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The '''Supermarine Type 224''' was a design submitted by Reginald Mitchell for a RAF competition to select a new fighter in 1934. The design was an all-metal monoplane with a fixed undercarriage and an open cockpit. It featured an interesting cooling system using a steam condenser mounted along the wings which gave the craft continuous reliability problems. In the competition in February 1934 The Type 224 did not perform well compared to the other biplane and monoplane designs It displayed a maximum speed of only 367km/hr(228mph) and took 9.5 minutes to climb to 15, 000 feet (8m/s). Comparatively the winner of the compettion, the gloster entrant which would soon become the Gloster gladiator dsiplayed a top speed of 390km/hr (242mph) and a much better climb rate, acheiveing 15000ft in 6.5 minutes. at this stage in the Monoplane fighters life a biplane would clearly outperform an overconservative monoplane design.
{{Infobox_Country
|native_name = Ελληνική Δημοκρατία<br>''Ellinikí Dhimokratía''
|conventional_long_name = Hellenic Republic
|common_name = Greece
|image_flag = Flag of Greece.svg
|image_coat = Coat of arms of Greece.png
|symbol_type=Coat of arms
|image_map = LocationGreece.png
|national_motto = {{lang|el|Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος}}<br>([[Transliteration]]: {{lang|el|''[[Eleutheria i thanatos]]''}})<br>([[Translation]]: "Freedom or Death")
|national_anthem = {{lang|el|Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν}}<br>("[[Hymn to Freedom]]")
|official_languages = [[Greek language|Greek]]
|capital = [[Athens]] [[Image:ac.athensarms.jpg|20px| ]]|
|latd=38 |latm=00 |latNS=N |longd=23 |longm=43 |longEW=E
|largest_city = [[Athens]]
|government_type = Parliamentary republic<sup>1<sup>
|leader_title1 = [[List of Presidents of Greece|President]]
|leader_title2 = [[List of Prime Ministers of Greece|Prime Minister]]
|leader_name1 =[[Karolos Papoulias]]
|leader_name2 = [[Kostas Karamanlis]]
|accessionEUdate = [[January 1]], [[1981]]
|area_rank = 70th
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
|area= 131,945 <!-- Do not add more information here. It will appear in the "capital" part pf this box. Reason for this bug unknown. -->
|areami²= 50,944 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] -->
|percent_water = 0.8669
|population_estimate = 11,244,118[http://www.statistics.gr] <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] Do not add more information here. It will mess up the infobox-->
|population_estimate_rank = 74th
|population_estimate_year = 2005
|population_census = 10,964,020 [http://www.statistics.gr]
|population_census_year = 2001
|population_density = 80.91
|population_densitymi² =209.5 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] -->
|population_density_rank = 87th
|GDP_PPP = $245.88 billion (2005 official Eurostat data)
|GDP_PPP_rank = 35th
|GDP_PPP_year= 2005
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $22,800 (2005 official Eurostat data)
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 30th
|sovereignty_type = [[Independence]]
|sovereignty_note = From the [[Ottoman Empire]]
|established_event1 = Declared
|established_event2 = Recognized
|established_date1 = [[25 March]] [[1821]]
|established_date2 = [[1829]]
|HDI = 0.912
|HDI_rank = 24th
|HDI_year = 2004
|HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font>
|currency = [[Euro]](€)<sup>2</sup>
|currency_code = EUR
|country_code =
|time_zone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
|utc_offset = +2
|time_zone_DST = [[EEST]]
|utc_offset_DST = +3
|cctld = [[.gr]]
|calling_code = 30
|footnotes = <sup>1<sup> Monarchy rejected by referendum December 8th, 1974.
<sup>2</sup> Prior to 2001: [[Drachma|Greek Drachma]].
}}
{{redirect4|Hellas|Greece}}
==Specifications (Supermarine type 224)==
'''Greece''' ({{lang-el|Ελλάδα}}, {{lang|el|''Elláda''}} ([[IPA]]: [{{IPA|e̞ˈlaða}}]), or {{lang|el|Ελλάς}}, {{lang|el|''Ellás''}} ([[IPA]]: [{{IPA|e̞ˈlas}}])), officially the '''Hellenic Republic''' ({{lang|el|Ελληνική [[wikt: δημοκρατία|Δημοκρατία]]}}, {{lang|el|''Ellinikí Dimokratía''}}), is a country in [[south-eastern Europe]], situated on the southern end of the [[Balkan peninsula]]. It is bordered by [[Bulgaria]], [[Macedonia]] and [[Albania]] to the north and by [[Turkey]] to the east. The [[Aegean Sea]] lies to the east of mainland Greece while the [[Ionian Sea]] lies to the west. Both, parts of the eastern [[Mediterranean]] basin, feature a vast number of [[Greek islands|islands]].
{{aero-specs}}
{{aircraft specifications
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|plane or copter?=plane
|jet or prop?=prop
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|crew=One
|length main=29ft 5in
|length alt=8.97m
|span main=45ft 10in
|span alt=13.97 m
|height main=? ft ?in
|height alt=? m
|area main= ? ft
|area alt= ?m
|empty weight main=lb
|empty weight alt= kg
|loaded weight main=lb
|loaded weight alt= kg
|max takeoff weight main=4743 lb
|max takeoff weight alt= 2151 kg
|engine (prop)=rolls-royce goshawk
Regarded as the cradle of [[western world|western civilization]] and being the birthplace of modern [[Democracy]]<ref>Finley, M. I. Democracy Ancient and Modern. 2d ed., 1985. London: Hogarth.</ref>, Western [[philosophy]]<ref>History of Philosophy, Volume 1 by Frederick Copleston</ref>, the [[Olympic Games]], [[Western Literature]], [[Political Science]] and [[drama]]<ref>Brockett, Oscar G. History of the Theatre. 6th ed., 1991. Boston; London: Allyn and Bacon.</ref> including both [[tragedy]] and [[comedy]], Greece has a very long and remarkably rich history during which its culture has proven to be especially influential in [[Europe]], [[Northern Africa]] and the [[Middle East]]. Today, Greece is a [[developed nation]], member of the [[European Union]] since [[1981]] and a member of the [[Eurozone]] since [[2001]].
