Greece

Parliamentary RepublicPop10.4MGDP (PPP)$392.2BCI61Beta CP−1.5↓Beta

Greece

⌘K

Overview

Background: 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. 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 other anti-communist and communist rebels. The communists were defeated in 1949, and Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a military coup forced the king to flee the country. The ensuing military dictatorship collapsed in 1974, and Greece abolished the monarchy to become a parliamentary republic.

In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. From 2009 until 2019, Greece suffered a severe economic crisis due to nearly a decade of chronic overspending and structural rigidities. Beginning in 2010, Greece entered three bailout agreements -- the first two with the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the IMF; and the third in 2015 with the European Stability Mechanism -- worth in total about $300 billion. The Greek Government formally exited the third bailout in 2018, and Greece's economy has since improved significantly. In 2022, the country finalized its early repayment to the IMF and graduated on schedule from the EU's enhanced surveillance framework.

Geography

Area

Land: 130,647 sq km
Water: 1,310 sq km
Total: 131,957 sq km

Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mountainous with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Land Use

Other: 21.3% (2023 est.)
Forest: 36.9% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 41.7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 14.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 8% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.)

Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Coastline: 13,676 km

Elevation

Note: note: Mount Olympus actually has 52 peaks but its highest point, Mytikas (meaning "nose"), rises to 2,917 meters; in Greek mythology, Olympus' Mytikas peak was the home of the Greek gods
Lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917
Mean elevation: 498 m

Irrigated land: 12,191 sq km (2021)
Map references: Europe

Land Boundaries

Total: 1,110 km
Border countries: Albania 212 km; Bulgaria 472 km; North Macedonia 234 km; Turkey 192 km

Maritime Claims

Territorial sea: 6 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Natural hazards: severe earthquakes

volcanism: Santorini (367 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are also classified as historically active
Geography note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, with an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
Natural resources: lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
Area comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama
Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E
Population distribution: one third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters

People & Society

Languages

Languages: Greek (official) 99%, other (includes English and French) 1%
Major language sample(s): Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Greek Orthodox 81-90%, Muslim 2%, other 3%, none 4-15%, unspecified 1% (2015 est.)

Sex Ratio

At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0 14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15 64 years: 1 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 7.38 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 11.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 44.6 years
Total: 46.8 years (2025 est.)
Female: 48.3 years

Population

Male: 5,105,879
Total: 10,424,536 (2025 est.)
Female: 5,318,657

Nationality

Noun: Greek(s)
Adjective: Greek

Tobacco Use

Male: 30.3% (2025 est.)
Total: 27.3% (2025 est.)
Female: 24.6% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Age Structure

0 14 years: 13.8% (male 742,131/female 699,079)
15 64 years: 62.6% (male 3,278,906/female 3,267,140)
65 years and over: 23.6% (2024 est.) (male 1,096,825/female 1,377,010)

Ethnic groups: Greek 91.6%, Albanian 4.4%, other 4% (2011 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 60.1 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 21.7 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio: 2.6 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 38.4 (2025 est.)

Physician density: 6.58 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Health Expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 9.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 8.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density: 4.2 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.42 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education Expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 3.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 6.4% national budget (2022 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: -0.35% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.69 (2025 est.)
Population distribution: one third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 79.4 years
Female: 84.6 years
Total population: 81.9 years (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: rural: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer: 2.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 6.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 1.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Major urban areas population: 3.154 million ATHENS (capital), 815,000 Thessaloniki (2023)
Obesity adult prevalence rate: 24.9% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 30.7 years (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15 49): 52.4% (2023 est.)

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

Male: 21 years (2022 est.)
Total: 21 years (2022 est.)
Female: 21 years (2022 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

ExecutiveLegislative

Flag: description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; a blue square with a white cross is in the upper-left corner

meaning: the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion; there is no set meaning for the stripes and colors

Capital

Name: Athens
Etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain; according to tradition, the city is named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, but the name is probably pre-Hellenic 
Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal and compulsory

Citizenship

Citizenship BY birth: no
Citizenship BY descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Greece
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Constitution

History: many previous; latest entered into force 11 June 1975
Amendment process: proposed by at least 50 members of Parliament and agreed by three-fifths majority vote in two separate ballots at least 30 days apart; passage requires absolute majority vote by the next elected Parliament; entry into force finalized through a "special parliamentary resolution"; articles on human rights and freedoms and the form of government cannot be amended

Country Name

Former: Hellenic State, Kingdom of Greece
Etymology: the English name derives from the Roman (Latin) designation Graecia, meaning "Land of the Greeks"; the Greeks call their country Ellas or Ellada, which is probably derived from Hellas, the name of the mythical son of Deucalian
Local long form: Elliniki Dimokratia
Local short form: Ellas or Ellada
Conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
Conventional short form: Greece

