Greece

Greece: population and cities

Population

According to Countryaah website, Greece has about 11.3 million residents.

Ethnic composition

The population of Greece consists of 97.5% Greeks, 0.5% Turks, 0.4% Macedonians and other small minorities

Religion

About 97.5% of Greek citizens are Greek Orthodox. The Greek Orthodox Church is the state religion.

In addition, there are around 1.3% Muslims, 0.4% Catholic and 0.1% Protestant Christians, as well as Jews. National

The national language is modern Greek (Demotiki). The ancient Greek language has been handed down for around 3,500 years and is considered the oldest language in Europe.

The most important minority languages are Turkish, Albanian, Aromanian (Vlachen), Bulgarian (Pomak), Aegean-Macedonian (north-west Greece).

Capital, other cities

Athens

The capital of Greece is Athens with a population of approx. 670,000 [Dimos Athinaion, the actual city] and approx. 4,500,000 in the greater Athens/Piraeus area.

Piraeus

Piraeus ( also Peiraieus ) is the third largest port in the Mediterranean and the most important ferry port in Greece. The city belongs to the greater Athens area, but has around 185,000 residents.

The port marks the end of the important transport link between Thessaloniki and Patras, which crosses southern Greece. Piraeus was once an independent district, but has been incorporated into Athens over the years. The port is an important departure point for ferries to the Greek Islands (e.g. Cyclades, Crete, Saronic Islands) and other places in the eastern Mediterranean (including Italy, Egypt, Turkey, Israel and Cyprus).

From Piraeus it is also easy to take day trips to the Isthmus of Corinth, the Theater of Epidaurus and other ancient sights of Olympia, Delphi and Mycenae.

Other larger cities are:

• Thessaloníkiwith around 326,000 residents
• Pátrai with around 153,000 residents
• Peristérion with around 138,000 residents
• Irákleio (Herakleion) with around 133,000 residents.

Greece: geography, general map

National borders

Defined by DigoPaul, Greece has a common border with a total of four countries:

• Albaniawith a length of 282 km,
• Bulgariawith a length of 494 km,
• of Turkeykm with a length of 206,
• Macedoniawith a length of 246 km.

The coasts, including the islands, cover a length of around 16,000 km.

Area and land use

Greece covers a total area of 132,000 km². Thereof:

• Forest

  Around 20% of the country is forested.

• Meadows and pastureland

  Around 40% of the land is used as meadows or pastureland.

• Fields and fields

  Around 30% of the land is used as arable land or fields, especially for growing tobacco, olives, fruit and vegetables.

Tidal range

The tidal range in this part of the Mediterranean is on the order of a few decimeters, so it is hardly noticeable.

Longitude and latitude

Greece extends over the following geographical latitude (abbreviation Δφ) and geographical longitude (abbreviation Δλ):

You can find detailed information on this subject under Longitude and Latitude.

Legal time

For Greece, the following value applies to Central European Time (CET), i.e. the time without summer time. A minus sign means that it is earlier there, a plus sign that it is later than CET:

The highest point of the sun in Athens

Athens lies at a north latitude of around φ = 38 °.

As long as the sun is at the tropic, i.e. at δ = 23.5 °, summer starts in Athens on June 21st. Then, for the highest position of the sun at noon, according to Eq. 1 (see position of the sun):

38 ° = (90 ° - h) + 23.5 °

so:

At 61 °, the sun in Athens has the highest level of the entire year above the horizon (precisely: above the horizon).

Mountains, Olympus

Olympus

Olympus (Olympos) is a mountain range on the east coast of Macedonia in Greece. The highest peaks are: Mytikas (Mitikas) with a height of 2,919 m, Skolio with a height of 2,911 m, Stefani with a height of 2,909 m, and Skala with a height of 2,866 m. According to the Greek legend or mythology, Olympus was the seat of the gods.

Other high mountains are:

• Smolikas with a height of 2,637 m
• Voras with a height of 2,524 m
• Grammos with a height of 2,520 m
• Giona with a height of 2,510 m

Mytikas (also: Mitikas) (2,918.8 m), followed by Skolio (2,911 m), Stefani (2,909 m, sometimes referred to as Zeusthron) and Skala (2,866 m); Between Skala and Mytikas there is Kakoskala, a ridge over which the Mytikas can be reached by easy climbing. The highest chapel in the Balkans is located on the Profitis Ilias sub-peak.

Rivers

Vardar

The longest river in the country is the Vardar with a length of 382 km.

Ilisos (also Ilissos)

This small and arid river has its source in the Hymettos Mountains, then flows together with the Kephisos and finally to the southwest into the Saronic Gulf. The river has been buried for some time. The river appeared often in mythology, and the school of Aristotle is believed to have been on its banks. However, this has not yet been discovered.

Kephisos (also Kifissos or Kephissos)

There are several rivers of this name in Greece. One of them surrounds Athens. It rises on the Pentelikon (near Kephisia) and finally flows into the Bay of Phaleron. The water of the river was used to irrigate the fields in ancient times.

Other rivers in the country are:

• Aliakmon (Aliákmonas) with a length of 297 km
• Acheloos with a length of 220 km
• Pineiós with a length of 205 km
• Evros with a length of 204 km
• Nestos with a length of 130 km as well as the
• Strymón with a length of 118 km.

Lakes

Trichonis

The country includes several smaller lakes. The largest of these is the Trichonis with an area of about 96 km². Other lakes are:

• Volvi with an area of around 70 km²
• Vegoritis with an area of around 54 km²
• Bistonis with an area of around 45 km²
• Koronia with an area of around 43 km²
• Mikri Prespa with an area of around 43 km²
• Megali Prespa with an area of around 40 km².

Islands

A total of 9,841 islands and islets are offshore. The largest and most famous Greek islands - sorted by size of their area:

Saronic Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea and Ionian Sea

Saronic Gulf

Athens is located on this gulf, which belongs to the Aegean Sea and thus the Mediterranean. The Gulf is separated from the Gulf of Corinth by the famous Isthmus of Corinth. Several regions border the Saronic Gulf, such as Attica or the Peloponnese, which are considered the "cradle of European culture". In addition, the volcanic areas of Aegina, Kromyonia, Methana and Poros are located in its extensive area.

Mediterranean, Aegean and Ionian Sea

Greece borders the Aegean Sea to the east and the Ionian Sea to the west - both "seas" are part of the Mediterranean Sea.