|type of prop=
|number of props=1
|power main=680 hp
|power alt=kW
|max speed main=228 mph at 15000 ft
== History ==
|max speed alt=367 km/h at 4575 m
{{main|History of Greece}}
|ceiling main=
|ceiling alt=
|range main=
|range alt=
|climb rate main=1578 ft/min
|climb rate alt=8 m/s
|loading main=
|loading alt=
|power/mass main=
|power/mass alt=
|guns=4× 0.303 in (7.7 mm) [[Vickers machine gun|Vickers Mk IV machine-gun]]s <br>
=== Prehistory and Antiquity ===
}}
The first proof of native intelligent human presence in [[Greece]] came with the discovery of Petralona Archanthropus’ Skull, in [[Chalcidice]] in 1960. The skull has been dated to be at least 70,000 years old, by two German scientists: the anthropologist E. Breitinger and the palaeontologist O. Sickenberg. Extensive research on the issue has been done by the anthropologist Dr. [[Aris Poulianos]] of [[Moscow University]], who claims this discovery obsoletes the [[Indo-European]] theory<!--What Indo-European theory?-->. <ref>[http://www.travel-to-halkidiki.com/page.php?id=24&back=place.php?id=9 40th anniversary since the discovery of Petralona Archanthropes' Skull]</ref> <ref>[http://www.ancientgr.com/Unknown_Hellenic_History/Eng/interview.htm Interview with A. Poulianos] </ref>
The shores of Greece's [[Aegean Sea]] saw the emergence of the first civilizations in Europe, namely the [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]] and the [[Mycenae]]n. After this, a Dark Age followed until around [[800 BC]], when a new era of Greek [[polis|city-states]] emerged, establishing colonies along the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]], and using the new [[Greek alphabet]]. [[Plato]] described how the Greeks live round the Aegean Archipelago "like frogs around a pond"; their name has always been associated with the sea. After the internal struggle between Spartans and Athenians, all parts of Greece were united under the rule of [[Alexander the Great]] and aimed at the defeat of the 'eastern threat' of the Persians. Alexander led the Greeks to a victorious campaign which established a Greek Empire and introduced a new era in world history, the [[Hellenistic]].
=== Byzantine period ===
Militarily, Greece itself declined to the point that the [[Roman Republic|Romans]] conquered the land ([[168 BC]] onwards). Greece became a province of the [[Roman Empire]], but Greek culture continued to dominate the eastern Mediterranean. When the Roman Empire finally split in two, the [[Eastern Roman Empire]], known as the Byzantine Empire, centered around [[Constantinople]] (known in ancient times as [[Byzantium]]), remained Greek in nature, encompassing Greece itself.
[[Image:Ac.christimage.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The most famous of the surviving Byzantine mosaics of the ''Hagia Sophia'' in Constantinople - the image of Christ on the walls of the upper southern gallery. Christ is flanked by the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. The mosaics were made in the 12th century.]]
During the period of the [[Byzantine Empire]] Greece experienced fluctuating fortunes. In the early years many of its works of art were looted by the emperors and taken to Constantinople. Furthermore, although the Byzantines retained control of the Aegean and its islands throughout this period, during the seventh and eighth centuries direct control did not extend far beyond the coast. From about [[Anno Domini|AD]] [[600]] the old cities of Greece shrank considerably due to barbarian raids by the [[Avars]] and [[Slavs]], and were often reduced to shadows of their former selves. As the seventh century progressed, much of Greece was overrun by Slavic peoples from the north, and a period of uncertainty and insecurity followed.
From the late 8th century, the Empire began to recover from the devastating impact of successive invasions, and the reconquest of Greece began. Greeks from [[Sicily]] and [[Asia Minor]] were brought in as settlers. The Slavs were either driven out or assimilated. By the middle of the 9th century, Greece was dominated by those of Hellenic ethnic heritage once more, and Greek cities began to recover due to improved safeguards against barbarous incursion and restored central governance. The history of Greece during the "dark" seventh and eighth centuries AD is not well recorded and a lot of confusion regarding the Slav invasion has been created by the - practically - only historic source, the wiritings of Emperor [[Constantine VII]] Porphyrogenitos compiled in the tenth century AD, i.e. centuries later. In those writings probably exaggerated accounts are included about Slavs "dominating" the countryside mostly in the Western part of Greece, with Greeks pushed to the cities and the Eastern part, the "entire population of [[Patras]] moving to ''Rhegion'' ([[Reggio Calabria]])", Emperor [[Nicephorus I]] eventually defeating and "annihilating" the Slavs, "the population of Patras returning and inhabiting the city again", "two hundred thousand Greek settlers brought from northwestern Asia Minor" etc. Today the scale of these moves is doubted, as is the scale of Slav migration, based on evidence from local dialect continuity and other cultural and social facts.
The invasions of the [[Turkic peoples|Turks]] after the battle of [[Manzikert]] in 1071 and the ensuing civil wars largely passed the region by, and Greece continued its provincial existence unharmed. When the Byzantine Empire was rescued by the resolute leadership of the three Comnenus emperors [[Alexius I]], [[John II]] and [[Manuel I Comnenus]], Greece prospered. Archaeological evidence tells us that many of the medieval towns, including [[Athens]], [[Thessaloniki]], [[Thebes]] and [[Corinth]], experienced a period of rapid and sustained growth, starting in the eleventh century and continuing until the end of the twelfth century. The growth of the towns attracted the Venetians, and this interest in trade appears to have further increased economic prosperity in Greece.
The 11th and 12th centuries are said to be the Golden Age of [[Byzantine art]] in Greece. Many of the most important Byzantine churches in and around Athens, for example, were built during these two centuries, and this reflects the growth of urbanisation in Greece during this period.
However, this medieval prosperity was not to last: During the Crusading epochs between 1204 to 1458, Greece was overrun by warring Byzantine, French and Italian knights of the Holy Roman Empire.
From the [[4th century]] to the [[15th century]], the Byzantine Empire had survived eleven centuries of attacks from the north, west and east until [[Fall of Constantinople|Constantinople fell]] on [[May 29]] [[1453]] to the [[Ottoman Empire]]. Its last emperor, [[Constantine XI]], was thought to have died fighting on the walls and buried anonymously along with his troops. The empire had been for centuries the center of Christendom from the ancient classical world of the Roman Empire to the dawn of the Renaissance. Throughout this medieval era it had remained a source of constancy. But during the [[15th century]], Greece was gradually conquered by the Ottomans.
