,
iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt,
hydropower potential |
Land use:
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arable land:
20.45%
permanent crops: 8.59%
other: 70.96% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
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14,530 sq km (2003)
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Natural hazards:
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severe earthquakes
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Environment -
current issues:
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air pollution; water
pollution |
Geography - note:
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strategic location
dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits;
a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000
islands |
Population:
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10,688,058 (July
2006 est.) |
Age structure:
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0-14 years:
14.3% (male 790,291/female 742,902)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 3,562,251/female 3,566,097)
65 years and over: 19% (male 891,620/female 1,134,897) (2006
est.) |
Median age:
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total: 40.8
years
male: 39.7 years
female: 42 years (2006 est.) |
Population growth
rate:
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0.18% (2006 est.)
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Birth rate:
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9.68 births/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
Death rate:
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10.24 deaths/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
Net migration rate:
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2.34 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
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Infant mortality
rate:
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total: 5.43
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
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Life expectancy at
birth:
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total population:
79.24 years
male: 76.72 years
female: 81.91 years (2006 est.) |
Total fertility
rate:
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1.34 children
born/woman (2006 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2001 est.)
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people
living with HIV/AIDS:
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9,100 (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (2003
est.) |
Nationality:
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noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek |
Ethnic groups:
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Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic
divisions in Greece |
Religions:
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Greek Orthodox 98%,
Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% |
Languages:
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Greek 99%
(official), English, French |
Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.6%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.) |
People - note:
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women, men, and
children are trafficked to and within Greece for the purposes of
sexual exploitation and forced labor |
Country name:
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conventional long
form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece
local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
local short form: Ellas or Ellada
former: Kingdom of Greece |
Government type:
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parliamentary
republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974
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Capital:
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Athens |
Administrative
divisions:
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51 prefectures (nomoi,
singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*; Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt.
Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki,
Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania,
Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia,
Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra,
Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi,
Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza,
Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala,
Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos |
Independence:
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1829 (from the
Ottoman Empire) |
National holiday:
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Independence Day, 25
March (1821) |
Constitution:
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11 June 1975;
amended March 1986 and April 2001 |
Legal system:
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based on codified
Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and
administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations |
Suffrage:
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18 years of age;
universal and compulsory |
Legislative branch:
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unicameral
Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by
direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held
by March 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK
40.6%, KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK
117, KKE 12, Synaspismos 6 |
Judicial branch:
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Supreme Judicial
Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by
the president after consultation with a judicial council
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Economy - overview:
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Greece has a
capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40%
of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75% of the leading euro-zone
economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly
one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs. Greece is a
major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The
Greek economy grew by about 4.0% for the between 2003 and 2005,
largely because of an investment boom and infrastructure upgrades
for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Economic growth slowed to about
3% in 2005. Greece has not met the EU's Growth and Stability Pact
budget deficit criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000. Public debt,
inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average. To
overcome these challenges, the Greek Government is expected to
continue cutting government spending, reducing the size of the
public sector, and reforming the labor and pension systems.
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GDP (purchasing
power parity):
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$243.3 billion (2005
est.) |
GDP (official
exchange rate):
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$210.7 billion (2005
est.) |
GDP - real growth
rate:
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3.3% (2005 est.)
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GDP - per capita
(PPP):
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$22,800 (2005 est.)
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GDP - composition by
sector:
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agriculture:
6.2%
industry: 22.1%
services: 71.7% (2005 est.) |
Labour force:
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4.72 million (2005
est.) |
Labour force - by
occupation:
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agriculture:
12%
industry: 20%
services: 68% (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate:
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10.8% (2005 est.)
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Household income or
consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%:
3%
highest 10%: 28.3% (1998 est.) |
Distribution of
family income - Gini index:
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35.1 (2003)
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Inflation rate
(consumer prices):
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3.8% (2005 est.)
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Investment (gross
fixed):
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25.3% of GDP (2005
est.) |
Budget:
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revenues:
$94.13 billion
expenditures: $103.4 billion; including capital expenditures
of $NA (2005 est.) |
Public debt:
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108.9% of GDP (2005
est.) |
Agriculture -
products:
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wheat, corn, barley,
sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy
products |
Industries:
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tourism, food and
tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining,
petroleum |
Industrial
production growth rate:
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1.7% (2005 est.)
