Greece

Fact Sheet :

- Area : 131,940 sq km

- Population : 10,760,136 (July 2011 est.)

- Capital : Athens

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

- Currency : euro (EUR)

- Government type : parliamentary republic

- Elements of History :

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. 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.

- Climate :

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