Often called the “Cradle of Western Civilisation”, Greece is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. The country is officially known as the Hellenic Republic.

Ancient Greece was once divided into city states that developed its own culture and tradition. These city states are known as ‘poleis’ which numbered around 1,500 throughout the region and islands. Disputes between these city states have led to numerous myths and legends that further popularised Greek literature and theatre.

Throughout history, Greece has played a major role in shaping modern Europe with interactions from the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. 

The capital city of Athens is located in Central Greece and is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is the historical birthplace of democracy, the Olympic Games and Western historiography that has greatly shaped Western literature, philosophy and theatre; namely themes on tragedy and comedy.

Known as ‘Hellas’ throughout ancient history, Greece comprises nine geographic regions namely Macedonia, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, the Aegean Islands, Thrace, Crete and the Ionian Islands.

Greece features several islands of various sizes and a large mainland with two smaller peninsulas. The geography consists of Mediterranean climate with mountainous terrains in the mainland areas. 

Modern Greece is a democratic and highly-developed country with the largest economy in the Balkans. It is the founding member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). Greece is also a member of the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation.

The country’s economy depends on services (82.8%), industry (13.3%) and agriculture (3.9%). Services in the tourism sector contributed 18% to the country’s GDP growth.

Tourism activity in Greece has attracted 26.5 million visitors in 2015 with a projected 30 million visitors in 2016. Northern Greece is the country’s most popular destination and is reputed to be one of the best party towns worldwide by Lonely Planet in 2010.

Archaeology and antiquities are the main tourist attractions with 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, amongst the most in the world. Greece’s prehistoric legacy is one of the oldest as it is estimated to have been inhabited since 270,000 BC.

The shipping industry is Greece’s key economic activity since ancient times. It currently has the largest merchant fleet in the world according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 2011.

Its modern merchant fleet includes various tankers, bulk carriers and container ships. The Greeks’ affection for shipping stemmed from its geological location and limited farming area. This forced ancient Greeks to develop sea trade to boost their economies.

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