Greece - At a Glance

Name: Hellenic Republic, Elleniki Dimokratia
Size: approx. 132,000 km2 (approx. 107,000 km2 of mainland and 25,000 km2 of islands) [approx. 50,965 mi2 (approx. 41,313 mi2 of mainland and 9,652 mi2 of islands)]
Location: Peninsula and island state in southeastern Europe. Greece shares a border with Albania and the former Yugoslavian republic Macedonia in the northwest and with Bulgaria and Turkey in the north.
Language(s): Modern Greek
Population: Approx. 10.7 million. (as of 2007)
Capitol: Athens (Greater Athens/Pireas approx. 4.5 million inhabitants)
Form of Government: Parliamentary Democracy
Member of: United Nations, EU, NATO, Europarat, OECD, WTO, WHO, as well as other special organisations of the United Nations
Currency: Euro

Climate and Travel Season: Mediterranean climate with strong seasonal and regional variations. Average temperatures for Athens: 10°C/50°F during the winter and 28°C/82.4°F in the summer; however, peak temperatures may exceed these values considerably.
From March to June, visitors can expect mild temperatures and abundant flora. The main season is from June to September, the hottest months are July and August during which the temperature can climb to over 35°C/95°F. The "small summer" in October and November is followed by a relatively mild winter. In the mountainous regions, there are isolated winter sports offerings.
Time Zone: Middle European Time + 1 (UTC+2)

Important Tourist Destinations: Chalkidiki, Corfu, Crete, Lesbos, Rhodos, Santorin, Thessaloniki.

Highlights: Thanks to its numerous islands, Greece has a coastline of about 15,000km (9,321 miles) – the longest coastline in Europe. In 2007, the "Blue Flag" seal of approval for the quality of beaches and bathing seawater was given to 430 Greek beaches.^1,2,3