Republic of Greece

Hellenic Republic Ελληνική Δημοκρατία
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος
Anthem: Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν
Capital and largest city	Athens
Official languages	Greek
Ethnic groups	92% Greek 8% Others
Religion	Greek Orthodox Church
Demonym(s)	Greek
Government	Unitary presidential constitutional republic
• President	Michaelis Aristidies
• Vice President	Eleni Kotsos
• Gerousia Speaker	Thanasis Bouras
• Chief Justice	Costas Palladis
Legislature	Gerousia
Establishment
• Independence declared from the Ottoman Empire	March 25, 1821
• Current constitution	August 19, 1960
Area
• Total	53,225 sq mi (137,850 km2) (95th)
Population
• 2020 census	11,614,392 (82nd)
• Density	210.30/sq mi (81.2/km2) (132nd)
GDP (nominal)	2022 estimate
• Total	$290.63 billion
• Per capita	$25,023
Gini (2022)	30.7 medium
HDI (2022)	0.896 very high
Currency	Euro (€)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+30

Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the northeast and on the island of Cyprus. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Sea of Crete and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin, featuring thousands of islands. The country consists of nine traditional geographic regions, and has a population of approximately 11.6 million. Athens is the nation's capital and largest city, followed by Thessaloniki.

Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization, being the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, Western literature, historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, theatre and the Olympic Games. From the eighth century BC, the Greeks were organized into various independent city-states, known as poleis (singular polis), which spanned the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Philip II of Macedon united most of present-day Greece in the fourth century BC, with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the ancient world, from the eastern Mediterranean to India. The subsequent Hellenistic period saw the height of Greek culture and influence in antiquity. Greece was annexed by Rome in the second century BC, becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its continuation, the Byzantine Empire, which was culturally and linguistically predominantly Greek. The Greek Orthodox Church, which emerged in the first century AD, helped shape modern Greek identity and transmitted Greek traditions to the wider Orthodox world. After falling under Ottoman rule in the mid-15th century, Greece emerged as a modern nation state in 1830 following a war of independence. The country's rich historical legacy is reflected in part by its 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Greece is a unitary presidential republic, the only country with this form of government in the European Union. Also, Greece is a developed country, with an advanced high-income economy, and a high quality of life, ranking 29th in the Human Development Index. Its economy is the largest in the Balkans, where it is an important regional investor. A founding member of the United Nations, Greece was the tenth member to join the European Communities (precursor to the European Union) and has been part of the Eurozone since 2001. It is also a member of numerous other international institutions, including the Council of Europe, NATO, the OECD, the WTO, and the OSCE. Greece's unique cultural heritage, large tourism industry, prominent shipping sector and geostrategic importance classify it as a middle power.

Politics

Greece is a unitary presidential republic. The current Constitution was adopted by referendum following the crisis of the 1960s. This constitution abolished the long-standing monarchy which had ruled Greece since independence, and put an end to the low-intensity but incessant conflict with the Communist insurgency. Since 1970, the President has served as the directly-elected head of state and head of government. Legislative power is vested in the unicameral Senate, which is referred to by its native name, the Gerousia. This body is elected from single-member districts using plurality voting every two years. According to a 2016 report by the OECD, voter turnout in Greece hovers around 60%, slightly lower than average for developed countries.