Independence: 3 February 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Legal system: civil legal system based on Roman law
Government type: parliamentary republic

Judicial Branch

Highest court(s): Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or Areios Pagos (consists of 56 judges, including the court presidents); Council of State (supreme administrative court) consists of the president, 7 vice presidents, 42 privy councilors, 48 associate councilors and 50 reporting judges, organized into six 5- and 7-member chambers; Court of Audit (government audit and enforcement) consists of the president, 5 vice presidents, 20 councilors, and 90 associate and reporting judges
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal and Courts of First Instance (district courts)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by presidential decree on the advice of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which includes the president of the Supreme Court, other judges, and the prosecutor of the Supreme Court; judges appointed for life after a 2-year probationary period; Council of State president appointed by the Greek Cabinet to serve a 4-year term; other judge appointments and tenure NA; Court of Audit president appointed by decree of the president of the republic on the advice of the SJC; court president serves a 4-year term or until age 67; tenure of vice presidents, councilors, and judges NA

Executive Branch

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Chief of state: President Konstantinos TASOULAS (since 13 March 2025)
Election results: 2025: Konstantinos TASOULAS (ND) elected president by Parliament - 160 of 300 votes

2020: Katerina SAKELLAROPOULOU (independent) elected president by Parliament - 261 of 300 votes
Head of government: Prime Minister Kyriakos MITSOTAKIS (since 26 June 2023)
Most recent election date: 12 February 2025
Election/appointment process: president elected by Hellenic Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); president appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Hellenic Parliament
Expected date of next election: 2030

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
National color(s): blue, white

National Heritage

Total world heritage sites: 20 (18 cultural, 2 mixed)
Selected world heritage site locales: Acropolis, Athens (c); Archaeological site of Delphi (c); Meteora (m); Medieval City of Rhodes (c); Archaeological site of Olympia (c); Archaeological site of Mycenae and Tiryns (c); Old Town of Corfu (c); Mount Athos (m); Delos (c); Archaeological Site of Philippi (c); Minoan Palatial Centres (c)

Political parties: Coalition of the Radical Left-Progressive Alliance or SYRIZA-PS
Communist Party of Greece or KKE
Course of Freedom
Democratic Patriotic Movement-Victory or NIKI
Greek Solution
New Democracy or ND
PASOK - Movement for Change or PASOK-KINAL
Spartans

Legislative Branch

Note: note: only parties surpassing a 3% vote threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; parties need 10 seats to become formal parliamentary groups but can retain that status if the party participated in the last election and received the minimum 3% threshold
Term in office: 4 years
Number of seats: 300 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Legislature name: Hellenic Parliament (Vouli Ton Ellinon)
Scope of elections: full renewal
Legislative structure: unicameral
Most recent election date: 6/25/2023
Expected date of next election: June 2027
Percentage of women in chamber: 22.9%
Parties elected and seats per party: New Democracy (ND) (158); Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) (47); Panhellenic Socialist Movement - Movement for Change (PASOK-KINAL) (32); Communist Party (KKE) (21); Other (42)

National Anthem(s)

Title: "Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Freedom)
History: adopted 1864; the anthem is based on a 158-stanza poem by the same name, which was inspired by the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Ottomans (only the first two stanzas are used); Cyprus also uses "Hymn to Freedom" as its anthem
Lyrics/music: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS

National symbol(s): Greek cross (white cross on a blue field)
National coat of arms: the coat of arms was designed by Greek artist Kostas Grammatopoulos and has been in use since 1975; depicted in the national colors of blue and white; the white cross represents the country’s primary religion, Greek Orthodoxy, and the laurel branches symbolize victory
Administrative divisions: 13 regions (perifereies, singular - perifereia) and 1 autonomous monastic state* (aftonomi monastiki politeia); Agion Oros* (Mount Athos), Anatoliki Makedonia kai Thraki (East Macedonia and Thrace), Attiki (Attica), Dytiki Ellada (West Greece), Dytiki Makedonia (West Macedonia), Ionia Nisia (Ionian Islands), Ipeiros (Epirus), Kentriki Makedonia (Central Macedonia), Kriti (Crete), Notio Aigaio (South Aegean), Peloponnisos (Peloponnese), Sterea Ellada (Central Greece), Thessalia (Thessaly), Voreio Aigaio (North Aegean)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax: [1] (202) 939-1324
Chancery: 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
Consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston
Chief of mission: Ambassador Ekaterini NASSIKA (since 27 February 2024)
Consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Tampa (FL), San Francisco
Email address and website: gremb.was@mfa.gr

https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/the-embassy/

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Fax: [30] (210) 724-5313
Embassy: 91 Vasillisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens
Telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951
Mailing address: 7100 Athens Place, Washington DC  20521-7100
Chief of mission: Ambassador Kimberly Ann GUILFOYLE (since 4 November 2025)
Consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
Email address and website: athensamericancitizenservices@state.gov

https://gr.usembassy.gov/

International organisations: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Legislature

GREECE · LEGISLATURE

Hellenic Parliament

300 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

300

Majority line

151

Largest party

New Democracy

Parties

All political parties15 parties · 300 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Leaders

Current

KT
Konstantinos Tasoulas
- Head of StateSince 2025
KM
Kyriakos Mitsotakis
- Head of GovernmentSince 2019

Economy

Budget

Note: note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $111.938 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $114.497 billion (2023 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $107.9B

Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2022: $106.189 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $107.218 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024: $108.424 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $122.1B

Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2022: $127.82 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $119.234 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024: $122.408 billion (2024 est.)