===Ottoman period===
[[Image:Vryzakis.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Theodore Vryzakis, ''The sortie of Messologhi'']]
While the [[Ottomans]] were completing the main conquest of the Greek Mainland, two Greek migrations occurred. The first migration saw the Greek intelligentsia migrate to [[Western Europe]] — especially to Italy — and contribute to the advent of the [[Renaissance]]. The second migration of Greeks left the plains of the Greek peninsula and resettled in the mountains, the islands and Greek regions outside Ottoman control. In the mountainous regions, the Ottomans were unable to create a permanent military and administrative presence. As a result some Greek mountain clans across the peninsula, as well as some islands, were able to maintain a status of independence. The Sphakiots of [[Crete]], the [[Souliots]] from Souli of [[Epirus (region)|Epirus]], and the Maniots from [[Mani Peninsula|Mani]] of [[Peloponnese|Peloponnesus]] were the most resilient mountain clans throughout the Ottoman Empire. By the end of the 16th century and until the 17th century, Greeks began to migrate back to the plains and cities, adding to the increasing urban population. The [[Millet (Ottoman Empire)|millet]] system contributed to the ethnic cohesion of Orthodox Greeks by segregating the various peoples within the Ottoman Empire based on religion. The [[Orthodox]] Church, a religious institution with a keen sense of its national character, contributed to the Greeks from all geographical areas of the peninsula (i.e. mountains, plains, and islands) to preserve their ethnic, cultural and linguistic heritage during the years of the Ottoman rule (although at the time it was not strictly speaking a "Greek" church — the Greek Church was instituted after the liberation). The Greeks who remained on the plains during Ottoman occupation were either Christians, who dealt with the burdens of foreign rule, or to a considerable extent Crypto-Christians (Greek Muslims who were secret practitioners of the Orthodox faith) in order to avoid heavy taxation. The Greeks who converted to [[Islam]] and were not Crypto-Christians became [[Turkic peoples|Turks]] in the eyes of Orthodox Greeks. Therefore, there was no recognition of "Greek Muslims", or of "Christian Turks". As a result, religion played an integral part in the formation of the Modern Greek and other post-Ottoman national identities.
=== Creation of the modern Greek state ===
The Ottomans ruled Greece until the early [[19th century]]. On March 25, 1821 (also the same day as the Greek Orthodox day of the [[March 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)|Annunciation of the Theotokos]]), the Greeks [[Greek War of Independence|rebelled and declared their independence]], which was finally recognized in 1829. The elites of powerful European nations saw the [[Greek War of Independence]], with its accounts of Turkish [[atrocity|atrocities]], in a romantic light (see, for example, the 1824 painting ''the Massacre of [[Chios]]'' by [[Eugène Delacroix]]). Scores of non-Greeks volunteered to fight for the cause — including people like [[George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron|Lord Byron]] (Byron provided several seagoing vessels for use in the Greek Navy). At times the Ottomans seemed on the verge of entirely suppressing the Greek revolution but were eventually forced to give in by the direct military intervention of [[France]], [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]], and [[Russia]]. This was the prelude of the so called "[[Eastern Question]]", the gradual dismemberment of the decaying empire by the western powers. The Russian ex-minister of foreign affairs, [[Ioannis Kapodistrias]], himself a Greek noble from the Ionian Islands, was chosen as President of the new Republic following Greek independence. However, that republic was soon dissolved by the Great Powers which then installed a "Greek" monarchy. The Great Powers did not wish the Greeks to govern themselves and also claimed that they were not capable of doing so; as such they looked elsewhere for a prospective monarch. The first king, [[Otto of Greece|Otto of Bavaria]], was of the German [[Wittelsbach|House of Wittelsbach]] and the subsequent line was from the Germano-Danish [[Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg|House of Oldenburg]]. During the 19th and especially the early [[20th century|20th]] centuries, in a series of wars with the Ottomans, Greece sought to enlarge its boundaries to include the ethnic Greek population of the Ottoman Empire (the Ionian Islands were donated by Britain upon the arrival of the new king from Denmark in 1863, and Thessaly was ceded by the Ottomans without a fight). As a result of the [[Balkan Wars]] of 1912-13 [[Crete]], [[Chios]], [[Samos]], Epiros and southern [[Macedonia]] were incorporated into Greece. Greece would slowly grow in territory and population until reaching its present configuration in 1947.
In addition to a gradual territorial expansion, the War of Independence also set in motion significant internal changes including the establishment of major new cities and centres of trade. The first of these was [[Ermoupoli]] (also often spelled "[[Hermoupolis]]", located on the island of [[Syros]] (often called "Syra" in the 19th century). Many thousands of Greek islanders found themselves compelled to flee from their homes, and [[Syros]] was the island on which a great many eventually settled. Their numbers increased greatly following the massacre of [[Chios]] in 1822 and the devastation of [[Psara]] in 1824. The new city of [[Ermoupoli]] was soon established, more than half of its inhabitants originated from [[Chios]]. In a very short time [[Ermoupoli]] became the main city in Greece, with a vast economy and social life. Thousands of ships were built and launched at [[Syros]] in the 19th century. The [[Greek Steamship Company]] of [[Ermoupoli]] was the first in Greece. The first telegraph station in Greece was established there in 1858, eventually followed by the [[Eastern Telegraph Company]] in the 1870s with more than 100 employees making [[Syros]] a major hub in their globespanning telegraph network.
The second major city to grow forth from the springboard of the War of Independence was [[Athens]] itself. This ancient centre had fallen into the doldrums, but was relaunched with great aplomb in 1834 (at that time Athens only had a population of 5,000). In that year Athens was formally adopted as the capital of Greece, and after several decades of growth eventually managed to overtake [[Ermoupoli]] in both size and economic significance.
The third major centre to emerge in the aftermath of the War of Indepence was [[Piraeus]], which in 1834 was selected to be the port of [[Athens]]. Historically the port has been linked to Athens since very ancient times. [[Piraeus]] has three natural harbours and thus is ideally equipped to handle large vessels in large numbers. By the 1880s it had grown enormously as a centre for shipbuilding and as a general hub of shipping.
Rather later in the scheme of things was the late 19th century creation of the [[Corinth Canal]]. The canal was built between 1881 and 1893. Its completion saved ships from a 400km jouney around the Peloponnesus in those days (the canal is too narrow for modern shipping vessels).
===World War I and its aftermath===
[[Image:He-ref-chios-painting.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Eugène Delacroix]], Massacre at Chios]]
In [[World War I]], Greece sided with the [[entente]] powers against the [[Ottoman Empire]] and the other [[Central Powers]]. In the war's aftermath, the [[Great Powers]] awarded a small part of [[Asia Minor]] to Greece, centered around the city of [[Smyrna]] (known as [[Izmir]] today) which had a majority of Greek population. At that time, however, the Turkish nationalists, led by [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]], denounced the Sultan's government in Istanbul and formed a new one in Ankara. During the [[Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)|Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922)]] the Turks eventually defeated the Greek armies and regained control of Asia Minor. Soon afterwards, the [[Treaty of Lausanne]] was signed, fixing the borders to this date. A population exchange was included in the agreement and immediately afterwards, around five hundred thousand Turks (including Muslim Greeks) then living in mainland Greek territory left for Turkey in [[Population exchange#Turkey and Greece: population exchange.2C 1922|exchange]] for more than 1.22 million Greek residents of Asia Minor (excluding [[Constantinople]], Imvros and Tenedos).
In 1936, General [[Ioannis Metaxas]] established an [[authoritarian]] [[conservative]] [[dictatorship]] in Greece known as the [[4th of August Regime]]. Greece under Metaxas is compared to Spain at the time, although it lacked the political violence associated with [[Francisco Franco]]'s regime.
