Greece by Marina Miller

President of Greece

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

Karolos Papoulias is the president of Greece's Parliamentery Republic

To vote, or not to vote, there is no question

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

Suffrage in Greece is not so much a right as a requirement. Voting is required by law for every citizen who is 18 or older

In case you get lost...

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

Greece has zero navigable rivers because of the mountainous terrain. Nearly 80% of Greece is mountainous.

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

Currency

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

The currency in Greece is the Euro

Flag

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

The current flag of Greece (adopted in 1978) is shown below with 9 horizontal stripes, alternating blue and white (sky blue and white), with a cross in the upper left corner. The cross stands for Eastern Orthodox Christianity, or Greek Orthodox, the predominant religion in Greece. The nine stripes have varying backgrounds, but a common theory is that they stand for the amount of syllables in the Greek battle cry "Eleutheria H Thanatos", which roughly translates as "Freedom or Death". (Thanatos is the God of Death in Greek mythology).

Point of Interest

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

A popular place for any tourists and cruises, Mykonos, Greece is filled with rich history, legends, beaches and bays.

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

Languages

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

Greek - 99%, other (English and French included) - 1%

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gr.html

Religions

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gr.html

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

National Anthem

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

"Hymn to Liberty"

Pfft!

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

After giving a compliment, Greeks make a puff of breath through pursed lips, as if spitting. This is meant to protect the person receiving the compliment from the “evil eye.”

Culture Clash!

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

Greeks do not wave with an open hand. In fact, it is considered an insult to show the palm of he hand with the fingers extended. Greeks wave with the palm closed.

Major Cities

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

Most of the inhabitants of Greece reside in either the capital city Athens, or Thessaloniki, which combined make up for nearly 5 million of the total population of Greece. The next largest city of Patras, which holds about 200 thousand people.

1. Athens
2. Thessaloniki
3. Patras
4. Heraklion
5. Larissa

Points of Interest in the Capital

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

The capital city of Greece, as well as its largest, is Athens. Athens itself is filled with a rich history of Greek worship and gods, and some of the architecture still remains standing today, such as the Parthenon, a beautiful construction of lime built on the Acropolis Hill of Athens, as well as Acropolis Hill itself. Democracy was born here, and many a great leaders were born in this very city. It is now a popular tourist site due to its background and beauty.

Brief History...

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

"In 1830, Greece gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire. 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. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a group of military officers seized power, establishing a military dictatorship that suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country. In 1974, democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. In 2010, the prospect of a Greek default on its euro-denominated debt created severe strains within the EMU and raised the question of whether a member country might voluntarily leave the common currency or be removed."

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gr.html

Population

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

As of 2014, the population in Greece is estimated to be about 10,775,557 people.

Climate

mcmiller0215 — 2017-02-14 04:03:46 UTC

The climate in Greece is fairly temperate, with some mild, but wet winters, and dry summers.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gr.html