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)                          
                                                                                
