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GREECE FACTS
The official name of Greece is the Hellenic Republic.
With an area of 50,949 square miles, Greece is roughly the size of Alabama.
Greece has more than 2,000 islands, of which approximately 170 are populated. The largest island, Crete, covers 3,189 square miles.
No point in Greece is more than 85 miles from water. With about 9,000 miles of shore, Greece is the country with the 10th longest coastline in the world.
Over 40% of the population lives in Athens.
Greece has more archaeological museums than any other country in the world.
The National Anthem of Greece contains 158 verses; no one has memorized all of them.
The first Olympic Games took place in 776 B.C. The first Olympic champion, a Greek cook named Coroebus, won the sprint race.
Greece is the world’s third largest producer of olives. Some olive trees planted in the 13th century are still producing olives today.
Greeks consume more olive oil per capita than any other group of people.
Greek ships make up 70% of the European Union’s total merchant fleet. According to Greek law, 75% of a ship’s crew must be Greek.
No one in Greece can choose to not vote. Voting is required by law for every citizen who is 18 or older.
Approximately 16.5 million tourists visit Greece each year, more than the country’s entire population. Tourism constitutes nearly 16% of the gross domestic product.