Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/93.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 12.7 KB | 413 lines

@node Geography (Greece)
@section Geography (Greece)

@display

Location:
  Southern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and Bulgaria
Map references:
  Africa, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  131,940 km2
 land area:
  130,800 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly smaller than Alabama
Land boundaries:
  total 1,210 km, Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia
  228 km
Coastline:
  13,676 km
Maritime claims:
 continental shelf:
  200 m depth or to depth of exploitation
 territorial sea:
  6 nm, but Greece has threatened to claim 12 nm
International disputes:
  air, continental shelf, and territorial water disputes with Turkey in Aegean
  Sea; Cyprus question; northern Epirus question with Albania; Macedonia
  question with Bulgaria and Macedonia
Climate:
  temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain:
  mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of
  islands
Natural resources:
  bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble
Land use:
 arable land:
  23%
 permanent crops:
  8%
 meadows and pastures:
  40%
 forest and woodland:
  20%
 other:
  9%
Irrigated land:
  11,900 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  subject to severe earthquakes; air pollution
Note:
  strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to
  Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about
  2,000 islands



@end display

@node People (Greece)
@section People (Greece)

@display

Population:
  10,470,460 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  0.95% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  10.42 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  9.36 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  8.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  77.5 years
 male:
  75.02 years
 female:
  80.12 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  1.44 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Greek(s)
 adjective:   Greek
Ethnic divisions:
  Greek 98%, other 2%
 note:
  the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece
Religions:
  Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Languages:
  Greek (official), English, French
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:
  93%
 male:
  98%
 female:
  89%
Labor force:
  3,966,900
 by occupation:
  services 45%, agriculture 27%, industry 28% (1990)



@end display

@node Government (Greece)
@section Government (Greece)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Hellenic Republic
 conventional short form:
  Greece
 local long form:
  Elliniki Dhimokratia
 local short form:
  Ellas
 former:
  Kingdom of Greece
Digraph:
  GR
Type:
  presidential parliamentary government; monarchy rejected by referendum 8
  December 1974
Capital:
  Athens
Administrative divisions:
  52 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos); Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia,
  Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Dhrama, Evritania, Evros,
  Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina,
  Iraklion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkira, Khalkidhiki,
  Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa,
  Lasithi, Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Piraievs,
  Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki,
  Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos, autonomous region: Agion Oros (Mt.
  Athos)
Independence:
  1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Constitution:
  11 June 1975
Legal system:
  based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and
  administrative courts
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 March (1821) (proclamation of the war of independence)
Political parties and leaders:
  New Democracy (ND; conservative), Konstantinos MITSOTAKIS; Panhellenic
  Socialist Movement (PASOK), Andreas PAPANDREOU; Left Alliance, Maria
  DAMANAKI; Democratic Renewal (DIANA), Konstantinos STEFANOPOULOS; Communist
  Party (KKE), Aleka PAPARIGA; Ecologist-Alternative List, leader rotates
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Elections:
 President:
  last held 4 May 1990 (next to be held May 1995); results - Konstantinos
  KARAMANLIS was elected by Parliament
 Chamber of Deputies:
  last held 8 April 1990 (next must be held by May 1994); results - ND 46.89%,
  PASOK 38.62%, Left Alliance 10.27%, PASOK/Left Alliance 1.02%,
  Ecologist-Alternative List 0.77%, DIANA 0.67%, Muslim independents 0.5%;
  seats - (300 total) ND 150, PASOK 123, Left Alliance 19, PASOK-Left Alliance
  4, Muslim independents 2, DEANA 1, Ecologist-Alternative List 1
 note:
  deputies shifting from one party to another and the dissolution of party
  coalitions have resulted in the following seating arrangement: ND 152, PASOK
  124, Left Alliance 14, KKE 7, Muslim deputies 2, Ecologist-Alternative List
  1



@end display

@node Government (Greece 2. usage)
@section Government (Greece 2. usage)

@display

Executive branch:
  president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
  unicameral Greek Chamber of Deputies (Vouli ton Ellinon)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Judicial Court, Special Supreme Tribunal
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  President Konstantinos KARAMANLIS (since 5 May 1990)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Konstantinos MITSOTAKIS (since 11 April 1990)
Member of:
  Australian Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB,
  FAO, G-6, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR,
  NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Christos ZACHARAKIS
 chancery:
  2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008  telephone:
  [phone]
 FAX:
  [phone]
 consulates general:
  Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
 consulate:
  New Orleans
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James A. WILLIAMS
 embassy:
  91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens
 mailing address:
  PSC 108, Box 56, APO AE 09842
 telephone:
  [30] (1) 721-2951 or 721-8401
 FAX:
  [30] (1) 645-6282
 consulate general:
  Thessaloniki
Flag:
  nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a
  blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross
  symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country



@end display

@node Economy (Greece)
@section Economy (Greece)

