Greece (2005) | Saint Helena (2001) | |
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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 | 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 791,227/female 744,178)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 3,561,689/female 3,564,675) 65 years and over: 18.8% (male 884,497/female 1,122,088) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years:
19.08% (male 699; female 687) 15-64 years: 71.72% (male 2,711; female 2,500) 65 years and over: 9.2% (male 286; female 383) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products | corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha) |
Airports | 80 (2004 est.) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 66
over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.) |
total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.) |
- |
Area | total: 131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km |
total:
410 sq km land: 410 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes St. Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Alabama | slightly more than two 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, 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 royalist supporters of the king and communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece was able to join 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. Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992); it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001. | Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, St. Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station. |
Birth rate | 9.72 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 13.49 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $54.39 billion
expenditures: $64.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
revenues:
$11.2 million expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92) |
Capital | Athens | Jamestown |
Climate | temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers | Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) |
Coastline | 13,676 km | 60 km |
Constitution | 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001 | 1 January 1989 |
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:
none conventional short form: Saint Helena |
Currency | - | Saint Helenian pound (SHP) |
Death rate | 10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 6.33 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $67.23 billion (2004 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Charles RIES
embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryios SAVVAIDIS
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Tampa consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | 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 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $8 billion from EU (2000-06) | $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997) |
Economy - overview | Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% 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 annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by about 4.0% for the past two years, largely because of an investment boom and infrastructure upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Despite strong growth, Greece has failed to meet the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000; public debt, inflation, and unemployment are also above the eurozone average. Further restructuring of the economy will need to include privatizing of several state enterprises, undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies. | The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK. |
Electricity - consumption | 47.42 billion kWh (2002) | 5.6 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 1.1 billion kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 4.6 billion kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 47.22 billion kWh (2002) | 6 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution; water pollution | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, 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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece |
African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) | Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos KARAMANLIS (since 7 March 2004) 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 2005 (next to be held by February 2010); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of parlimentary votes, 279 out of 300 |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY (since NA June 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch |
Exports | 84,720 bbl/day (2001) | $704,000 (f.o.b., 1995) |
Exports - commodities | food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles | fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | Germany 13.2%, Italy 10.3%, UK 7.5%, Bulgaria 6.3%, US 5.3%, Cyprus 4.6%, Turkey 4.5%, France 4.2% (2004) | South Africa, UK |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 7%
industry: 22% services: 71% (2004 est.) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $21,300 (2004 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.7% (2004 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 39 00 N, 22 00 E | 15 56 S, 5 42 W |
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 | harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns |
Heliports | 7 (2004 est.) | - |
Highways | total: 117,000 km
paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.) |
total:
158 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) paved: 138 km (Saint Helena 98km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) unpaved: NA km 20 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 28.3% (1998 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; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime | - |
Imports | 468,300 bbl/day (2001) | $14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals | food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts |
Imports - partners | 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) | UK, South Africa |
Independence | 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.1% (2004 est.) | NA% |
Industries | tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum | construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
22.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.9% (2004 est.) | 3.2% (1997 est.) |
International organization participation | Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, 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, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC | ICFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 14,220 sq km (1998 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 | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court |
Labor force | 4.4 million (2004 est.) | 3,500 (1998 est.)
note: 1,200 of whom are working offshore |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 12%, industry 20%, services 68% (2004 est.) | agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 1,228 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 21.1%
permanent crops: 8.78% other: 70.12% (2001) |
arable land:
6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 6% other: 82% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Greek 99% (official), English, French | English |
Legal system | based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts | NA |
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 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 |
unicameral Legislative Council (15 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 July 1997 (next to be held NA August 2001) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.09 years
male: 76.59 years female: 81.76 years (2005 est.) |
total population:
77.01 years male: 74.13 years female: 80.04 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5% male: 98.6% female: 96.5% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) |
Location | Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey | islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about mid-way between South America and Africa |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 861 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,186,624 GRT/52,943,968 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 296, cargo 65, chemical tanker 47, combination ore/oil 2, container 46, liquefied gas 2, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 121, petroleum tanker 252, roll on/roll off 17 foreign-owned: 25 (Chile 1, China 1, Cyprus 5, Norway 6, Sweden 1, United Kingdom 11) registered in other countries: 2,208 (2005) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force (Polemiki Aeroporia, EPA) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $5.89 billion (2004) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4.3% (2003) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 25 March (1821) | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) |
Nationality | noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek |
noun:
Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian |
Natural hazards | severe earthquakes | active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha |
Natural resources | lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential | fish |
Net migration rate | 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
People - note | women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor | - |
Pipelines | gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2004) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos POLYZOGOPOLOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS] | none |
Population | 10,668,354 (July 2005 est.) | 7,266 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.19% (2005 est.) | 0.72% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Peiraiefs, Thessaloniki | Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 3,000 (1997) |
Railways | 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) |
0 km |
Religions | Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% | Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | 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 (2005 est.) |
at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | NA years of age |
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: 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) |
general assessment:
can communicate with any place in the world domestic: automatic network international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK ; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 5,205,100 (2003) | 2,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 8,936,200 (2003) | 0 (1997) |
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 | Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin |
Total fertility rate | 1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.53 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10% (2004 est.) | 14% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | 6 km
note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2004) |
none |