Officially known as the Hellenic republic occupying the southernmost part of the Balkan Peninsula and numerous islands. Total area of 132000sq km approximate of which one fifth is composed of the Aegean Islands and Ionian Sea. Athens is the capital and largest city.
Greece is renowned for its natural beauty. The land is rugged and mountainous. The climate is purely Meditterranean.Summers are hot and dry whilst winters are rainy. The mean annual temperature in Athens is 17degrees centigrade whilst extremes range from -6degrees to a normal high of 38degrees in July.
The coastal waters of Greece are shallow and penetrate far inland. The Corinthian and Saronic Gulfs separated by the Isthmus of Corinth divide the Peloponnesian peninsula from central and northern Greece. The Saronic Gulf boasts of its natural harbour, Piraeus which is the Port of Athens and the departure point of the famous Aegean Island Cruises.
These Islands offer great beauty and historical importance and are frequented by tourists mainly in the summer months. Santorini the southern most island and one of the most interesting is 75 sq km and is formed from the rim of an ancient drowned volcano in around 1500BC.
The main town is Thira which has a sheltered deep ancient harbour and is set on top of cliffs that lead to a precipitous summit 584m above sea level. There are many prehistoric and archaeological sites and a notable feature is the blue domed churches.Myconos like Santorini and other Cycladic islands offers tourist attractions mainly scenic beaches overlooked by small white washed houses with quaint sky blue touches.
Crete Island is to the south east of the mainland and is the fifth largest in the Mediterranean sea. Crete with a mountainous terrain is well watered by numerous natural springs and rivers. Crete was the center of a flourishing Bronze Age civilisation.Knossos is the ancient city of Crete and the centre of Minoan civilization.Thessaloniki one of the largest cities in Greece and chief port and commercial centre of Macedonia(in Greece).The city is also the seat of Aristotelian University of Salonika.
Athens the capital is the largest and most important city. It dominates the economic, cultural and political life of of Greece. At the heart of the modern city is Constitution Square, on or near which are found the Parliament Building and several museums. Although most of the city dates from after the mid 19th century, important buildings were erected in the 5th century BC.The estimated population of Greece is 10,500,000 giving an approximate density of 80people per sq km.
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