@display

Overview:
  Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the basic entrepreneurial system
  overlaid in 1981-89 by a socialist system that enlarged the public sector
  from 55% of GDP in 1981 to about 70% when Prime Minister MITSOTAKIS took
  office. Tourism continues as a major source of foreign exchange, and
  agriculture is self-sufficient except for meat, dairy products, and animal
  feedstuffs. Since 1986, real GDP growth has averaged only 1.6% a year,
  compared with the Europen Community average of 3%. The MITSOTAKIS government
  has made little progress during its two and one-half years in power in
  coming to grips with Greece's main economic problems: an inflation rate
  still four times the EC average, a large public sector deficit, and a
  fragile current account position. In early 1991, the government secured a
  three-year, $2.5 billion assistance package from the EC under the strictest
  terms yet imposed on a member country, as the EC finally ran out of patience
  with Greece's failure to put its financial affairs in order. On the advice
  of the EC Commission, Greece delayed applying for the second installment
  until 1993 because of the failure of the government to meet the 1992
  targets. Although MITSOTAKIS faced down the unions in mid-1992 in a dispute
  over privatization plans, social security reform, and tax and price
  increases, and his new economics czar, Stephanos MANOS, is a respected
  economist committed to renovating the ailing economy. However, a national
  elections due by May 1994 will probably prompt MITSOTAKIS to backtrack on
  economic reform. In 1993, the GDP growth rate likely will remain low; the
  inflation rate probably will continue to fall, while remaining the highest
  in the EC.
National product:   GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $82.9 billion (1992)
National product real growth rate:
  1.2% (1992)
National product per capita:
  $8,200 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  15.6% (1992)
Unemployment rate:
  9.1% (1992)
Budget:
  revenues $37.6 billion; expenditures $45.1 billion, including capital
  expenditures of $5.4 billion (1993)
Exports:
  $6.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
 commodities:
  manufactured goods 53%, foodstuffs 31%, fuels 9%
 partners:
  Germany 24%, France 18%, Italy 17%, UK 7%, US 6%
Imports:
  $21.5 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
 commodities:
  manufactured goods 71%, foodstuffs 14%, fuels 10%
 partners:
  Germany 20%, Italy 14%, France 8%, UK 5%, US 4%
External debt:
  $23.7 billion (1991)
Industrial production:
  growth rate -1.0% (1991); accounts for 20% of GDP
Electricity:
  10,500,000 kW capacity; 36,400 million kWh produced, 3,610 kWh per capita
  (1992)



@end display

@node Economy (Greece 2. usage)
@section Economy (Greece 2. usage)

@display

Industries:
  food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism,
  mining, petroleum
Agriculture:
  including fishing and forestry, accounts for 15% of GDP and 27% of the labor
  force; principal products - wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives,
  tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; self-sufficient in food except meat,
  dairy products, and animal feedstuffs; fish catch of 116,600 metric tons in
  1988
Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis and limited opium; mostly for domestic
  production; serves as a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis
  and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor
  chemicals to the East; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin
  transiting the Balkan route
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $525 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1,390 million
Currency:
  1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta
Exchange rates:
  drachma (Dr) per US$1 - 215.82 (January 1993), 190.62 (1992), 182.27 (1991),
  158.51 (1990), 162.42 (1989), 141.86 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Greece)
@section Communications (Greece)

@display

Railroads:
  2,479 km total; 1,565 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, of which 36 km
  electrified and 100 km double track; 892 km 1.000-meter gauge; 22 km
  0.750-meter narrow gauge; all government owned
Highways:
  38,938 km total; 16,090 km paved, 13,676 km crushed stone and gravel, 5,632
  km improved earth, 3,540 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
  80 km; system consists of three coastal canals; including the Corinth Canal
  (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth
  with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to
  Piraievs (Piraeus) by 325 km; and three unconnected rivers
Pipelines:
  crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km
Ports:
  Piraievs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki
Merchant marine:
  998 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 25,483,768 GRT/47,047,285 DWT;
  includes 14 passenger, 66 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 128 cargo,
  26 container, 15 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 14 refrigerated cargo, 1 vehicle
  carrier, 214 oil tanker, 19 chemical tanker, 7 liquefied gas, 42 combination
  ore/oil, 3 specialized tanker, 424 bulk, 22 combination bulk, 1 livestock
  carrier; note - ethnic Greeks also own large numbers of ships under the
  registry of Liberia, Panama, Cyprus, Malta, and The Bahamas
Airports:
 total:
  78
 usable:
  77
 with permanent-surface runways:
  63
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  20
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  24
Telecommunications:
  adequate, modern networks reach all areas; 4,080,000 telephones; microwave
  radio relay carries most traffic; extensive open-wire network; submarine
  cables to off-shore islands; broadcast stations - 29 AM, 17 (20 repeaters)
  FM, 361 TV; tropospheric links, 8 submarine cables; 1 satellite earth
  station operating in INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean antenna),
  and EUTELSAT systems



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Greece)
@section Defense Forces (Greece)

@display

Branches:
  Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, National Guard, Police
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 2,606,267; fit for military service 1,996,835; reach
  military age (21) annually 73,541 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $4.2 billion, 5.1% of GDP (1992)



@end display