Greece is called Hellas (Greek) and is officially known as the Hellenic Republic or (Elliniki Dimokratia).

Greece is located in southeastern Europe occupying the southern most part of the Balkan Peninsula. It borders Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east and south of mainland Greece, while the Ionian Sea lies to the west.

Geography of Greece

Greece is situated at the most southeastern part of Europe, located between the 34° and 42° parallel N., with a meridional extent from 19° to 28° E.

Greece extends over 131,940 square kilometers (51,146 sq. miles). Greece consists of a mainland area of 106,778 square kilometres and thousands of islands large and small, covering a further 25,179 square kilometres.

There are 3,053 islands in Greece of which some 200 are inhabited.

Greece is mainly bordered by sea, to the west with the Ionian Sea, to the east with the Aegean Sea and to the south with the Mediterranean Sea.

Greece has also land borders to the east with Turkey (206 km) and to the north with Albania (246,70 km.), Bulgaria (494 km) and Yugoslavia – FYROM (256,31 km)

Greek People

Population of Greece is (July 2006 est.): 10,688,058 million. Ten percent (10%) of the population are immigrants.

Growth rate: 0.18%.

Languages: Greek 99% (official); Turkish, others. Albanian is spoken by approximately 700,000 Albanian immigrants. English is the predominant second language.

Religions: Greek Orthodox (approximately 98% of citizens), with Muslim (1.3%), Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, and other religious communities.

Education: Years compulsory–9. Literacy–97.5%. All levels are free.

Health: Infant mortality rate–5.43/1,000. Life expectancy–male 76.72 years, female 81.91 years.

Work force: 4.72 million.