Shortly before the outbreak of [[World War II]], a free vote of the Greek people was held resulting in an overwhelming vote to restore the monarchy under King Constantine I's eldest son, King George II of Greece.
===World War II===
On [[28 October]] [[1940]], the [[Italy|Italian]] dictator [[Benito Mussolini|Mussolini]] called on the Greeks to allow the troops to enter the country and to surrender its arms. Though Greece was alone and most of Europe occupied by the [[Axis Powers|Axis]], the Greek government gave a simple negative response (see [[Oxi Day]]) — thereby immediately siding with the [[Allies]]. The Italian troops poured over from Albania. The Greek counter-attack along the Albanian front gave the Allies their first victory against the Axis forces (see [[Greco-Italian War]]). Eventually, Mussolini's armies were saved from defeat with the intervention of Italy's Axis ally, [[Germany]], since [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] and his generals needed to secure their strategic southern flank. German forces whose ranks included troops from [[Bulgaria]] and [[Italy]] successfully invaded Greece, overran and occupied Greece in April–May 1941 ([[Battle of Greece]]). Germany held onto the country until 1944 when German troops withdrew.
In May 1941, to reduce the threat of a counter-offensive by Allied forces in [[Egypt]], the Germans attempted to [[Battle of Crete|seize Crete]] in a massive attack by [[paratroop]]s. Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, however, offered fierce resistance. Although Crete eventually fell, it is pointed out by historians and even the significant figures of the war that this, and the whole Greek campaign, delayed German plans significantly, with the result that the [[Operation Barbarossa|German invasion]] of the [[Soviet Union]] started fatally close to winter. In addition, the extremely heavy losses of [[paratroop]] forces sustained by the Germans in Crete foiled a planned German campaign in the Middle East against British-held Iraq and its oil fields.
During the years of [[Nazism|Nazi]] occupation, hundreds of thousands of Greeks died in direct combat, in concentration camps, or of starvation. The winter of 1941–1942 was especially brutal, as the occupying forces carried out a country-wide, systematic confiscation of all foodstuffs as punishment for delaying critical German war plans in Eastern Europe. Ultimately, the threat of a general rebellion was used by the Archibishop Damaskinos of Athens to convince the Germans to relent and abandon the confiscation of food in the spring of 1942. Greek partisan resistance to the occupation was fierce, often with bitter retaliation from the occupiers. Perhaps the most ignominious example of this is the massacre at [[Kalavryta]], where the entire male population (1258 men) of the city of Kalavrita were executed on a single day, 13th December 1943. The occupiers murdered the greater part of the [[Jewish]] community despite efforts by the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Greek Orthodox]] Church and many Greeks to shelter their fellow Jewish Greek citizens. The Jewish community of [[Thessaloniki]] suffered the heaviest toll by far. During the war the Greek economy languished. After liberation, Greece experienced an equally bitter [[Greek Civil War]] between the communist-led Democratic Army and the [[Hellenic Army]] that lasted until 1949, when the communists were defeated in the battle of Grammos-Vitsi.
===Post-war development and turmoil===
During the 1950s and 1960s, Greece experienced gradual and consistent economic growth, aided by significant grants and loans by the [[United States]] through the [[Marshall Plan]]. However, starting in [[1965]], a series of turbulent political events unfolded that led to severe political uncertainty. The crisis eventually got out of hand for both the elected government and King [[Constantine II of Greece|Constantine II]] and ended dramatically in the early hours of [[April 21]], [[1967]]. That morning, a coordinated effort by a number of Colonels and other military officials succeeded in a [[coup d'etat]] and they soon managed to establish a fierce [[military junta]]. General elections planned by the conservative government to be held on May 28 never took place. In the following years, a number of supporters of the left wing as well as a number of politicians and [[communist]]s were arrested and brutally tortured by the regime. Other politicians, however, evaded capture and found political refuge in such European countries as [[France]] and [[Sweden]]. Nevertheless, the then head of state, former [[Constantine II of Greece|King Constantine]] officially acknowleged the new regime and it was duly recognized by the international community. Diplomatic relations continued unabated. In 1973, however, the junta abolished the [[Kings of Greece|Greek monarchy]]. Later that same year, in October of 1973, the head of the junta, colonel [[George Papadopoulos]] appointed politician [[Spiros Markezinis]] as the Prime Minister. A few weeks later, on [[November 14]], law students that opposed the regime realized that the obvious parody of this "government" would not end unless they took some serious form of action. Therefore they decided to take control of the Athens Law School and in so doing they inspired the students of the [[National Technical University of Athens|Athens Polytechnic School]], who imitated them.
It should be noted that institutions of higher education in Greece are considered to provide political asylum. By [[November 16]], however, the streets around the Polytechnic School resembled a battlefield, leaving no choice for the junta than to respond with military tactics. In the early hours of November 17, a tank smashed the gate of the historical building of the Athens Polytechnic School causing bloodshed. Twenty students were killed. However, the now-famous [[Athens Polytechnic Uprising]] marked the beginning of a series of events that would eventually result to the end of Papadopoulos' rule. One week later, on November 25 both Papadopoulos and Markezinis were overthrown by a countercoup headed by junta hardliner Brigadier [[Dimitrios Ioannides|Ioannides]]. A new head, [[Phaedon Gizikis]], and a new Prime Minister, [[Adamantios Androutsopoulos]], were appointed by the regime. Ioannides, however, had even more in his mind. The following July, he backed a planned coup d'etat to overthrow the Cypriot President, Archibishop [[Makarios III|Makarios]]. This gave a pretext for neighbouring Turkey to intervene militarily, alledgedly to protect the Turkish minority that resided on the island. [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|Turkey invaded Cyprus]] on [[July 20]], [[1974]] and managed to occupy the northern part or a third of its territory. The colonels did not succeed in either predicting the Turkish action or in effectively mobilizing their armed forces in order to prevent it. This signaled the end for the regime that collapsed within a matter of days.
===Newfound stability===
In the evening of [[July 23]], [[1974]], ex Premier [[Constantine Karamanlis]] was invited back from [[Paris]] where he had found a political refuge. In the morning hours of the following day, the plane carrying him landed in [[Athens]] amidst massive celebrations by cheering crowds that could not believe that the ordeal they had to endure for seven years was over. Karamanlis was immediately appointed as the interim prime minister under President [[Phaedon Gizikis|Gizikis]]. Karamanlis founded the [[conservative]] {{lang|el|[[New Democracy|Nea Dimokratia]]}} party and he then won the elections. Democracy had finally been restored and a democratic republican constitution came into force in 1975. In addition, a referendum held that same year, confirmed the will of the overwhelming majority of the Greek people to abolish the monarchy — this time democratically. Therefore former King [[Constantine II of Greece|Constantine II]] and his family remained in Britain and were not allowed free access to the country until 2004. Meanwhile, yet another prominent figure of the past, charismatic politician [[Andreas Papandreou]] had also returned from the [[United States]] and he had already founded the Panhellenic Socialist Party or [[PASOK]]. Karamanlis won the [[1977]] parliamentary elections as well but he resigned in [[1980]], giving his way to [[George Rallis]]. However, Papandreou won the elections held on [[October 18]], [[1981]] by landslide and he formed the first socialist government in the history of the nation. Papandreou dominated the Greek political course for almost 15 years, up until his death in [[June 23]], [[1996]].
