Europe / Caspian / CIS
Country profile: Greece
Location: | Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey |
Climate: | temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers |
Terrain: | mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands |
Size: | 131940 sq. km total (Land area: 130800 sq. km Water area: 1140 sq.km) |
Population: | 10,722,816 (July 2008 est.) |
Languages: | Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French) |
Government: | parliamentary republic |
Capital city: | Athens |
Legal system: | based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
Currency: | euro (EUR) |
Licensing: |
Country profile
In recent years, Greece has enjoyed strong economic growth and low inflation. In 2005, however, Greece's economy experienced a modest slowdown, with 3.7 percent real GDP growth, down from 4.2 percent in 2004. The contraction occurred following four years of high investment expenditures for the 2004 Olympics as well as high employment and low interest rates. The economy is expected to slow further due to high oil prices and the decline of the Euro against the US dollar, with a projected growth rate of 3.5 percent in 2006.
One of the smallest economies in the European Union (EU), Greece became the twelfth member of the Eurozone in January 2001. The government is undergoing an EU-imposed “excessive-deficit” procedure for misreporting its public finances as far back as 1997. In fact, had the true extent of its fiscal deficit been known, Greece would not have been allowed to adopt the euro in 2002. With its deficit reaching 6.6 percent of GDP in 2004 and 4.6 percent for 2005, Greece remains well above the 3 percent limit for Eurozone members. Although much of the deficit can be attributed to one-time spending in preparation for the 2004 Olympics, the fiscal corrections needed are substantial.
Since the mid-1990s, Greece has undertaken macroeconomic and structural reforms, including measures to reduce the size of the bureaucracy, expand privatization, and attract foreign investment. Both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have called for continued efforts in these areas. Although privatization of key utilities and industries has begun, these efforts are limited when compared to other Eurozone members.
Greatly improved relations between Greece and Turkey have allowed for more economic and energy cooperation. In March 2002, Greece and Turkey began discussions to resolve a decades-long disagreement over Aegean Sea boundaries. Greece has endorsed Turkey's bid for EU membership since 1999. Greece, which is a major investor in the former Yugoslavia, is working to integrate its energy infrastructure with the Balkan states. Improved relations with neighboring states could help Greece achieve its goal of becoming a major regional energy hub.
Energy production and consumption
Oil | Gas | |
Production: | 5,687 bbl/day (2005 est.) | 15 million cu m (2005 est.) |
Consumption: | 415,700 bbl/day (2005 est.) | 2 billion cu m (2005 est.) |
Exports: | 119,200 bbl/day (2004 est.) | million cu m (2005 est.) |
Imports: | 550,400 bbl/day (2004 est.) | 2 billion cu m (2005 est.) |
Reserves: | 7 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.) | 950 million cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
Major fields: |
Greece - recent news
28 Jul 23 |
Greece: Enel sells 50% of Enel Green Power Hellas to Macquarie Asset Management Enel, acting through its fully-owned subsidiary Enel Green Power ('EGP'), has signed an agreement with Macquarie Asset Management for the sale of 50% of Enel Green Power Hellas, EGP’s fully-owned renewable subsidiary in Greece, for a total consideration of approx. 345 million euros. |
29 Mar 23 |
Greece: Nordex Group receives orders for 78 MW in Greece The Nordex Group has been awarded contracts to supply and install 14 N149/5.X turbines from the Delta4000 series for three projects in Greece. Two wind farms with a total of 10 turbines are to be built in Boeotia in Central Greece, while one wind farm with four turbines is to be installed in Achaia in the north-west of the Peloponnese in western Greece. |
21 Feb 23 |
Greece: HEREMA announces successful completion of 2D geophysical surveys in the blocks 'West' and 'Southwest' of Crete Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company (HEREMA) has announced the successful completion of the 2D seismic surveys in the offshore areas 'West' and 'Southwest' of Crete. The surveys were carried out by PGS, on behalf of the Licensees ExxonMobil and Helleniq Energy. |
07 Aug 22 |
Greece: ExxonMobil acquires additional equity in exploration acreage offshore Crete following withdrawal of TotalEnergies Hellenic Petroleum has announced that, following the withdrawal of TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil and Hellenic have increased their equity interest in acreage west and southwest of Crete. |
06 Jul 22 |
Greece: RWE and Hellenic Petroleum join forces to develop offshore wind in Greece RWE and Hellenic Petroleum, through their respective subsidiaries RWE Renewables and HELPE Renewables, have joined forces to collaborate on the development, construction and operation of wind farms off the Greek coast. |
Greece - more news
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