Greece
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Greece, officially called the Hellenic Republic is located
in the south of Europe on the Mediterranean and bordered by Albania, the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. Greece’s territory includes
over one hundred inhabited islands; the main groups of islands are the Ionian,
the Northeast Aegean, the Cyclades, and the Dodecanese. Crete is the largest
island. There are numerous smaller islands of which few are inhabited.
Athens is the capital and the largest city with the highest number of residents;
Thessaloniki is the next most populated city.
Greece is mountainous and hilly with a rocky terrain and a long coastline. The
climate is Mediterranean: hot summers with mild winters
Population: The population of Greece was estimated at 10,688,058 in 2006. Many
Greeks have migrated to countries around the world. Australia and the United
States have large Greek communities. Sydney is said to be the world’s largest
Greek city apart from Athens.
Languages: Greek is the official language but many Greeks also speak English and
French. Greek uses its own alphabet which is very different from the Roman
alphabet used in English and the western European languages.
Religion: Christianity was established as the official religion in the fourth
century. The Greek Orthodox Church is the official religious body. There are
very small Muslim and Jewish communities.
Sport: As with most countries, football is the most popular sport. Basketball
also has a large following. The Greek coastline and Mediterranean climate
attract many water sports enthusiasts for sailing, windsurfing, water skiing and
scuba-diving. The country’s main contribution to sport has, of course, been the
establishment of the Olympic games and the main athletics’ disciplines such as
discus, javelin, long jump and footraces. The first Olympic Games of the modern
era were held in Athens in 1896.
In 2004 Greece won the European Football Cup and the Olympic Games were hosted
in Athens.
Holidays: The Greek Orthodox calendar contains many saints days. The main
religious festival is Easter; Christmas New Year’s Day, Independence Day and May
Day are also major celebrations. There are many cultural and arts festivals.
October 28th is the main patriotic holiday: Okhi (No) Day, the day when Greece
refused to surrender to Mussolini’s invasion.
