Country Profile: Greece

Greece, located in Southern Europe, is a mountainous nation bordered by the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean Seas, sharing land borders with Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Turkey. It has a population of approximately 10.5 million people, predominantly Greek, with a rich cultural heritage influenced by its historical significance as the cradle of Western civilization. The economy is classified as high-income and relies heavily on tourism, agriculture, and services, with ongoing recovery from a past economic crisis. Greece operates as a parliamentary republic, with a strong democratic framework shaped by its historical journey from monarchy to a modern state.

Geography

Greece is situated at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, featuring a diverse landscape of mountainous terrains and a vast coastline of 13,676 km, which contributes to its rich maritime culture. The country covers an area of 131,957 square kilometers, slightly smaller than Alabama, and includes about 2,000 islands. Greece experiences a temperate climate, characterized by mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.

• 131,957 sq km - total area
• 13,676 km - coastline length
• 2,917 m - highest point (Mount Olympus)
• 6 nm - territorial sea
• 41.7% - agricultural land usage (2023 est.)

People and Society

Greece has a population of around 10.5 million people, with a significant proportion residing in urban areas, particularly metropolitan Athens, which is home to about one-third of the population. The nation is predominantly ethnically Greek, with the main religion being Greek Orthodox. Major urban areas such as Athens and Thessaloniki play key roles in the socio-economic fabric of the country.

• 10,461,091 - total population (2024 est.)
• 80.7% - urban population (2023 est.)
• 1.06 male(s)/female - sex ratio for ages 0-14 years
• 46.5 years - median age (2024 est.)
• 81.9 years - life expectancy at birth (2024 est.)

Economy

Greece's economy is categorized as a high-income EU economy with growth rates surpassing the euro area average, aided by private consumption and investments from the EU. Despite a history of economic struggles, reforms have strengthened public finances, though challenges such as low labor productivity and skill shortages persist. The service sector dominates, with significant contributions from tourism.

• $392.205 billion - GDP (PPP, 2024 est.)
• 10.2% - unemployment rate (2024 est.)
• 68% - services sector contribution (2024 est.)
• $37,800 - GDP per capita (PPP, 2024 est.)
• $108.424 billion - exports (2024 est.)

Government

Greece is a parliamentary republic with a legislative assembly known as the Hellenic Parliament, comprising 300 members elected through proportional representation. The government is led by a Prime Minister and a President, with the current Prime Minister being Kyriakos Mitsotakis since June 2023. Greek citizens enjoy universal suffrage at 17 years of age.

• Hellenic Republic - official name
• Athens - capital city
• 300 - total number of parliamentary seats
• 17 years - voting age
• Konstantinos Tasoulas - current President (since March 2025)

Military and Security

The Hellenic Armed Forces (HAF) comprise the Army, Navy, and Air Force, dedicated to safeguarding Greece's territorial integrity. The military is actively involved in NATO missions, reflecting Greece's strategic position in the Eastern Mediterranean. Military expenditures are significant, projected at 2.9% of GDP in 2025.

• 112,000 - active-duty military personnel (2025)
• 2.9% - military expenditure as a percentage of GDP (2025 est.)
• 1,000 - military deployments in Cyprus (2025)
• 19-45 years - compulsory military service age for men
• HAF - participates in EU and NATO missions

Energy

Greece's energy landscape is shifting towards renewable sources, with solar and wind making up significant portions of electricity generation. The total installed electricity capacity is approximately 24.169 million kW, and the nation is fully electrified as of 2022.

• 100% - electrification of the total population (2022 est.)
• 46.929 billion kWh - electricity consumption (2023 est.)
• 48.9% - fossil fuels in electricity generation (2023 est.)
• 1.323 million cubic meters - natural gas production (2023 est.)
• 10.469 million metric tons - coal production (2023 est.)

Environment

Greece faces several environmental challenges including air and water pollution as well as biodiversity loss. Its natural resources include lignite, petroleum, and various minerals. The government is a party to numerous international environmental agreements aimed at protecting its rich biodiversity and maintaining sustainable practices.

• 9 - global geoparks (2024)
• 62.06 million metric tonnes - CO2 emissions (2023 est.)
• 22.4% - municipal solid waste recycling rate (2022 est.)
• 8.107 billion cubic meters - agricultural water withdrawal (2022)
• 36.9% - forest area usage (2023 est.)

Transportation

Greece has a well-developed transportation network, including 82 airports and a merchant marine fleet consisting of 1,215 vessels, which plays a crucial role in commerce and tourism.

• 1,215 - merchant marine vessels (2023)
• 82 - total airports (2025)
• 2,345 km - total railway length (2020)
• 57 - total ports (2024)
• 59 - heliports (2025)

Communications

The communications sector in Greece includes extensive mobile and fixed telephone subscriptions, with over 85% of the population having internet access. Broadcast media is largely dominated by the private sector.

• 11.3 million - mobile cellular subscriptions (2023)
• 85% - internet users (2023 est.)
• 4.962 million - fixed-line telephone subscriptions (2023)
• 4.48 million - broadband fixed subscriptions (2023)
• 44 - broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (2023)

Key Metrics

Metric	Value	Note
Population	10,461,091	(2024 est.)
Area	131,957 sq km
GDP (PPP)	$392.205 billion	(2024 est.)
Energy Consumption per Capita	92.693 million Btu/person	(2023 est.)
Birth Rate	7.4 births/1,000 population	(2024 est.)
Unemployment Rate	10.2%	(2024 est.)
Life Expectancy	81.9 years	(2024 est.)
Percentage of Urban Population	80.7%	(2023 est.)
Military Expenditure	2.9% of GDP	(2025 est.)
Total Energy Consumption	46.929 billion kWh	(2023 est.)