Greece (2001) | Andorra (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Ayion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, 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 | 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
14.98% (male 820,219; female 771,466) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 3,580,535; female 3,569,755) 65 years and over: 17.72% (male 834,234; female 1,047,626) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 15.1% (male 5,473; female 4,974)
15-64 years: 71.7% (male 26,063; female 23,542) 65 years and over: 13.2% (male 4,543; female 4,555) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products | small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep |
Airports | 81 (2000 est.) | none (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
65 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (2000 est.) |
- |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
16 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
- |
Area | total:
131,940 sq km land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km |
total: 468 sq km
land: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Alabama | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Greece achieved its 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 with Greek-speaking populations. Following the defeat of communist rebels 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. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992). | For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel. In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes. |
Birth rate | 9.83 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 9.65 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$45 billion expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $385 million
expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | Athens | Andorra la Vella |
Climate | temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers | temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers |
Coastline | 13,676 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 | Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece |
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form: Andorra |
Currency | drachma (GRD); euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Greece (which entered the European Monetary Union on 1 January 2001) at a fixed rate of 340.750 drachmae per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002 |
euro (EUR) |
Death rate | 9.73 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 5.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $57 billion (2000 est.) | $NA |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador R. Nicholas BURNS embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (1) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (1) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki |
the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (3493) 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Alexandros PHILON chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5800 FAX: [1] (202) 939-5824 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans |
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA
chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630 |
Disputes - international | complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name | none; border is undemarcated in sections but is not in dispute (a few French farmers still remain upset about the transfer of 35 hectares of land to Andorra) |
Economic aid - recipient | $5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.) | none |
Economy - overview | Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of GDP. Tourism is a key industry, providing a large portion of GDP and foreign exchange earnings. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 4% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as the government has tightened policy in the run-up to Greece's entry into the EU's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2001. In particular, Greece has cut its budget deficit to below 1% of GDP and tightened monetary policy, with the result that inflation fell from 20% in 1990 to 3.1% in 2000. Major challenges remaining include the reduction of unemployment and further restructuring of the economy, including the privatization of some leading state enterprises. Growth, 3.8% in 2000, may fall off to 3%-3.5% in 2001. | Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products. |
Electricity - consumption | 43.343 billion kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 1.65 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 1.811 billion kWh (1999) | NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower |
Electricity - production | 46.432 billion kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
89.6% hydro: 9.72% nuclear: 0% other: 0.68% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m |
lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution; water pollution | deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
party to: Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece |
Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998) |
Exchange rates | drachmae per US dollar - 380.21 (December 2000), 365.40 (2000), 305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997), 240.71 (1996) | euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA March 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90% |
chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish Coprince Episcopal Monsignor Joan Enric VIVES SICILIA (since 12 May 2003), represented by Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (since NA)
head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE MOLNE (since 21 December 1994) cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA% |
Exports | $15.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | $58 million f.o.b. (1998) |
Exports - commodities | manufactured goods, food and beverages, petroleum products | tobacco products, furniture |
Exports - partners | EU 49% (Germany 15%, Italy 13%, UK 6%), US 6% (1999) | Spain 58%, France 34% (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 | three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $181.9 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
8.3% industry: 27.3% services: 64.4% (1998) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.8% (2000 est.) | 3.8% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 39 00 N, 22 00 E | 42 30 N, 1 30 E |
Geography - note | strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands | landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees |
Heliports | 2 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
117,000 km paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,594 km (1996) |
total: 269 km
paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km (1994) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
3% highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | 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 | - |
Imports | $33.9 billion (c.i.f., 2000) | $1.077 billion (1998) |
Imports - commodities | manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels, chemicals | consumer goods, food, electricity |
Imports - partners | EU 66% (Italy 15%, Germany 15%, France 9%, UK 6%) (1999) | Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (2000) |
Independence | 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire) | 1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel) |
Industrial production growth rate | 7% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum | tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking |
Infant mortality rate | 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.1% (2000 est.) | 4.3% (2000) |
International organization participation | Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC | CE, ECE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 27 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 13,140 sq km (1993 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council | Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional |
Labor force | 4.32 million (1999 est.) | 33,000 (2001 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 21%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.) | agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
1,210 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km |
total: 120.3 km
border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km |
Land use | arable land:
19% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 41% forests and woodland: 20% other: 12% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.78% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Greek 99% (official), English, French | Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese |
Legal system | based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts | based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 April 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 |
unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 46.1%, PSD 30%, PD 23.8%, other 0.1%; seats by party - PLA 15, PSD 6, PD 5, independents 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
78.59 years male: 76.03 years female: 81.32 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 83.49 years
male: 80.58 years female: 86.58 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 98% female: 93% (1991 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey | Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain |
Map references | Europe | Europe |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 6 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total:
780 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 25,564,988 GRT/44,761,916 DWT ships by type: bulk 272, cargo 55, chemical tanker 22, combination bulk 5, combination ore/oil 6, container 51, liquefied gas 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 255, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 20, short-sea passenger 63, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: South Korea 1, UK 4 (2000 est.) |
- |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France and Spain |
Military branches | Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, National Guard, Police | no regular military forces, but there is a police force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4.91% (FY99/00 est.) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
2,673,539 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
2,040,227 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 21 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
77,976 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Independence Day, 25 March (1821) | Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278) |
Nationality | noun:
Greek(s) adjective: Greek |
noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran |
Natural hazards | severe earthquakes | avalanches |
Natural resources | bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential | hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead |
Net migration rate | 1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS] | Democratic Party or PD (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Marc FORNE MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); Liberal Union or UL [Francesc CERQUEDA]; National Democratic Group or AND [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vicenc MATEU ZAMORA]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU CASSANY]; Social Democratic Party or PSD (formerly part of National Democratic Group of AND) [leader NA]; Union of the People of Ordino (Unio Parroquial d'Ordino) or UPO [Simo DURO COMA]
note: there are two other small parties |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 10,623,835 (July 2001 est.) | 69,150 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.21% (2001 est.) | 1.06% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 5.02 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
2,548 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 23 km double track) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack-type railway for steep grades) |
0 km |
Religions | Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% | Roman Catholic (predominant) |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | 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: 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) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: landline circuits to France and Spain |
Telephones - main lines in use | 5.431 million (1997) | 32,946 (December 1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 937,700 (1997) | 14,117 (December 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995) | 0 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands | rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys |
Total fertility rate | 1.33 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 11.3% (2000 est.) | 0% |
Waterways | 80 km
note: system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also three unconnected rivers |
none |