Greece
(Greek Hellas), officially known as the Hellenic Republic (Greek Ellinik� Dimokrat�a),
country in southeastern Europe, occupying the southernmost part of the Balkan Peninsula
and numerous islands. It is bordered on the northwest by Albania, on the north by the
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and by Bulgaria, on the northeast by Turkey, on the
east by the Aegean Sea, on the south by the Mediterranean Sea, and on the west by the
Ionian Sea. The total area is 131,957 sq km (50,949 sq mi), of which about one-fifth is
composed of islands in the Aegean and Ionian seas. Athens is the capital and largest city.
The mainland portion of Greece comprises the regions of Thrace and Macedonia in the north;
Epirus, Thessaly (Thessal�a), and Central Greece in the central section; and, in the
south, the Pelop�nnisos (Peloponnesus), a peninsula, which is connected to the rest of
the mainland by the Isthmus of Corinth. The Corinth Canal, completed in 1893, passes
through the Isthmus of Corinth, making an artificial island of the Pelop�nnisos. The
remainder of Greece consists of islands, which include Euboea (�vvoia); Crete (Kr�ti);
the Northern Sporades; the Cyclades, Dodecanese, and Ionian Islands; and Ikar�a (Icaria),
Kh�os (Chios), L�mnos (Lemnos), L�svos (Lesbos), S�mos (Samos), Samothr�ki
(Samothrace), and Th�sos. The coastal waters of Greece are shallow and penetrate far
inland. The gulfs of Corinth and Saronik�s, separated by the Isthmus of Corinth, divide
the Pelop�nnisos from central and northern Greece. The country, despite its indented
coasts, has few good harbors. The Gulf of Saronik�s has the best anchorages, notably in
the fine natural harbor of Pirai�vs (Piraeus), which is the port of Athens. K�rkira
(Corfu), one of the Ionian Islands, also has an excellent harbor.
Land and Resources
Greece is famous for its natural beauty. The land is mountainous and rugged and, as the
ancient Greek geographer Strabo wrote, "the sea presses in upon the country with a
thousand arms." In natural resources, however, the country is relatively poor.
Although a small country, Greece has a very diverse topography. The most important
physiographic divisions of the country are the central mountains; the damp, mountainous
region in the west; the dry, sunny plains and lower mountain ranges in eastern Thessaly,
Macedonia, and Thrace; Central Greece, the southeastern finger of the mainland that
cradled the city-states of Greece; the mountainous region of the Pelop�nnisos; and the
islands, most of which are in the Aegean. The central mountain area, the Pindus Mountains,
which extends in a northern to southern direction, is one of the most rugged, isolated,
and sparsely populated parts of the country. Mount Olympus (2917 m/9570 ft), the highest
peak of Greece, was considered in ancient times to be the home of the gods. The western
slopes, which extend through Epirus down to the Ionian Sea, are somewhat lower and more
hospitable. The southeastern extremity of Central Greece, known as Attica, is broken into
many isolated valleys and plains by mountain ridges. The most famous part of Greece, the
Athenian plain, is in Attica. The largest plain of the eastern coastal area, however, is
in Boeotia, to the north of Attica. Thessaly, a plain ringed by mountains, is one of the
more fertile parts of the country. Macedonia has the largest plains in Greece. Thrace, to
the east of Macedonia, has a varied topography consisting of mountains, valleys, and
several coastal plains. The Pelop�nnisos is mountainous, but to a lesser degree than
Central Greece, and is shaped somewhat like a giant hand with impassable mountain ridges
extending like fingers into the sea. Between the mountain ridges are narrow valleys, which
are isolated from one another, but which open onto the sea. The western section of the
Pelop�nnisos is less mountainous than the eastern section. The islands of the Aegean Sea
are generally high, rugged, stony, and dry, and consequently their contribution to the
economic life of the country is limited. They are important, however, because of their
great beauty, historical importance, potential for tourism, and strategic military value.
Climate
The climate of Greece is similar to that of other Mediterranean countries. In the lowlands
the summers are hot and dry, with clear, cloudless skies, and the winters are rainy. The
mountain areas are much cooler, with considerable rain in the summer months. Frost and
snow are rare in the lowlands, but the mountains are covered with snow in the winter. The
rainfall varies greatly from region to region. In Thessaly less than 38 mm (less than 1.5
in) of rain falls in some years, whereas parts of the western coast receive about 1270 mm
(about 50 in). The mean annual temperature in Athens is about 17� C (about 63� F); the
extremes range from a normal low of -0.6� C (31� F) in January to a normal high of
37.2� C (99� F) in July.
Natural Resources
Greece is poorly endowed with natural resources of economic value. Only 23 percent of the
land is arable; the rest consists mostly of barren mountains. The forests, probably
abundant in ancient times, have to a great extent been depleted. Subsequent soil erosion
has made reforestation efforts difficult. Greece has little black coal, and its lignite is
of poor quality. The country does have significant petroleum and natural gas deposits,
however. They are located under the Aegean Sea, near the island of Th�sos. The deposits
of bauxite and iron ore are rich in metal content, but the reserves of other commercially
important minerals, such as chromium, nickel, copper, uranium, and magnesium, are
relatively small. Although the waters surrounding the country are inhabited by a large
variety of fish, only a relatively few species are plentiful.
Environmental Problems
Rapid industrialization in Greece during the 1970s has resulted in heavy air pollution. It
is a serious environmental problem in Athens, where the government called 19 air pollution
emergencies between 1982 and 1989. In addition to causing human respiratory problems, the
smog erodes marble and other stone and has pocked and discolored many of Greece's
monuments and statues. Pollution-monitoring stations have been installed throughout
metropolitan Athens and in numerous other Greek cities. Recent efforts have reduced air
pollution from heating and industry. Although motor vehicles must comply with emissions
standards, automobile exhaust, particularly from diesel-powered vehicles, is still a major
source of pollution. Water pollution is also a problem, especially in the gulfs of
Saronik�s and Therma�k�s, where untreated industrial wastes, sewage, and municipal
wastewater are discharged.
Plants and Animals
Greece has a great diversity of vegetation. From sea level to an elevation of about 460 m
(about 1500 ft), oranges, olives, dates, pomegranates, figs, cotton, and tobacco are
grown. From about 120 to 460 m (about 400 to 1500 ft) deciduous and evergreen forests are
found, where oak, black pine, chestnut, beech, and sumac grow. Tulips, hyacinths, and
laurel are also characteristic of the area. Firs and such wild flowers as anemone and
cyclamen are found above about 1220 m (about 4000 ft), and mosses and lichens predominate
above about 1525 m (about 5000 ft). Wildlife includes boar, European black bear, lynx,
jackal, chamois, deer, fox, badger, and weasel. Among the birds are the hawk, pelican,
egret, pheasant, partridge, nightingale, turtledove, and stork.