GREECE

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: Mainland Greece includes the regions of Thrace and Macedonia in the north; Epirus, Thessaly, and Central Greece in the central section; and the Pelopónnisos, a peninsula connected to the rest of the mainland by the Isthmus of Corinth, in the south. Of Greece’s more than 2,000 islands, only about 170 are inhabited. Major islands include Crete, Euboea, Ikaría , Khíos, Límnos, Lésvos, Sámos, Samothráki, and Thásos. Greece also has four island groups: the Northern Sporades, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, and the Ionian Islands. Like much of the mainland of which they are geological extensions, the islands are generally mountainous and dry. The islands of the Aegean Sea are hilly, rugged, stony, and dry. About 80 percent of Greece’s land area is mountainous. The Pindus Mountains, with an average elevation of about 2,650 m, extend from north to south through the middle of the mainland. A northeastern spur of the Pindus range includes Greece’s highest point, Mount Olympus, considered in ancient times to be the home of the gods. Lower mountain ranges, including the Taíyetos Mountains on the Pelopónnisos, generally run from northeast to southwest through the country, including on the islands. Much of Greece lies in an earthquake zone, and earthquakes occur frequently. In 1978 an earthquake inflicted considerable damage on the city of Thessaloníki. Greece’s rivers are relatively short, and many dry up in the summer. None of the rivers are navigable. The country’s major rivers include the Vardar, the Struma, the Néstos, and the Aliákmon, all of which flow through the region of Macedonia to the Aegean. Measuring 297 km, the Aliákmon is the longest river in Greece. Greece is relatively poor in natural resources. Bauxite, from which aluminum is produced, is the most significant mineral resource, and there are also deposits of asbestos, nickel, magnesite, and marble. The country has little black coal, and its lignite is of poor quality. The reserves of other commercially important minerals, such as chromium, copper, uranium, and magnesium, are relatively small. Greece’s small petroleum deposits, located under the Aegean Sea near the island of Thásos, are rapidly being depleted. There are no significant reserves of natural gas. Greece’s forests, probably abundant in ancient times, have been significantly depleted. Subsequent soil erosion has made reforestation efforts difficult. Although much of Greece’s soil is rocky and dry, the country’s mountains are interspersed with small valleys where the soils are of the rich Mediterranean terra rosa variety. Cultivated fields and orchards cover 30 percent of the country. The fertile plains of Thessaly, Macedonia, and western Thrace are prime agricultural areas.
AGRICULTURE: A distinctive feature of Greek farming is the traditionally small size of landholdings. Principal crops include tobacco, cotton, sugar beets, vegetables, grapes and other fruit, and olives. Livestock, primarily sheep and goats, are a significant part of Greece’s agricultural output.
ENERGY: The energy sector in Greece has developed rapidly since World War II. Electricity production increased by almost 50 percent during the 1980s, due largely to the expansion of coal-burning thermoelectric stations. Two-thirds of the country’s energy is produced in power stations burning domestically produced coal. Hydroelectric power stations produce 9 percent of the country’s electricity. The rest comes from oil-fired generators. Almost all of Greece’s oil is imported.
TOURISM: Services, including tourism, account for the largest sector of the Greek economy. In 2004 services contributed 70 percent of the GDP. The hot, dry summers that characterize most of Greece, combined with the many fine beaches along its extensive coastline, make it a favored tourist destination. Tourism represents about 20 percent of service sector revenues. Greece’s large ferry fleet is also an important service sector employer. In 2004, 13.3 million tourists visited Greece. The majority of foreign visitors were from other European countries, the United Kingdom and Germany in particular. Popular tourist destinations include the Acropolis in Athens, the palace of Knossos on Crete, and the temple of Apollo at Delphi, as well as Aegean Islands such as Míkonos and Thíra, and the Ionian island of Corfu.