Greece

Greece won independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830 and became a kingdom. 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 supporters of the king and other anti-communist and communist rebels. The communists were defeated in 1949, and Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a military coup forced the king to flee the country. The ensuing military dictatorship collapsed in 1974, and Greece abolished the monarchy to become a parliamentary republic.

In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. From 2009 until 2019, Greece suffered a severe economic crisis due to nearly a decade of chronic overspending and structural rigidities. Beginning in 2010, Greece entered three bailout agreements — the first two with the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the IMF; and the third in 2015 with the European Stability Mechanism — worth in total about $300 billion. The Greek Government formally exited the third bailout in 2018, and Greece’s economy has since improved significantly. In 2022, the country finalized its early repayment to the IMF and graduated on schedule from the EU’s enhanced surveillance framework.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

Geography

Location

Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total : 131,957 sq km

land: 130,647 sq km

water: 1,310 sq km

comparison ranking: total 97

Area – comparative

slightly smaller than Alabama

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 1,110 km

border countries (4): Albania 212 km; Bulgaria 472 km; North Macedonia 234 km; Turkey 192 km

Coastline

13,676 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 6 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain

mountainous with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Elevation

highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 498 m

note: Mount Olympus actually has 52 peaks but its highest point, Mytikas (meaning “nose”), rises to 2,917 meters; in Greek mythology, Olympus’ Mytikas peak was the home of the Greek gods

Natural resources

lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Land use

agricultural land: 44.3% (2022 est.)

arable land: 14.1% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 8% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 22.3% (2022 est.)

forest: 30.3% (2022 est.)

other: 25.4% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

12,191 sq km (2021)

Population distribution

one third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters

Natural hazards

severe earthquakes

volcanism: Santorini (367 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are also classified as historically active

Geography – note

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, with an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

People and Society

Population

total: 10,461,091 (2024 est.)

male: 5,117,862

female: 5,343,229

comparison rankings: total 90; female 88; male 92

Nationality

noun: Greek(s)

adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups

Greek 91.6%, Albanian 4.4%, other 4% (2011 est.)

note: data represent citizenship; Greece does not collect data on ethnicity

Languages

Greek (official) 99%, other (includes English and French) 1%

major-language sample(s):
Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Greek audio sample:

Religions

Greek Orthodox 81-90%, Muslim 2%, other 3%, none 4-15%, unspecified 1% (2015 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 742,131/female 699,079)

15-64 years: 62.6% (male 3,278,906/female 3,267,140)

65 years and over: 23.6% (2024 est.) (male 1,096,825/female 1,377,010)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 59.8 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 22 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 37.8 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 2.6 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 46.5 years (2024 est.)

male: 44.6 years

female: 48.3 years

comparison ranking: total 10

Population growth rate

-0.35% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 215

Birth rate

7.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 219

Death rate

12 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 16

Net migration rate

1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 63

Population distribution

one third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters

Urbanization

urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas – population

3.154 million ATHENS (capital), 815,000 Thessaloniki (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother’s mean age at first birth

30.7 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 171

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 195

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.9 years (2024 est.)

male: 79.4 years

female: 84.6 years

comparison ranking: total population 40

Total fertility rate

1.41 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 211

Gross reproduction rate

0.68 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

9.2% of GDP (2021)

8.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

6.58 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

4.2 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

24.9% (2016)

comparison ranking: 54

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 6.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 2.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 1.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 66

Tobacco use

total: 27.3% (2025 est.)

male: 30.3% (2025 est.)

female: 24.6% (2025 est.)

comparison ranking: total 30

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.1% (2023 est.)

Education expenditure

3.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

7.2% national budget (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 119

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 21 years (2022 est.)

male: 21 years (2022 est.)

female: 21 years (2022 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

air pollution; air emissions from transport and electricity power stations; water pollution; degradation of coastal zones; loss of biodiversity; municipal and industrial waste disposal

International environmental agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Climate

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

62.06 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 10.794 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 44.649 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 6.617 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 51

Particulate matter emissions

14.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 5,477,424 tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,040,711 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19% (2014 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 1.69 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 330 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 8.11 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

68.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 9 (2024)

global geoparks and regional networks: Chelmos Vouraikos; Grevena – Kozani; Kefalonia-Ithaca; Lavreotiki; Lesvos Island; Meteora Pyli; Psiloritis; Sitia; Vikos – Aoos (2024)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Hellenic Republic

conventional short form: Greece

local long form: Elliniki Dimokratia

local short form: Ellas or Ellada

former: Hellenic State, Kingdom of Greece

etymology: the English name derives from the Roman (Latin) designation Graecia, meaning “Land of the Greeks”; the Greeks call their country Ellas or Ellada, which is probably derived from Hellas, the name of the mythical son of Deucalian