===Greece as a member of the European Union===
The country became the tenth member of the [[European Union]] on [[January 1]], [[1981]]. Over the course of the last 25 years, and particularly during this past decade, Greece has experienced a remarkable economic growth. Widespread investments in industrial enterprises and heavy infrastructure as well as funds from the European Union and growing revenues from tourism, shipping and services have raised the standard of living to unprecedented levels. The country adopted the [[Euro]] in [[2001]].
===Greco-Turkish relations===
{{main|Greco-Turkish relations}}
Relations between Greece and neighboring [[Turkey]] had improved substantially, after successive earthquakes hit both countries in the summer of [[1999]]. The so called "earthquake diplomacy" came after an unprecedented outpouring of sympathy and generous assistance provided by ordinary Greeks and Turks in each of those cases. Greece was the first one to take the initiative to provide valuable help after a monstrous, magnitude 7.4 [[earthquake]] leveled much of the Turkish northwest on [[August 17]], [[1999]], killing more than 17,000 people. Turks also responded immediately after a magnitude 5.9 quake jolted [[Athens]] on [[September 7]] of that same year, killing 143 people. These generous, brave acts took many foreigners by surprise and led to a considerable breakthrough in bilateral relations, marred by decades of hostility over territorial disputes and the situation in the divided island of [[Cyprus]]. In [[January 1996]], the countries reached the brink of war after a Turkish military invasion on the tiny, uninhabited islets of [[Imia/Kardak|Imia]], situated in the southeastern [[Aegean Sea]]. While Greece insisted that according to all treaties and conventions the islets belong to Greece, Turks claimed that the relevant articles were rather unclear. The crisis escalated within only a few days and it was only after the personal intervention of U.S President [[Bill Clinton]] that it came to an end.
Ten years later, Greece has become one of the chief advocates of Turkey's struggle to enter the [[European Union]], despite considerable skepticism by a number of European nations on whether Turkey should indeed enter that prestigious club. Yet, despite the confidence Greece and [[Cyprus]] have showed, voting YES for [[Turkey]] in order to begin its entry negotiations with the [[European Union]] in [[October]] 2005, certain key issues remain unresolved. Furthermore, [[Turkey]] still denies access to Cypriot vessels to its territory, an obligation towards the EU with a [[2006]] deadline. Other unfulfilled obligations include [[Christian]] minority rights, acknowledgement of the [[Orthodox Church of Constantinople]] and the role of the [[Ecumenical Patriarch]].
In [[May 2006]], Greco-Turkish relations entered a new phase of tension, after the mid-air collision of a Greek F-16 with a Turkish F-16 resulting to the death of the Greek pilot. Constant airspace violations and provocations by [[Turkey]] as well as a multitude of internal political problems faced by the Turkish government, have led Greece fear that relations with that neighbouring, muslim country may have entered a ''cold war'' period. The [[April 2006]] [[European Commission]]'s report for Turkey stated that it has sadly changed its objectives and targets from struggling to become a democratic, EU-orriented country to maintaining its status as a military-controlled country with a decreased interest for human rights.
===The 2004 Olympic Games===
{{main|2004 Olympic Games}}
On [[September 5]], [[1997]], the International Olympic Committee awarded the [[2004 Olympic Games]] to [[Athens]]. Some concerns were raised by certain foreign media over Greece's ability to meet specific construction deadlines as well as its ability to handle a potential terrorist attack. By the end of the Games, a number of international media apologised, on page, for their harsh criticism of Greek preparations. In effect, the [[2004 Olympic Games]] were widely hailed as a spectacular success.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3610014.stm].
== Politics ==
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:KOSTA KARAMANLIS.jpg|frame|right|Kostas Karamanlis, Prime minister of Greece]] -->
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{{morepolitics|country=Greece}}
The 1975 [[constitution]] includes extensive specific guarantees of civil liberties. The President of the Republic, elected by an increased majority of the Parliament for a term of five years, is nominally the Head of State.
However, it is the [[Prime Minister]] and [[cabinet (government)|cabinet]], as well as the Vouli (parliament) that play the central role in the political process, while the president performs limited governmental functions, in addition to ceremonial duties.
Greeks elect the 300 members of the country's [[unicameral]] parliament (the {{lang|el|''[[Vouli ton Ellinon]]''}}) by secret ballot for a maximum of four years, but elections can occur at more frequent intervals. Greece uses a complex reinforced [[proportional representation]] electoral system which discourages splinter parties and ensures that the party which leads in the national vote will win a majority of seats. A party must receive 3% minimum of the total national vote to gain representation. Typically, a 41%+ is sufficient to guarantee the rule by a single party.
Greek parliamentary politics hinge upon the principle of the "{{lang|el|''dedilomeni''}}", the "declared confidence" of Parliament to the Prime Minister and his/her administration. This means that the President of the Republic is bound to appoint as Prime Minister a person who will be approved by a majority of the Parliament's members (i.e. 151 votes). With the current electoral system, it is the leader of the party gaining a plurality of the votes in the Parliamentary elections who gets appointed Prime Minister. An administration may, at any time, seek a "vote of confidence"; conversely, a number of Members of Parliament may ask that a "vote of reproach" be taken. Both are rare occurrences with usually predictable outcomes as voting outside the party line happens very seldom.
On [[March 7]], [[2004]], [[Kostas Karamanlis]], president of the [[New Democracy]] party and nephew of the late [[Constantine Karamanlis]], was elected as the new [[Prime Minister of Greece]], thus marking his party's first electoral victory in nearly 11 years. Karamanlis took over Government from [[Kostas Simitis]], who had been in office since [[January 1996]].
{{see|List of political parties in Greece}}
== Peripheries and prefectures ==
{{main articles|[[Peripheries of Greece]], and [[Prefectures of Greece]]}}
[[Image:Greece.geohive.gif|thumb|400px|[[Subnational|Greek peripheries and prefectures]].]]
===Peripheries===
Greece consists of 13 administrative regions known as peripheries, which subdivide further into the 51 [[Prefectures of Greece|prefecture]]s ({{lang|el|''nomoi''}}, singular — {{lang|el|''[[nomos]]''}}). For more detailed maps of the peripheries and/or prefectures, see the [[Peripheries of Greece]] or [[Prefectures of Greece]] articles.
