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>> Greece: General Information
 Greece,
formally called the Hellenic Republic (in Greek: Helleniké
Demokratía), is a country in the southeast of Europe
on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. It is bounded
on land by Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
and Albania to the north, to the east by Turkey and the waters
of the Aegean Sea and to the west and south by the Ionian
and Mediterranean Seas. Regarded by many as the cradle of
Western civilization, Greece has a long and rich history during
which it spread its influence over three continents.
Country Name
Greeks call their country Hellas, which in modern Greek is
pronounced Ellás. In everyday speech the form Elláda
is used. Greeks frequently call themselves Hellenes (in Greek:
Ellines) even in English.
The English name "Greece" derives from a Latin
name, Graecia, originally used for the Magna Graecia region.
Ελληνική
Δημοκρατία
Helleniké Demokratía
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| (National Flag) |
(National
Emblem) |
|
National Motto
Ἐλευθερία
ἤ Θάνατος
(Eleutheria i Thanatos)
(Greek: "Liberty or Death") |
| Official language |
Greek |
| Capital |
Athens |
| Largest city |
Athens |
| President |
Kostas Stephanopoulos |
| Prime Minister |
Kostas Karamanlis |
Area
- Total
-
% water |
World ranking: 94th
131,940 kmē
0.86% |
Population
- Total (2004)
- Density |
World ranking: 72nd
10,665,989
82/kmē |
Independence
- Declared
- Recognized |
From the Ottoman Empire
March 25, 1821
1829 |
| Currency |
Euro (€),
(Greek euro coins) |
Time zone
- in Summer |
EET (UTC+2)
EEST (UTC+3) |
| National anthem |
"Hymnos pros tin Eleutherian" |
| Internet TLD |
.gr |
| Calling Code |
30 |
| (1)
Prior to 2001: Greek drachma. |
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