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Athens

geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain; according to tradition, the city is named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, but the name is probably pre-Hellenic

Administrative divisions

13 regions (perifereies, singular – perifereia) and 1 autonomous monastic state* (aftonomi monastiki politeia); Agion Oros* (Mount Athos), Anatoliki Makedonia kai Thraki (East Macedonia and Thrace), Attiki (Attica), Dytiki Ellada (West Greece), Dytiki Makedonia (West Macedonia), Ionia Nisia (Ionian Islands), Ipeiros (Epirus), Kentriki Makedonia (Central Macedonia), Kriti (Crete), Notio Aigaio (South Aegean), Peloponnisos (Peloponnese), Sterea Ellada (Central Greece), Thessalia (Thessaly), Voreio Aigaio (North Aegean)

Legal system

civil legal system based on Roman law

Constitution

history: many previous; latest entered into force 11 June 1975

amendment process: proposed by at least 50 members of Parliament and agreed by three-fifths majority vote in two separate ballots at least 30 days apart; passage requires absolute majority vote by the next elected Parliament; entry into force finalized through a “special parliamentary resolution”; articles on human rights and freedoms and the form of government cannot be amended

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Greece

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state: President Konstantinos TASOULAS (since 13 March 2025)

head of government: Prime Minister Kyriakos MITSOTAKIS (since 26 June 2023)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

election/appointment process: president elected by Hellenic Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); president appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Hellenic Parliament

most recent election date: 12 February 2025

election results:
2025: Konstantinos TASOULAS (ND) elected president by Parliament – 160 of 300 votes

2020: Katerina SAKELLAROPOULOU (independent) elected president by Parliament – 261 of 300 votes

expected date of next election: 2030

Legislative branch

legislature name: Hellenic Parliament (Vouli Ton Ellinon)

legislative structure: unicameral

number of seats: 300 (all directly elected)

electoral system: proportional representation

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 4 years

most recent election date: 6/25/2023

parties elected and seats per party: New Democracy (ND) (158); Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) (47); Panhellenic Socialist Movement – Movement for Change (PASOK-KINAL) (32); Communist Party (KKE) (21); Other (42)

percentage of women in chamber: 22.9%

expected date of next election: June 2027

note: only parties surpassing a 3% vote threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; parties need 10 seats to become formal parliamentary groups but can retain that status if the party participated in the last election and received the minimum 3% threshold

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or Areios Pagos (consists of 56 judges, including the court presidents); Council of State (supreme administrative court) consists of the president, 7 vice presidents, 42 privy councilors, 48 associate councilors and 50 reporting judges, organized into six 5- and 7-member chambers; Court of Audit (government audit and enforcement) consists of the president, 5 vice presidents, 20 councilors, and 90 associate and reporting judges

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by presidential decree on the advice of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which includes the president of the Supreme Court, other judges, and the prosecutor of the Supreme Court; judges appointed for life after a 2-year probationary period; Council of State president appointed by the Greek Cabinet to serve a 4-year term; other judge appointments and tenure NA; Court of Audit president appointed by decree of the president of the republic on the advice of the SJC; court president serves a 4-year term or until age 67; tenure of vice presidents, councilors, and judges NA

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal and Courts of First Instance (district courts)

Political parties

Coalition of the Radical Left-Progressive Alliance or SYRIZA-PS
Communist Party of Greece or KKE
Course of Freedom
Democratic Patriotic Movement-Victory or NIKI
Greek Solution
New Democracy or ND
PASOK – Movement for Change or PASOK-KINAL
Spartans

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ekaterini NASSIKA (since 27 February 2024)

chancery: 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300

FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/the-embassy/

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Tampa (FL), San Francisco

consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Maria OLSON (since January 2025)

embassy: 91 Vasillisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens

mailing address: 7100 Athens Place, Washington DC 20521-7100

telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951

FAX: [30] (210) 724-5313

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://gr.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Independence

3 February 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire)

note: the national revolt against the Ottomans began on 25 March 1821; the London Protocol recognizing Greek independence was signed on 3 February 1830 by Great Britain, France, and Russia