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Electricity -
production:
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54.56 billion kWh
(2003) |
Electricity -
consumption:
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53.5 billion kWh
(2005 est.) |
Electricity -
exports:
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2.1 billion kWh
(2002) |
Electricity -
imports:
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4.2 billion kWh
(2002) |
Oil - production:
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5,805 bbl/day (2003
est.) |
Oil - consumption:
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435,700 bbl/day
(2005 est.) |
Oil - exports:
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84,720 bbl/day
(2001) |
Oil - imports:
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468,300 bbl/day
(2001) |
Oil - proved
reserves:
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4.5 million bbl (1
January 2002) |
Natural gas -
production:
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27 million cu m
(2003 est.) |
Natural gas -
consumption:
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2.34 billion cu m
(2005 est.) |
Natural gas -
exports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
imports:
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2.018 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
Natural gas - proved
reserves:
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991.1 million cu m
(1 January 2002) |
Current account
balance:
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-$14.5 billion (2005
est.) |
Exports:
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$18.54 billion
f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
Exports -
commodities:
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food and beverages,
manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
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Exports - partners:
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Germany 13%, Italy
10.2%, UK 7.5%, Bulgaria 6.3%, US 5.3%, Cyprus 4.6%, Turkey 4.5%,
France 4.2% (2004) |
Imports:
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$48.2 billion f.o.b.
(2005 est.) |
Imports -
commodities:
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machinery, transport
equipment, fuels, chemicals |
Imports - partners:
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Germany 13.3%, Italy
12.8%, France 6.4%, Netherlands 5.5%, Russia 5.5%, US 4.4%, UK 4.2%,
South Korea 4.1% (2004) |
Reserves of foreign
exchange and gold:
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$2.3 billion (2005
est.) |
Debt - external:
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$75.1 billion (2005
est.) |
Economic aid -
recipient:
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$8 billion from EU
(2000-06) |
Currency (code):
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euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union
introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial
institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became
the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member
countries |
Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Telephones - main
lines in use:
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6,348,800 (2004)
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Telephones - mobile
cellular:
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9,305,700 (2004)
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good
mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive
open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8
submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean
region) |
Radio broadcast
stations:
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AM 26, FM 88,
shortwave 4 (1998) |
Television broadcast
stations:
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36 (plus 1,341
low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio
and Television Service (1995) |
Internet country
code:
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.gr |
Internet hosts:
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414,724 (2005)
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Internet users:
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3.8 million (2005)
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Airports:
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82 (2005)
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Airports - with
paved runways:
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total: 67
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 10 (2005) |
Airports - with
unpaved runways:
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total: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 12 (2005) |
Heliports:
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8 (2005)
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Pipelines:
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gas 1,166 km; oil 94
km (2004) |
Railways:
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total: 2,571
km (764 km electrified)
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three
rail system) (2004) |
Roadways:
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total:
116,470 km
paved: 106,920 km (including 880 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,550 km (1999) |
Waterways:
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6 km
note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth;
shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2006) |
Merchant marine:
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total: 813
ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,656,860 GRT/52,298,434 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 272, cargo 61, chemical tanker 42,
combination ore/oil 1, container 44, liquefied gas 4, passenger 12,
passenger/cargo 120, petroleum tanker 239, roll on/roll off 17,
specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 21 (Belgium 11, Chile 1, Sweden 1, UK 8)
registered in other countries: 2,338 (The Bahamas 217,
Barbados 11, Belgium 4, Bermuda 1, Cambodia 7, Cayman Islands 22,
Comoros 8, Cyprus 352, Denmark 1, Dominica 3, Egypt 6, French
Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Georgia 5, Gibraltar 9, Honduras 3,
Hong Kong 28, India 1, Isle of Man 43, Italy 6, Jamaica 5, North
Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Liberia 229, Malta 515, Marshall Islands 179,
Panama 536, Philippines 7, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines 84, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Singapore 8, Slovakia 5,
Syria 1, UAE 2, UK 7, US 3, Uruguay 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 2,
unknown 15) (2005) |
Ports and terminals:
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Agioitheodoroi,
Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Peiraiefs, Thessaloniki |
Military branches:
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Hellenic Army (Ellinikos
Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN),
Hellenic Air Force (Ellinikos Polemiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2006)
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Disputes -
international:
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Greece and Turkey
continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air,
territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus
question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name Macedonia
or Republic of Macedonia |
Illicit drugs:
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a gateway to Europe
for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East
and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East;
some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money
laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime
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