Greece
History: The earliest traces of human habitation in Greece date from the Palaeolithic period (120,000 – 10,000 B.C. approximately). Greeks call themselves Hellenes. At the fifth century, Greeks had organised themselves into independent citizen states, known as polis, such as Athens, Sparta, Ephesus, Byzantion and Marseilles. Each polis had its own laws, currency and government. Each one was strongly independent, so they fought among themselves for dominance. Greece is famous for its polytheistic Dodecatheon (the Twelve Gods) mythology, which was common until the first century, when Christianity widely spread across the nation. The divisions in Greece were prominent until the Greek War of Independence. The result of the Greek War of Independence was the formation of an independent Greek kingdom in 1830, which, however, covered only a restricted territory. During the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, new areas with Greek populations are gradually integrated into the Greek state. The Greek state takes its contemporary form after the end of World War II. In 1974, after a seven year dictatorship, a referendum was held and the system of government changed from a constitutional monarchy to a Presidential Parliamentary Democracy; Greece has been a member of the European Community/Union since 1981.
Current News: Greece has been experiencing serious economic hardship. In April of 2010, Greek debt was downgraded to junk bond status. Years of unrestrained spending, cheap lending and failure to implement financial reforms left Greece badly exposed when the global economic downturn struck. The country's national debt is $413.6 billion, which is bigger than its own economy.
Current News: Greece has been experiencing serious economic hardship. In April of 2010, Greek debt was downgraded to junk bond status. Years of unrestrained spending, cheap lending and failure to implement financial reforms left Greece badly exposed when the global economic downturn struck. The country's national debt is $413.6 billion, which is bigger than its own economy.
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Karolos Papoulias
Greece President
Greece President
Population: 11.28 million (2012)
Median Age: 41.8 years
Education Levels: The Greek educational system is mainly divided into three levels, primary, secondary and tertiary, with an additional post-secondary level providing vocational training. Primary education is divided into kindergarten lasting one or two years, and primary school spanning six years (ages 6 to 12).
Life Expectancy:80.74 years (2011)
RacialMakeup: Major: Greeks Minor: Albanians, Romans, Turks, Bulgarians and Pomaks, Romanians, Russians, Georgians and Armenians
Principal religions: Greek Orthodoxy is constitutionally recognised as the "prevailing religion" of Greece, but there is also Catholicism,Hellenic Neopaganism, Judaism,Protestantism and Islam
Current GDP: 249.1 billion USD (2012)
Per Capita GDP: 22,442 USD (2012)
Average Income: 19,095 USD a year
Trade: Exports-Refined Petroleum, Packaged Medicaments, Aluminium Plating, Non-fillet Fresh Fish, and Copper Pipes (Italy, Germany, Turkey, Cyrprus, Bulgaria)
Imports- Crude Petroleum, Refined Petroleum, Packaged Medicaments, Passenger and Cargo Ships , and Petroleum Gas (Germany, Italy, Russia, China, Netherlands)
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greecehttp://www.ancientgreece.com/s/History/
http://www.heritage.org/index/country/greece
http://www.investingreece.gov.gr/default.asp?pid=16
Median Age: 41.8 years
Education Levels: The Greek educational system is mainly divided into three levels, primary, secondary and tertiary, with an additional post-secondary level providing vocational training. Primary education is divided into kindergarten lasting one or two years, and primary school spanning six years (ages 6 to 12).
Life Expectancy:80.74 years (2011)
RacialMakeup: Major: Greeks Minor: Albanians, Romans, Turks, Bulgarians and Pomaks, Romanians, Russians, Georgians and Armenians
Principal religions: Greek Orthodoxy is constitutionally recognised as the "prevailing religion" of Greece, but there is also Catholicism,Hellenic Neopaganism, Judaism,Protestantism and Islam
Current GDP: 249.1 billion USD (2012)
Per Capita GDP: 22,442 USD (2012)
Average Income: 19,095 USD a year
Trade: Exports-Refined Petroleum, Packaged Medicaments, Aluminium Plating, Non-fillet Fresh Fish, and Copper Pipes (Italy, Germany, Turkey, Cyrprus, Bulgaria)
Imports- Crude Petroleum, Refined Petroleum, Packaged Medicaments, Passenger and Cargo Ships , and Petroleum Gas (Germany, Italy, Russia, China, Netherlands)
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greecehttp://www.ancientgreece.com/s/History/
http://www.heritage.org/index/country/greece
http://www.investingreece.gov.gr/default.asp?pid=16