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GREECE[CRADLE OF WESTERN CIVILISATION]
It borders Albania, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea is to the East and South of mainland Greece, the Ionian Sea is to the West. Both are part of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and have many islands. 80% of the country is mountainous, with Mount Olympus being the highest peak.
Ancient Greece created democracy, philosophy, science and mathematics, drama and theater and the Olympic Games. This is why other languages use many Greek words. Greece is a parliamentary republic, in which the leader of the party with more seats in the parliament is the Prime Minister. The country has a President, but his powers are ceremonial. He is the head of state, not the head of government, much like how Kings and Queens operate in constitutional monarchies and is elected by Parliament and not the people. Its economy is the highest in the Balkans region, though facing financial difficulties due to a Greek government-debt crisis. The country was under control by the Ottoman Empire until 1821.
The official language spoken in Greece is Greek, spoken by 99% of the population, and by 90% of the population of the Republic of Cyprus. It identifies as Christian Orthodox. Many Greeks also understand English, French and German, which are taught in schools. Greece was a founding member of the United Nations, joined NATO in 1952, became a member of the European Union in 1981, and adopted the Euro in 2001. Due to the large tourism industry, powerful shipping sector, and its geostrategic importance, it is sometimes classified as a middle power.
Greece is a small country compared to other countries such as the United States, Spain , Italy, the United Kingdom and Russia. The population of Greece is estimated to be over 11 million. Most of the people in Greece are Greek people, and they form 94% of the population of the country.[11] There are also many Albanians in Greece, and they make up 4% of the population.[11] Other nationalities make up for another 2% of the country.[11]
Athens, Greek Athínai, City (pop., 2001: 745,514), capital of Greece. It is located inland near its port, Piraeus, on the Saronic Gulf in eastern Greece. The source of many of the West’s intellectual and artistic conceptions, including that of democracy, Athens is generally considered the birthplace of Western civilization. An ancient city-state, it had by the 6th century BC begun to assert its influence. It was destroyed by Xerxes in 480 BC, but rebuilding began immediately. By 450 BC, led by Pericles, it was at the height of its commercial prosperity and cultural and political dominance, and over the next 40 years many major building projects, including the Acropolis and Parthenon, were completed. Athens’s “Golden Age” saw the works of the philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle; the dramatists Sophocles, Aristophanes, and Euripides; the historians Herodotus, Thucydides, and Xenophon; and the sculptors Praxiteles and Phidias. The Peloponnesian Wars with Sparta ended in Athens’s defeat in 404, but it quickly recovered its independence and prosperity. After 338 BC Athens came under Macedonia’s hegemony, which was lifted with the aid of Rome in 197 BC in a battle at Cynoscephalae. It became subject to Rome in 146 BC. In the 13th century Athens was taken by the Crusaders. It was conquered in 1456 by the Ottoman Turks, who held it until 1833, when it was declared the capital of independent Greece. Athens is Greece’s principal centre for business and foreign trade. The city’s ruins and many museums make it a major tourist destination. It was selected to host the 2004 Olympic Game
PLACES TO VISIT IN GREECE
1Athens showed its jazzy side to the world after the 2004 Olympics and is one of the best places to visit in Greece. Now the ancient city of Athens is recognized by its modern subways, spotless streets, well-manicured parks, remarkable freeways, and ultra-warm people. The extraordinary melting pot of mythology and modernism, it is a city that boasts of stunning modern architecture as well as striking historical monuments. From the pillars of the Acropolis to the Temple of Zeus, places to visit in Athens, Greece are many in number
2 Remember the iconic song ‘Tauba tumhare ye ishare’ from 2003 hit, Chalte Chalte? Well, Santorini was the natural setting for that song. It looks exactly like a fairyland, flattering with whitewashed buildings, haphazard but cute little colorful houses, spiral pathways, towering sapphire domes, and stretches of azure water and equally azure sky. The houses and hotels are built on cliffs which add the appeal of the place. Santorini is one of the most popular places to visit in Greece.
3 The list of best places to visit in Greece is incomplete without a mention of Crete. Crete is a spacious land of contrasting landscapes – expansive coastlines, rolling mountains, lush greenery, and rocky terrains. There are quiet villages as well as bustling metropolitans. The largest island in Greece, Crete is known for its interesting Greek archaeological sites and heritage monuments. However, you cannot disregard its beauty. It is also one of the safest places to visit in Greece.
4 An island located on the northwest coast of the country, Corfu is a place of rich cultural heritage and definitely one of the best islands to visit in Greece. Find your perfect paradise on one of the many beaches this island has to offer. The rugged mountains in the backdrop give a perfect contrast to white sandy beaches. Apart from sunbathing on the beach, it offers a vast array of things like going on an olive tasting tour or visiting the ancient monastery.
5 One of the most interesting and best places in Greece is Delphi. Home to multiple archaeological sites, the Oracle is the most ancient. This place is famous for welcoming pilgrims from the Mediterranean who wanted to inquire about Apollo, the God. To explore one of the most ancient sites of Greece is really a great experience as it comes with understanding the perspective of Greek culture in a unique way. This is one of the best places to visit in Greece in November due to the grace of the weather
FLAG OF EUROPE
The National Flag of Greece consists of four white and five blue alternating horizontal stripes, with a white cross on the upper left corner. Blue and white are the national colours of Greece, as blue symbolizes the sky and seas and white denotes the purity of the Greek independence struggle. The cross represents the Christian religion. The nine blue-and-white horizontal stripes of the flag stand for the nine syllables of the Greek motto Eleftheria i Thanatos (Greek for Freedom or Death).
NATIONAL SPORT OF GREECE
Greece's national sport is football (soccer), and basketball has increased in popularity since the 1980s. The national basketball team won the European championship in 1987, and the national football team qualified for its first World Cup finals in 1994 and won the European Championship in 2004.
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