The 2003 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
Nationality:
noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek
Ethnic groups:
Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
Greece
Religions:
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Languages:
Greek 99% (official), English, French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.6%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
Government Greece
Country name:
conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece
local short form: Ellas or Ellada
former: Kingdom of Greece
local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
Government type:
parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December
1974
Capital:
Athens
Administrative divisions:
51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*;
Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, 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:
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
Constitution:
11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001
Legal system:
based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
criminal, and administrative courts
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS
(since 10 March 1995)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA February
2005); prime minister appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19
January 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president;
percent of Parliament vote - 90%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA
May 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%,
KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party -
PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6;
note - seats by party as of January 2002 - PASOK 156, ND 122, KKE
11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6, independents 5
Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
judicial council
Political parties and leaders:
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos
KONSTANTOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA];
New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS];
Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU,
EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryious SAVVAIDES
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 939–1324
telephone: [1] (202) 939–1300
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. MILLER embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 101 60 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842–0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721–2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645–6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
Flag description:
nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there
is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white
cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
religion of the country
Economy Greece
Economy - overview:
Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector
accounting for half of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% 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 GDP.
The economy has improved steadily with economic growth averaging 4%
since 1997, exceeding EU growth by more than 1 percentage point.
Remaining challenges include the reduction of the public