===Autonomous region===
Beyond these one autonomous region exists: [[Mount Athos]] ({{lang|el|''Agio Oros''}} — Holy Mountain) in [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]], a monastic state under Greek sovereignty.
===Prefectures===
The 51 {{lang|el|''nomoi''}} subdivide into 147 {{lang|el|''eparchies''}} (singular {{lang|el|''eparchia''}}), which contain 1,033 [[Communities and Municipalities of Greece|municipalities and communities]]: 900 urban municipalities ({{lang|el|''demoi''}}) and 133 rural communities ({{lang|el|''koinotetes''}}). Before 1999, Greece's local government structure featured 5,775 local authorities: 457 {{lang|el|''demoi''}} and 5,318 {{lang|el|''koinotetes''}}, subdivided into 12,817 localities ({{lang|el|''oikismoi''}}).
== Geography ==
{{main|Geography of Greece}}
[[Image:Gr-map.png|thumb|200px|right|Map of Greece]]
[[Image:Greece-001.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Greece as seen from orbit]]
Greece consists of a large mainland at the southern end of the [[Balkans]]; the [[Peloponnese|Peloponnesus]] peninsula (separated from the mainland by the canal of the [[Isthmus of Corinth]]); and [[Greek islands|numerous islands]] (around 3,000), including [[Crete]], [[Rhodes]], [[Kos]], [[Euboea]], the [[Dodecanese]] and the [[Cyclades|Cycladic]] groups of the [[Aegean Sea]] as well as the [[Ionian Sea]] islands. Greece has more than 15,000 [[kilometre]]s (9,300 [[mile|mi]]) of coastline and a land boundary of 1,160 kilometres (721 mi). Approximately 27.9% of the nation's territory is covered by forests.[http://www.mongabay.com/deforestation_pcover.htm]
Four fifths of Greece consist of mountains or hills, making the country one of the most mountainous in [[Europe]]. Western Greece contains a number of lakes and wetlands and it is dominated by the [[Pindus]] mountain range. Pindus has a maximum elevation of 2,636 metres (8,648 [[foot (unit of length)|ft]]) and it is essentially a prolongation of the [[Dinaric Alps]]. The range continues through the western Peloponnese, crosses the islands of [[Kythera]] and Antikythera and find its way into southwestern Aegean, in the island of [[Crete]] where it eventually ends. (Actually the islands of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains that once consisted an extension of the mainland). Pindus is characterized by its high, steep peaks, often dissected by numerous canyons and a variety of other karstic landscapes. Most notably, the impressive [[Meteora]] formation consisting of high, steep boulders provides a breathtaking experience for the hundrends of thousands of tourists who visit the area each year. Special lifts transfer visitors to the scenic monasteries that lye on top of those rocks. Meteora are situated in the [[Trikala]] prefecture. The Vikos-Aoos Gorge is yet another spectacular formation. The Vicos-Aoos Gorge is a popular hotspot for those in fond of extreme sports.
[[Mount Olympus]] is the tallest mountain in the country, located in the northern [[Pieria]] prefecture, near [[Thessaloniki]]. Mytikas in Olympus range has a height of 2,919 metres (9,570 ft) at its tallest peak. Once considered the throne of the Gods, it is today extremely popular among hikers and climbers who deem its height as a challenge. Moreover, northeastern Greece features yet another high altitude mountain range, the Rhodope range, spreading across the prefectures of Eastern Macedonia and [[Thrace]]; this area is covered with vast, thick, ancient forests including the famous Dadia.
Expansive plains are primarily located in the prefectures of [[Thessaly]], Central Macedonia and Thrace. They constitute key economic regions as they are among the few arable places in the country. [[Volos]] and [[Larissa]] are the two largest cities of Thessaly.
Greece's [[climate]] consists of three types that influence well defined regions of its territory. Those are the Mediterranean, the Alpine and the Temperate types. The first one features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, Eastern Peloponessus and parts of the Sterea Ellada refion are mostly affected by this particular type. Temperatures rarely reach extreme values although snowfalls do occur occasionally even in the Cyclades or Crete during the winter months. The Alpine type is dominant mainly in Western Greece (Epirus, Central Greece, Thessaly, Western Macedonia as well as in the western and central parts of Peloponessus, including the prefectures of [[Achaea]], [[Arkadia]] and parts of [[Lakonia]], where the [[Pindus]] range passes by). Finally the Temperate type affects both Central and Eastern Macedonia as well as Thrace, mainly affecting the cities of [[Komotini]], [[Xanthi]] and the towns of northern [[Evros]]; it features cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers. [[Athens]] is located in a transitional area featuring both the Mediterranean and the Alpine types. The city's northern suburbs are dominated by the Alpine type while the downtown area and the southern suburbs enjoy a typical Meditteranean type.
Rare marine species such as the Pinniped Seals and the [[Loggerhead Sea Turtle]] live in the seas surrounding mainland Greece, while its dense forests are home to the endangered [[brown bear]] , the [[lynx]], the [[Roe Deer]] and the Wild Goat.
== Economy ==
{{main|Economy of Greece}}
Greece has a mixed [[capitalist economy]] with the public sector accounting for about 40% of the [[Gross Domestic Product|GDP]]. The Greek [[tourism]] industry remains thriving and its contribution in the GDP growth is considered important for foreign exchange earnings. Greece is a global leader in [[shipping]] (ranking first in terms of ownership of vessels and third by tonnage and flag registration) [http://www.marad.dot.gov/MARAD_statistics/Country-MFW-7-04.pdf]. Exports of manufactured goods including telecommunications hardware and software, agricultural products and other foodstuff and fuels account for a significant part of Greek income.
The country is the largest investor in southeastern [[Europe]] as far as the previous sectors are concerned. After the end of the [[Greek Civil War]] in [[1949]] and for more than two decades Greece achieved the second highest economic growth rate in the world after [[Japan]], resulting in a dramatic improvement of living standards (the "[[Greek economic miracle]]"). Since Greece became a full member of the [[European Union]], on [[January 1]], [[1981]], it has benefited from cohesion funds, along with [[Portugal]], [[Spain]] and [[Ireland]]. Those funds have proven particularly helpful to the nation's economic development since the 1980s. Starting in [[1989]], Greece joined the ranks of (22 at that time) "[[developed countries]]".
[[Image:1e gre.png|left|thumb|170px|[[Greek euro coins]] with Athena's symbol, the Owl]]
The country enjoys a high standard of living, ranking 24th on the [[2005]] [[Human Development Index]] and 22nd on [[The Economist]]'s 2005 world-wide quality-of-life index[http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/QUALITY_OF_LIFE.pdf]. Average per capita income in 2005 was estimated at $22,800 [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gr.html] or 85% of the [[EU]] average in PPS (Purchasing Power Standards). Greek Economy has seen uninterrupted strong growth since [[1992]] and above the [[EU]] average continuously since [[1994]]. Part of the Greek economy's impressive growth is attributed to the fact that the previous government tightened fiscal policy regulations in the run-up to the country's entry into the [[Eurozone]], set on [[January 1]], [[2001]]([[Greek euro coins]]). Also liberalisation of domestic markets, a modernised banking system, as well as massive investment ahead of the [[2004 Olympic Games]], have fueled the economy even further. With the collapse of communism in the early 1990s, Greece has seen a huge influx of foreign labour force, mainly from neighbouring [[Albania]], but also from [[Pakistan]] and [[Eastern Europe]].
