• Travel advice by country
• Asia and Oceania
• Europe
• Middle East and North Africa
• North and Central America and Caribbean
• South America and South Atlantic Islands
• Sub Saharan Africa
• About our travel advice
• Country profiles
• Asia and Oceania
• Europe
• Middle East and North Africa
• North & Central America and Caribbean
• South America and South Atlantic Islands
• Sub Saharan Africa
• Find Embassies
• Find a special mission
• Find a foreign embassy in the UK
• How we can help FAQs
• Travel news
• Commercial flights information
• Passports
• Staying safe and healthy
• When things go wrong
• Your trip
• Gap year
• Be a responsible tourist
• Living abroad
• Advice for business
• Births, deaths, marriages
• Know Before You Go campaign
• Our publications
• Giving us feedback on our services
• Contact us

Europe

Greece
Last reviewed: 21 November 2011

Country information

Area: 131,990 sq km
Population: 10.94 million (2001 census estimate), 11.306 million (2010 estimate)
Capital City: Athens (population approximately 3.7 million)
People: 98% Greek with Muslim minority comprising Turkic people, Pomaks and Muslim Roma. NB: The Greek government states there are no other ethnic minorities in Greece.
Languages: Greek 99% (official)
Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Currency: euro (EUR)
Major political parties: Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK); party leader George Papandreou. New Democracy (ND - conservative); party leader Antonis Samaras. Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos – left-wing); party leader Alexis Tsipras. Communist Party of Greece (KKE); party leader Aleka Papariga. Popular Orthodox Rally  (LAOS); party leader George Karatzaferis. Democratic Alliance: party leader Dora Bakoyannis. Democratic Left: party leader Fotis Kouvelis.
Government: Greece is a parliamentary democracy. Universal direct suffrage for those over the age of 18. Executive power rests in the 300 member Greek Parliament (Vouli).  An interim National Unity Government was appointed on 11 November 2011, comprising the parties of PASOK, New Democracy and LAOS.
Head of State: President Karolos Papoulias
Prime Minister: Lucas Papademos
Membership of international groups/organisations: European Union (joined the EC in 1981; Greece held the Presidency of the EU from January to June 2003), North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) (joined in 1952), United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Member of the Council of Europe. Member of The Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

Country information

Travel Advice

Travel advice: Greece 

See also

Useful links

• BBC Timeline of Greece
• British Council: Greece
• Greece Now
includes a Greek timeline, city guides, latest news and weather
• Kathimerini
- English language version of Greek daily newspaper
• UK Trade & Investment Country Profile: Greece

FCO Blogger