Greece

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. 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).

Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey.
Strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Area: total: 131,940 sq km

Population: 10,665,989
Population growth rate: 0.19% (2003 est.)
Sex ratio: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.89 years
Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2%
Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages: Greek 99% (official), English, French

Literacy: total population: 97.5%

Country name:
conventional: Hellenic Republic / Greece
local short: Ellas or Ellada
local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital: Athens Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STE