Today the country is dealing with various challenges, including the reduction of [[unemployment]] which currently stands at 9.6%, the reform of the social security system, the partial privatization of the [[public sector]], the overhauling of the tax system and the further reduction of bureaucratic inefficiencies. Forecasts predict that [[2006]] will be yet another year of substantial economic growth, estimated to reach 3.7%, which is above the European Union's average.GDP (PPP) per capita in 2006 is estimated at $23,518<ref>IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2006.</ref> .Reduction of the [[fiscal deficit]] to the Eurozone target of 3% of [[gross domestic product|GDP]] has also become a key issue. Shortly after its election, the new conservative [[New Democracy]] government revealed to the [[Eurostat]] agency that the previous figures supplied to it by the [[PASOK]] government as the basis of the Greek entry into the Eurozone were [[Greek Financial Audit, 2004|not correct]] (although even according to the "corrected" numbers, when calculated with the methodology still in force at the time of the Greek application for entry, the country had actually met the criteria for entry into the Eurozone). Under a negotiated agreement, the EU gave Greece a two year deadline (budgets of 2005 and 2006) in order to bring the deficit in line with the criteria of the [[European]] [[stability pact]]. In 2005, the new government managed to reduce the fiscal deficit by almost two percentage points and the goal of reaching the 3% target by the end of 2006 seems realistic.
The [[Bank of Greece]], now a subsidiary of the [[European Central Bank]], functions as the nation's central bank. This bank is not the same as the "[[National Bank of Greece]]", the country's largest commercial bank.
The [[2006]] Economic Agenda of the Greek government includes the privatization of several state owned companies as well as the creation of a new national airline that will replace [[Olympic Airlines]].
== Tourism ==
{{main|Tourism in Greece}}
Greece has traditionally been one of the most popular tourist destinations on a global basis and each year, particularly in the summer months, the nation's numerous cosmopolitan islands get crammed by millions of international visitors. Unparalleled natural beauties, golden beaches, idyllic sunsets, a legendary nightlife and the world famous [[Greek cuisine]] combined with a unique hospitality and an impressively developing tourism infrastracture make Greece an irresistible hotspot for many. The spectacular success of the [[2004 Olympic Games]] boosted the country's international prestige even further and reaffirmed its status as one of the safest places to be. In [[2004]], Greece ranked 12th in terms of international tourist arrivals when more than 14.2 million visitors came to the country, many of which combining both vacations and attendance of Olympic athletic events. In [[2005]], however, those numbers increased by 14%, surpassing 16.1 million arrivals. In [[2006]], those figures are only expected to grow bigger.
The [[New Democracy]] government, that took power in March 2004, established a brand new Ministry of Tourism headed by Mr. [[Dimitris Avramopoulos]]. Mr. Avramopoulos proved to be a particularly competent man, determined to massively promote the nation to new, emerging markets in addition to the traditional ones, through various means of communication. For instance and among other initiatives, [[Elena Paparizou|Elena Paparizou]], the winner of the [[2005 Eurovision Song Contest]] was designated as the official ambassador of the [http://www.gnto.gr Hellenic Tourism Organization]. An interesting fact that is attributed to all those efforts is that according to a survey conducted in [[China]] in 2005, Greece was voted as the Chinese people's number one choice. On [[February 14]], [[2006]], Ms Fani Palli-Petralia was appointed as the new minister of Tourism as a result of an extensive cabinet reshufle. Mr. Avramopoulos was appointed as the new Health Minister.
Overall, this year the Greek Ministry of Tourism plans to invest more than 38 million euros in the advertisement of the tourism industry, one of the most essential sectors of the Greek economy. That is 4 times more than the amount spent in 2002 by the previous government. What is more, the government intends to promote winter tourism in Greece, something that could potentially double international arrivals.
Apart from [[Athens]], other top ranking tourist destinations include the islands of [[Mykonos]], [[Santorini]], [[Rhodes]], [[Crete]], [[Corfu]], [[Paros]], [[Ios]], [[Kos]], [[Kefallonia]], [[Zakynthos]] and [[Hydra]] as well as the northern [[Halkidiki]] peninsula.
== Demographics ==
{{main|Demographics of Greece}}
The population of Greece is (officially) 98% [[Greeks|Greek]], the main ethnic minorities being [[Turkish people|Turks]], [[Pomaks]], [[Armenians]], [[Jews]] and various [[Roma (people)|Roma]] groups. Additionally, there are numerous linguistic and cultural minorities who nevertheless declare themselves Greeks. Such groups include [[Arvanites]], [[Aromanians]] and [[Minority groups in Greece#Slavic-speaking|Slavophones]] (some of whom determine themselves as [[Bulgarians]] or [[Macedonians (ethnic group)|Macedonian Slavs]], although this is not recognized by the Greek government).
About 60-65% of immigrants to Greece have come from [[Albania]] (following the fall of communism) although some 200.000 have been documented as ethnic [[Greeks]] or {{lang|el|''homogeneis''}}. The other principal [[nationalities]] are, according to residence permit data, [[Bulgarians]], [[Armenians]], [[Romanians]], [[Ukrainians]], [[Pakistanis]] and [[Georgians]]; overall, over 180 different nationalities have been recorded. The legal status of immigrants has been very tenuous since the 1990s (as throughout [[the European Union]]), with high levels of illegality. Since 1997 three legalization programmes were enacted by the Greek state [a fourth went through in 2005].
Several prominent Greek sportsmen migrated to Greece as ethnic Greeks from [[Albania]] and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] in the 1990s, including legendary [[weightlifter]]s [[Pyrros Dimas]] and [[Kakhi Kakhiashvili]].
=== Religion ===
The majority of Greek citizens (95-98%) have at least nominal membership in the [[Church of Greece|Greek Orthodox Church]]. Greek [[Muslim]]s make up about 1.3% of the population, and live primarily in [[Western Thrace|Thrace]]. Greece also has some [[Roman Catholic]]s, mainly in the city of [[Patras]], [[Corfu]], and the [[Cyclades]] islands of [[Syros]], [[Paros]], [[Tinos]], and [[Naxos, Greece|Naxos]]; some [[Protestant]]s and some [[Jew]]s, mainly in [[Thessaloniki]] (which had a major Jewish population until the [[Holocaust]]). Some groups in Greece have started an attempt to reconstruct [[Hellenic polytheism]], the ancient Greek [[paganism|pagan]] religion. See also: [[Church of Greece|Greek Orthodox Church]].