Industries: tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Labor force: 4.655 million (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled): 146.1%

Note: note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Public debt 2023: 190.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances

Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2022: 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024: 0.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Exchange Rates

Currency: euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020: 0.876 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 0.845 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 0.95 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 0.925 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024: 0.924 (2024 est.)

Economic overview: high-income EU and eurozone economy; growth above euro average, supported by private consumption and EU fund investments; structural reforms strengthening public finances and enhancing resilience within banking system; declining unemployment but low labor productivity and skill shortages

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 8.5%

Note: note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022: 12.5% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024: 10.2% (2024 est.)

Exports partners: Italy 12%, Germany 6%, Cyprus 6%, Bulgaria 4%, USA 4% (2023)
Imports partners: Germany 10%, China 10%, Italy 8%, Iraq 7%, Netherlands 6% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled): $44,327

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022: $35,900 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $36,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024: $37,800 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 2.1%

Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.7% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 2.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024: 2.3% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products: maize, wheat, sheep milk, oranges, tomatoes, milk, peaches/nectarines, grapes, watermelons, barley (2023)
Exports commodities: refined petroleum, packaged medicine, aluminum, olive oil, tobacco (2023)
Imports commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, packaged medicine (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled): -$18.2B

Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2022: -$22.623 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$15.008 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024: -$16.399 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 26.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $257.145 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption: 66.9% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 19.3% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.5% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 15.2% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 43.7% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -48.4% (2023 est.)

Population below poverty line: 18.8% (2021 est.)

Average Household Expenditures

On food: 16.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 4.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled): 2.9%

Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 9.6% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 3.5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.7% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate: 6.1% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled): $392.205 billion (2024 est.)

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $374.753 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $383.493 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $392.205 billion (2024 est.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male: 23.2% (2024 est.)
Note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 24.7% (2024 est.)
Female: 26.6% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $12.061 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $13.608 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $15.222 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry: 15.4% (2024 est.)
Services: 68% (2024 est.)
Agriculture: 3.3% (2024 est.)

Note: note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Lowest 10%: 2.7% (2022 est.)
Highest 10%: 25.7% (2022 est.)

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Note: note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2022: 33.4 (2022 est.)

Energy

Coal

Exports: 5 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 49,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Production: 10.469 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 10.091 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.876 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

Total petroleum production: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 10 million barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 308,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Electricity

Exports: 3.24 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 8.152 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Consumption: 46.929 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 24.169 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 5.346 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Natural Gas

Exports: 8.362 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 11.619 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Production: 1.323 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 3.344 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 991.09 million cubic meters (2021 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 92.693 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Wind: 23.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Solar: 17.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels: 48.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 9.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 85% (2023 est.)

Broadcast media: broadcast media dominated by the private sector; roughly 150 private TV channels, about 10 of which broadcast nationwide; 1 state-owned terrestrial TV channel with national coverage; 3 privately owned satellite channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV services available; over 1,500 radio stations, all privately owned; state-owned broadcaster has 2 national radio stations
Internet country code: .gr

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions: 4.69 million (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2024 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions: 11.4 million (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 114 (2024 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total: 4.48 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.)

Transport

Ports

Large: 1
Small: 7
Medium: 7
Key ports: Alexandroupoli, Iraklion, Kerkira, Ormos Aliveriou, Piraievs, Soudha, Thessaloniki, Volos
Very small: 42
Total ports: 57 (2024)
Ports with oil terminals: 13

Airports: 82 (2025)

Railways

Total: 2,345 km (2020) 731 km electrified

Heliports: 59 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total: 1,215 (2023)
BY type: bulk carrier 132, container ship 4, general cargo 79, oil tanker 299, other 701

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: SX

Environment

Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Geoparks

Global geoparks and regional networks: Chelmos Vouraikos; Grevena - Kozani; Kefalonia-Ithaca; Lavreotiki;  Lesvos Island; Meteora Pyli; Psiloritis; Sitia; Vikos - Aoos (2024)
Total global geoparks and regional networks: 9 (2024)