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Flag description

nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; a blue square with a white cross is in the upper hoist-side corner; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country; there is no set meaning for the stripes and colors

note: Greek legislation states that the flag colors are cyan and white, but cyan can mean “blue” in Greek, so the exact shade of blue has never been set and has varied from a light to a dark blue over time; the blue is now usually an azure

National symbol(s)

Greek cross (white cross on a blue field)

National color(s)

blue, white

National coat of arms

the coat of arms was designed by Greek artist Kostas Grammatopoulos and has been in use since 1975; depicted in the national colors of blue and white; the white cross represents the country’s primary religion, Greek Orthodoxy, and the laurel branches symbolize victory

National anthem(s)

title: “Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian” (Hymn to Freedom)

lyrics/music: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS

history: adopted 1864; the anthem is based on a 158-stanza poem by the same name, which was inspired by the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Ottomans (only the first two stanzas are used); Cyprus also uses “Hymn to Freedom” as its anthem

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 19 (17 cultural, 2 mixed)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Acropolis, Athens (c); Archaeological site of Delphi (c); Meteora (m); Medieval City of Rhodes (c); Archaeological site of Olympia (c); Archaeological site of Mycenae and Tiryns (c); Old Town of Corfu (c); Mount Athos (m); Delos (c); Archaeological Site of Philippi (c)

Economy

Economic overview

high-income EU and eurozone economy; growth above euro average, supported by private consumption and EU fund investments; structural reforms strengthening public finances and enhancing resilience within banking system; declining unemployment but low labor productivity and skill shortages

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$392.205 billion (2024 est.)
$383.493 billion (2023 est.)
$374.753 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 54

Real GDP growth rate

2.3% (2024 est.)
2.3% (2023 est.)
5.7% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 142

Real GDP per capita

$37,800 (2024 est.)
$36,900 (2023 est.)
$35,900 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 62

GDP (official exchange rate)

$257.145 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.7% (2024 est.)
3.5% (2023 est.)
9.6% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 76

GDP – composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 3.3% (2024 est.)

industry: 15.4% (2024 est.)

services: 68% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

comparison rankings: services 44; industry 162; agriculture 127

GDP – composition, by end use

household consumption: 66.9% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 19.3% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 15.2% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.5% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 43.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -48.4% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

maize, wheat, sheep milk, oranges, tomatoes, milk, peaches/nectarines, grapes, watermelons, barley (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate

6.1% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 30

Labor force

4.655 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 92

Unemployment rate

10.2% (2024 est.)
11.1% (2023 est.)
12.5% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 149

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 24.7% (2024 est.)

male: 23.2% (2024 est.)

female: 26.6% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 35

Population below poverty line

18.8% (2021 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income

33.4 (2022 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

comparison ranking: 102

Average household expenditures

on food: 16.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 4.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.7% (2022 est.)

highest 10%: 25.7% (2022 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

0.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues: $105.353 billion (2022 est.)

expenditures: $110.844 billion (2022 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Public debt

190.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 2

Taxes and other revenues

26.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 11

Current account balance

-$16.399 billion (2024 est.)
-$15.008 billion (2023 est.)
-$22.623 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

comparison ranking: 187

Exports

$108.424 billion (2024 est.)
$107.218 billion (2023 est.)
$106.189 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 46

Exports – partners

Italy 12%, Germany 6%, Cyprus 6%, Bulgaria 4%, USA 4% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

refined petroleum, packaged medicine, aluminum, olive oil, tobacco (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$122.408 billion (2024 est.)
$119.234 billion (2023 est.)
$127.82 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 43

Imports – partners

Germany 10%, China 10%, Italy 8%, Iraq 7%, Netherlands 6% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, packaged medicine (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$15.222 billion (2024 est.)
$13.608 billion (2023 est.)
$12.061 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

comparison ranking: 68

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
0.924 (2024 est.)
0.925 (2023 est.)
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 24.169 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 46.929 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports: 3.24 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports: 8.152 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 5.346 billion kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 166; imports 31; exports 48; consumption 55; installed generating capacity 44

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 48.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 17.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 23.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 9.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

production: 10.469 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption: 10.091 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports: 5 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 49,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 2.876 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 308,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 10 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 1.323 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption: 3.344 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports: 8.362 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports: 11.619 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 991.09 million cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

92.693 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 56

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 4.962 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 29

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 11.3 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 89

Broadcast media

broadcast media dominated by the private sector; roughly 150 private TV channels, about 10 of which broadcast nationwide; 1 state-owned terrestrial TV channel with national coverage; 3 privately owned satellite channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV services available; over 1,500 radio stations, all privately owned; state-owned broadcaster has 2 national radio stations