Prior to Ottoman rule, Greece was part of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. The civil and religious capital of the Empire was moved to [[Constantinople]] (modern day [[Istanbul]]) by [[Constantine I (emperor)|Constantine I]]. Since Constantine’s time the Orthodox Christian faith has flourished and spread throughout Eastern Europe. Even under [[Ottoman Empire|Turkish]] rule and repeated attempts at prosyletization — firstly by the [[Jesuits]] and then by the Protestants — [[Orthodox Christianity]] survived and flourished.
The [[Constitution of Greece|Greek Constitution]] reflects this relationship by guaranteeing absolute freedom of religion while still defining the "prevailing religion" of Greece as the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] of Christ. Non-Greek Orthodox members of parliament are sworn in accordance to their own faith.
One small part of Greece, [[Mount Athos]], is recognised by the Greek constitution as an [[Mount Athos|Autonomous Monastic Republic]], although foreign relations remain the prerogative of the Greek state.
Spiritually, Mount Athos is under the Patriarchate of Constantinople and is therefore in communion with all the monasteries on Mount Athos and with the Orthodox Church based in various countries. One monastery has recently broken away and has formed a completely independent schism on the Holy Mountain — Esphygmenou Monastery. Esphygmenou is composed of 117 [[Zealot]] monks who stubbornly oppose the head of the Church and do not commemorate him any more. They believe that they are the last remaining true Christians in the world and that Orthodoxy has been corrupted by having dialogue with other faiths. They also object to the lifting of the anathemas against the [[Roman Catholic Church]] in the 1960s by Patriarch [[Athenagoras]].
The [[Uniate]] [[Greek Byzantine Catholic Church]], which is in union with [[Holy See|Rome]], has a few parishes and chapels in those Greek towns and on those Greek islands, which had been for a longer period of time under [[Venice|Venetian]] rule. Presently this particular Eastern rite Catholic community, which uses the [[Byzantine Rite|Byzantine Greek liturgy]], also takes care of the Ukrainian minority in Greece. [[Latin rite]] Catholics are a larger minority, to be found in the major towns.
[[Jew]]s have been present in Greece for the last 2,300 years. The earliest reference to a Greek Jew is in an inscription, dated circa 300–250 BC found in Oropos, a small coastal town between [[Athens]] and [[Boeotia]], and refers to him as "Moschos, son of Moschion the Jew" who was in all likelihood, a slave. The first Greek Jewish population became known as the [[Romaniotes]] and their language became known as [[Yevanic language|Yevanic]] (from the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] word for Greece: {{lang|he|יון}}/{{lang|he|Yavan}}). From the 16th century onwards, [[Salonica]], a city in northern Greece, had one of the largest (mostly [[Sephardic]] by then) Jewish communities in the world and a solid rabbinical tradition. On the island of [[Crete]], the Jews played an important part in the transport trade. During [[World War II]], when Greece was occupied by [[Nazism|Nazi]] [[Germany]], 86% of the Greek Jews were murdered by the invading Axis and only a minority survived and most of them have emigrated to [[Israel]]. Greece's Jewish community today is estimated at 4,500.
According to the most recent Eurostat "Eurobarometer" poll, in 2005 <ref name="Eurostat poll on the social and religious beliefs of Europeans"> Eurobarometer, http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf</ref>, 81% of Greek citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", whereas 16% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and only 3% that "they do not believe there is a God, spirit, nor life force". This would make Greece one of the most religious countries in the European Union of 25 members, after Malta and Cyprus.
== Culture ==
{{main|Culture of Greece}}
Greece has a particularly rich culture and it has produced a vast number of contributions to philosophy, astronomy, science, and the arts. {{see|List of Greeks}}
==Notes==
<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags-->
<references/>
==See also==
{{portal}}
* [[List of cities in Greece]]
* [[Classics]]
* [[Greek products]]
**[[List of Greek companies]]
* [[Education in Greece]]
* [[List of folk dances sorted by origin#Greece|List of Greek dances]]
* [[List of museums in Greece]]
* [[Greek National Holidays]]
* [[List of research institutes in Greece]]
* [[List of universities in Greece]]
* [[Agriculture in Greece]]
*[[History of Greece]]
**[[Ancient Greece]]
**[[Greek mythology]]
**[[Hellenistic civilization]]
**[[Byzantine Empire]]
**[[Byzantium]]
**[[Ottoman Empire]]
**[[Philhellenism]]
* [[Greek products]]
*[[Greek Language]]
*[[Communications in Greece]]
**[[List of Greek language television channels]]
**[[List of radio stations in Greece]]
*[[Greek newspapers]]
*[[Transportation in Greece]]
**[[List of Greek roads]]
**[[Rio-Antirio bridge]]
**[[Greek Steamship Company]] founded in [[Ermoupoli]] (Hermoupolis), 1856
**[[Corinth Canal]]
*[[Foreign relations of Greece]]
*[[Military of Greece]]
*[[Postage stamps and postal history of Greece]]
*[[Conscription in Greece]]
*[[Plateia Syntagmatos]] and [[Vouli ton Ellinon]]
*[[Greeks]]
*[[Minority groups in Greece]]
*[[List of Greeks]]
*[[Greek American]]
*[[Greek Canadians]]
*[[Greek Australian]]
*[[Greek Jews]]
*[[Human rights in Greece]]
*[[Hellenic National Intelligence Service]]
*[[National Statistical Service of Greece]]
*[[Soma Hellinon Proskopon]]
*[[Eurovision Song Contest 2006]]
== External links ==
{{sisterlinks|Greece}}
*[http://www.badley.info/history/Greece.index.html Chronology of Greece from the World History Database]
*[http://www.gnto.gr/?langID=2/ Official Greek Tourist Organisation site]
*[http://www.statistics.gr/ Official Greek Statistics Site]
*[http://eudocs.lib.byu.edu/index.php/History_of_Greece:_Primary_Documents History of Greece: Primary Documents]
*[http://www.presidency.gr/en/index.htm President of the Hellenic Republic]
*[http://www.primeminister.gr/gr/lang/en/primeminister.asp Prime Minister of Greece]
*[http://www.parliament.gr/english/default.asp Hellenic Parliament]
*[http://www.fhw.gr/chronos/en/ Hellenic History]
*[http://dmoz.org/Regional/Europe/Greece/ Open Directory Project: Greece]
*[http://www.hellenicgenocide.org/ Hellenic Genocide]
*[http://www.hri.org/docs/Horton/hb-title.html Hellenic Genocide:Horton's "Blight of Asia"]
* [http://www.greekroyalfamily.gr/ Greek Royal Family]
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