Land Use

Other: 21.3% (2023 est.)
Forest: 36.9% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 41.7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 14.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 8% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and Recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.615 million tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 22.4% (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: air pollution; air emissions from transport and electricity power stations; water pollution; degradation of coastal zones; loss of biodiversity; municipal and industrial waste disposal

Total Water Withdrawal

Municipal: 1.687 billion cubic meters (2022)
Industrial: 279.8 million cubic meters (2022)
Agricultural: 8.107 billion cubic meters (2022)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions: 62.06 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 6.617 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 10.794 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 44.649 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions: 14.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 68 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

International Environmental Agreements

Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Military & Security

Military note: the Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF) are responsible for protecting Greece’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; the HAF also maintains a presence on Cyprus (the Hellenic Force in Cyprus or ELDYK) to assist and support the Cypriot National Guard; as a member of the EU, NATO, and other international organizations, the HAF participates in multinational peacekeeping and other security missions abroad, taking a particular interest in missions occurring in the near regions, such as the Balkans, the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, the Middle East, and North Africa; areas of focus for the HAF include instability in the Balkans, territorial disputes with Turkey, and support to European security through the EU and NATO

Greece’s NATO membership is a key component of its security; it became a NATO member in 1952 and occupies a strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean on NATO’s southern flank; Greece is host to several NATO facilities, including the Deployable Corps Greece (NDC-GR) headquarters in Thessaloniki, the Combined Air Operations Center in Larissa, the Multinational Peace Support Operations Training Center in Kilkis, the Multinational Sealift Coordination Center in Athens, and the Naval Base, Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre, and NATO Missile Firing Installation at Souda, Crete (2025)
Military deployments: approximately 1,000 Cyprus; 120 Kosovo (NATO); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)

Military Expenditures

Civica canonical (reconciled): 2.9% of GDP (2025 est.)

Military expenditures 2021: 3.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military expenditures 2022: 3.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military expenditures 2023: 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military expenditures 2024: 2.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military expenditures 2025: 2.9% of GDP (2025 est.)

Military and security forces: Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF; Ellinikes Enoples Dynamis, EED): Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES; includes National Guard), Hellenic Navy (Elliniko Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia, EPA; includes air defense) (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; all Greek men 19-45 are subject to compulsory military service; 12-month obligation for all services (note - as an exception, the duration of the full military service is 9 instead of 12 months if conscripts, after the initial training, serve the entire remaining time in certain areas of the eastern borders, in Cyprus, or in certain military units) (2026)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and imported armaments from Europe and the US; in recent years, France, Germany, the UK, and the US have been major suppliers of weapons systems; Greece's defense industry is capable of producing a range of military hardware, including naval vessels and associated subsystems (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 112,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Revolutionary Struggle (RS); Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C)

Space

Space agency/agencies: Hellenic Space Center (HSC; aka Hellenic Space Agency; established 2018) (2025)
Space program overview: focuses on building and operating satellites for communications and remote sensing (RS); researches and develops space-related technologies in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, defense, environmental studies, RS, and telecommunications; contributes to and participates in ESA capabilities and programs; also participates in EU space programs and cooperates bilaterally with European and US space agencies and commercial space sectors; has a commercial space sector that researches, develops, and produces a variety of space technologies and capabilities (2025)
Key space program milestones: 1994 - signed first cooperation agreement with the ESA

2005 - first satellite (Hellas-Sat) for a domestic telecommunications satellite network launched by US; joined ESA (became member state in 2011)

2017 - first domestically manufactured communications satellite (UPSat) released from International Space Station

2019 - began participating in ESA’s quantum communications infrastructure (EuroQCI or “fiber in the sky”) and the US Gateway Lunar orbital/landing programs

2021 - launched ESA-assisted national program to develop, manufacture, launch, and operate small satellites

2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and Moon exploration

2025 - launched demonstrator/experimental RS cube satellite (DUTHSat-2) under ESA-assisted national small satellite program

Transnational Issues

Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

Refugees: 144,694 (2024 est.)
Stateless persons: 3,743 (2024 est.)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of

Civica Index61.0 / 100as of 2024-Q462 / 190−7.02024-Q4

Civica Pulse−1.5as of 2026-05-06—2026-05-06

V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.58as of 2024-Q448 / 170−0.102024-Q4

Freedom House StatusPartly Free (83/100)as of 2024-Q4—−2.02024-Q4

Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (65/100)as of 2024—2024

Human Development Index0.893as of 2022—2022

Corruption Perceptions Index49 / 100as of 202358 / 1802023

Cite this page

Cite this pageAPA · BibTeX · Chicago · JSON

Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Greece — vintage 2026-Q1: Greece factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/greece

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Sources: Eurostat, FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), OECD.Stat, UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata

Greece

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Hellenic Parliament

Current

Konstantinos Tasoulas

Kyriakos Mitsotakis

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International Environmental Agreements

Military Expenditures