Internet country code

.gr

Internet users

percent of population: 85% (2023 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 4.48 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total 39

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

82 (2025)

comparison ranking: 64

Heliports

59 (2025)

comparison ranking: 34

Railways

total: 2,345 km (2020) 731 km electrified

Merchant marine

total: 1,215 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 132, container ship 4, general cargo 79, oil tanker 299, other 701

comparison ranking: total 20

Ports

total ports: 57 (2024)

large: 1

medium: 7

small: 7

very small: 42

ports with oil terminals: 13

key ports: Alexandroupoli, Iraklion, Kerkira, Ormos Aliveriou, Piraievs, Soudha, Thessaloniki, Volos

Military and Security

Military and security forces

Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF; Ellinikes Enoples Dynamis, EED): Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES; includes National Guard), Hellenic Navy (Elliniko Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia, EPA; includes air defense) (2025)

note 1: the police (under the Ministry of Citizen Protection) and the armed forces (Ministry of National Defense) share law enforcement duties in certain border areas; the Greek Coast Guard is under the Ministry of Shipping Affairs and Island Policy

note 2: the National Guard was established in 1982 as an official part of the Army to help protect Greece and provide reinforcements and support to the Army in peacetime and in times of mobilization and war

Military expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
3.1% of GDP (2023)
3.9% of GDP (2022)
3.7% of GDP (2021)
2.9% of GDP (2020)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 115,000 active-duty Armed Forces (80,000 Army; 15,000 Navy; 20,000 Air Force) (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military’s inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons and equipment from Europe and the US; in recent years, France, Germany, and the US have been major suppliers; Greece’s defense industry is capable of producing a range of military hardware, including naval vessels and associated subsystems (2024)

note: Greece is in the midst of a military modernization program which includes acquisitions of fighter aircraft and naval ships from France and armored vehicles and tanks from Germany; it has also boosted purchases of US equipment, including fighter aircraft upgrades, helicopters, and naval patrol craft

Military service age and obligation

19-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 12-month obligation for all services (note – as an exception, the duration of the full military service is 9 instead of 12 months if conscripts, after the initial training, serve the entire remaining time in certain areas of the eastern borders, in Cyprus, or in certain military units); 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2023)

note 1: compulsory service applies to any individual whom the Greek authorities consider to be Greek, regardless of whether the individual considers himself Greek, has a foreign citizenship and passport, or was born or lives outside of Greece; Greek citizens living permanently outside of Greece have the right to postpone their conscription; they are permanently exempted from their military obligations when they reach the age of 45 years old

note 2: as of 2023, women comprised nearly 17% of the military’s full-time personnel

Military deployments

approximately 1,000 Cyprus; 110 Kosovo (NATO); 120 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2024)

Military – note

the Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF) are responsible for protecting Greece’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; the HAF also maintains a presence on Cyprus (the Hellenic Force in Cyprus or ELDYK) to assist and support the Cypriot National Guard; as a member of the EU, NATO, and other international organizations, the HAF participates in multinational peacekeeping and other security missions abroad, taking a particular interest in missions occurring in the near regions, such as the Balkans, the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, the Middle East, and North Africa; areas of focus for the HAF include instability in the Balkans, territorial disputes with Turkey, and support to European security through the EU and NATO

Greece’s NATO membership is a key component of its security; it became a NATO member in 1952 and occupies a strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean on NATO’s southern flank; Greece is host to several NATO facilities, including the Deployable Corps Greece (NDC-GR) headquarters in Thessaloniki, the Combined Air Operations Center in Larissa, the Multinational Peace Support Operations Training Center in Kilkis, the Multinational Sealift Coordination Center in Athens, and the Naval Base, Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre, and NATO Missile Firing Installation at Souda, Crete (2025)

Space

Space agency/agencies

Hellenic Space Center (HSC; aka Hellenic Space Agency; established 2018) (2024)

Space program overview

has a relatively new and growing space program focused on building and operating satellites; also researches and develops technologies in a variety of other space sectors, including such areas as remote sensing (RS), telecommunications, defense, environmental studies, and agricultural development; has a national space strategy; as a member of the European Space Agency (ESA), it contributes to, participates in, and benefits from ESA capabilities and programs; cooperates with space agencies and commercial space sectors of ESA and EU member states, as well as the US; has a robust commercial space sector that researches, develops, and produces a variety of space technologies and capabilities, including satellite components, electronics, sensors, and communications (2024)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Revolutionary Struggle (RS); Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide