Greece: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 11, 2026

News •

Death toll from migrant boat found with bodies on board south of Greece increases to 14 • Nov. 9, 2026, 1:01 PM ET (AP)

Capsizings cause the deaths of 12 migrants off Greek islands • Oct. 19, 2026, 9:46 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Ellás • Ellinikí Dhimokratía • Hellenic Republic
Head Of Government	Prime Minister: Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Capital	Athens
Population	(2026 est.) 9,267,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 0.904 euro
Head Of State	President: Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou
Form Of Government	unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (Hellenic Parliament [300])
Official Language	Greek
Official Religion	See footnote 1.
Official Name	Ellinikí Dhimokratía (Hellenic Republic)
Total Area (Sq Km)	132,049
Total Area (Sq Mi)	50,984
Monetary Unit	euro (€)
Population Rank	(2026) 95
Population Projection 2030	9,874,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2026) 181.8
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2026) 70.2
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 81% • Rural: (2024) 19%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2024) 79.3 years • Female: (2024) 84.5 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2024) 236,498
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2024) 22,730
¹The autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church has special recognition per the constitution.

Photos and Videos

Grand neoclassical building of the Academy of Athens with tall columns, wide steps, and large statues of seated philosophers on either side of the entrance.

Political map of Greece showing international boundaries, major cities, and surrounding seas including the Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Sea of Crete. Neighboring countries Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey are also labeled. Numerous Greek islands are identified, and an inset locator map highlights Greece's position in Europe.

Map showing Greece and its location in southern Europe, bordered by Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey, with the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Aegean Sea to the east. The capital city, Athens, is marked. Surrounding countries including Italy, Serbia, Romania, Kosovo, Libya, and Egypt are also labeled.

Map of Greece highlighting its physical features, including major mountain ranges such as Mount Olympus, plains, and numerous islands like Crete, Rhodes, and Corfu. Surrounding bodies of water-the Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea-are labeled, and a small locator map in the corner shows Greece's position in southern Europe. Neighboring countries Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey are also shown.

coastal islands, Aegean Sea, Greece

Pindus Mountains

Rocky summit of Mytikas on Mount Olympus rises sharply above surrounding ridges, with clouds and distant valleys visible below on the border of Macedonia and Thessaly, Greece.

Exploring Athens: A fusion of history and modernity

Exploring the Metéora monastery complex

National anthem of Greece

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

Ypsilanti family World War II Greco-Turkish War European Monetary Union Greco-Turkish War Second Balkan War League of Nations European Union North Atlantic Treaty Organization nation-state United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Eastern Orthodoxy: In Greece

Marble bust of Aristotle with a beard and draped robe, showing detailed facial features and wavy hair, set against a dark background.

Aristotle

Greek philosopher

Socrates

Socrates

Greek philosopher

The Greek philosopher Plato

Plato

Greek philosopher

Caravaggio: The Conversion of St. Paul (second version)

St. Paul the Apostle

Christian Apostle

Alexis Tsipras

Alexis Tsipras

prime minister of Greece

Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis wearing a suit and tie, looking slightly to his left.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis

prime minister of Greece

Venizélos

Eleuthérios Venizélos

prime minister of Greece

default image

Konstantinos Karamanlis

Greek statesman

Papandreou, George

George Papandreou

prime minister of Greece

Samaras, Antonis

Antonis Samaras

prime minister of Greece

Papandreou, Andreas

Andreas Papandreou

prime minister of Greece

Kapodístrias, detail of a portrait by an unknown artist, 19th century; in the Historical and Ethnological Museum of Greece, Athens

Ioánnis Antónios, Komis Kapodístrias

Greek statesman

default image

Costas Simitis

prime minister of Greece

Kostas Karamanlis

Kostas Karamanlis

prime minister of Greece

default image

Georgios Papandreou

prime minister of Greece

Papademos, Lucas

Lucas Papademos

prime minister of Greece

Mercouri, Melina

Melina Mercouri

Greek actress and politician

default image

Theódoros Dhiliyiánnis

prime minister of Greece

George II

George II

king of Greece

Bergman, Ingrid; Paxinou, Katina; Cooper, Gary; For Whom the Bell Tolls

Katina Paxinou

Greek actress

default image

Mesolóngion

Greece

default image

Attica

department, Greece

default image

Salamis

Greece

Map showing the countries of Europe with national capitals and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea.

Europe

continent

Athens: Acropolis

Athens

national capital, Greece

Crete, Greece

Crete

island, Greece

Árgos

Árgos

Greece

Byzantine church of Áyios (Saint) Dimítrios, Thessaloníki, Greece

Thessaloníki

Greece

Thebes: Cadmea

Thebes

Greece

city of Corfu (Kérkyra), Greece

Corfu

island, Greece

Dodecanese, Greece: Kárpathos

Dodecanese

islands, Greece

Rhodes

Rhodes

Greece

Macedonia, Greece

Macedonia

region, Greece

Pylos

Pylos

ancient site, Greece

Laconia, Greece

Laconia

department, Greece

Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.

Which Country Is Larger? Quiz

Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)

Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz

Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society

Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz

Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

The Country Quiz

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries & Their Features

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz

7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia

Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz

10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres

You Name It!

Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries of the World

Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.

Geography Fun Facts