Greece lies at the Southeastern
tip of Europe occupying a total area of 131,990 sq. km.
The country shares borders to the north with Albania,
ex-Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and to the east with Turkey, a
total length of 1,228 km.
Land use: 23% arable land; 40% meadows and pastures; 20%
forests and woodland; 9% other;
Terrain: Mostly mountainous with ranges extending into the sea as
peninsulas or chains of islands.
Climate: Mediterranean. Summers are hot and dry, winters usually mild.
Most of the rain falls in autumn and winter.
Topography: Greece, the southernmost extremity of the Balkan peninsula,
is a mountainous, stony country with a highly indented
and crenellated coast. According to a Greek myth, when
god created the world he distributed all the available
soil through a sieve and when he had provided every country
with enough of it he tossed the remaining stones from
the sieve over his shoulder - and there was Greece. More
than two thirds of the country is classified as hilly
and mountainous. The Pindos range traverses the Greek
mainland from N.W. to S.E. dividing it in two. The mainland
coastline is 4,000 km long while 9,841 islands, 114 of
which are inhabited, add another 11,000 km of coastline.
Greece is divided into
ten regions of which Macedonia is the largest with an
area of 34,177 sq. km and a population of 2,263,099. The
highest Greek mountain is Mount Olympus (2,917 m.), believed
to be the seat of the 12 Gods of ancient Greek mythology.
The largest river is Aliacmon (297 km.).
The largest city and capital
is Athens, with a population of over 3m. Piraeus is the
main port. The second largest city, Thessaloniki, capital
of Macedonia, with a population of nearly 1m, is an important
seaport functioning as the gateway to the Balkans and
a major economic and cultural centre for the whole of
northern Greece.
Time: 2 hours ahead of GMT in winter
3 hours ahead of GMT in summer
Flora: Trees include white poplars, spearheaded cypresses, chestnut,
pine, fir and olive trees. Of special beauty are the cultivated
and wild flowers of Greece, many of which are mentioned
in classical poetry and mythology, such as evosmon, anemone,
violets, tulips, peonies, narcissus, parthenium, primrose
and chamomile.
Fauna: Wild animals include boar, bear, wild cat, brown squirrel,
jackal, fox, deer, wolf. A rare white goat is found in
Crete. A number of 358 species of birds are found throughout
Greece, two-thirds of which are migratory. Among the birds
of prey are the golden and imperial eagle, and several
species of falcons. Other indigenous varieties of birds
are the owl, pelican, pheasant, partridge, woodcock and
nightingale.
Marine Fauna: Some 246
species of marine life have been identified in Greek seas.
Among the best known one species such as red mullet, lobster,
squid, octapus, shrimp, crab, oyster, mussel and cockle.
River fish are rare. Dolphins, so familiar in the legends
and sculpture of antiquity, are still present in the Greek
seas.
Mountains
of Greece
| Name |
Geographical Region |
Height (metres) |
| Olympos |
Macedonia |
2.904 |
| Smolikas |
Macedonia |
2.631 |
| Grammos |
Macedonia |
2.521 |
Voras
|
Macedonia |
2.519 |
Giona
|
Sterea Hellas |
2.507 |
Tymfi (Gamila)
|
Epirus |
2.499 |
Parnassos
|
Sterea Hellas |
2.455 |
Idi (Psiloritis)
|
Crete |
2.454 |
Lefka Ori
|
Crete |
2.454 |
Athamanon Ori
|
Epirus |
2.429 |
Vardoussia
|
Sterea Hellas |
2.413 |
Taygetos
|
Peloponesse |
2.404 |
Kyllini
|
Peloponesse |
2.374 |
Aroania
|
Peloponesse |
2.338 |
Varnous
|
Macedonia |
2.329 |
Tymfristos
|
Sterea Hellas |
2.312 |
| Lakmos |
Epirus |
2.294 |
| Pindos (Ligos) |
Epirus |
2.249 |
Lakes
There are 21 lakes which total 59,890 hectares in area (and
14 artificial lakes), while the 33 deltas of the greek rivers
cover 327,100 hectares.
| Major Lakes |
| Geographical Region |
Name |
Area (km2) |
| Sterea Hellas |
Trichonis |
95,840 |
| Macedonia |
Volvi |
70,353 |
| Macedonia |
Vegoritis |
54,311 |
| Thrace |
Bistonis |
45,030 |
| Macedonia |
Koronia |
42,823 |
| Macedonia |
Mikri Prespa |
42,541 |
| Macedonia |
Megali Prespa |
39,040 |
| Macedonia |
Kerkini |
37,688 |
| Macedonia |
Kastoria |
28,655 |
| Epirus |
Ioanninon |
19,470 |
| Sterea Hellas |
Iliki |
19,118 |
| Macedonia |
Doiranis |
15,350 |
| Sterea Hellas |
Amvrakia |
14,477 |
| Sterea Hellas |
Lisimachia |
13,085 |
| Macedonia |
Petron |
12,294 |
Rivers
| Rivers of Greece |
| River |
Length (km) |
| Aliakmon |
297 |
| Acheloos |
220 |
| Pinios (Thessalia) |
205 |
| Evros (*) |
204 |
| Nestos (*) |
130 |
| Strymonas (*) |
118 |
| Thiamis |
115 |
| Alfios |
110 |
| Arachthos |
110 |
| Enipefs |
84 |
| Evrotas |
82 |
| Assopos |
80 |
| Louros |
80 |
| Sperchios |
80 |
| Megdovas |
78 |
| Axios (*) |
76 |
| Aoos (*) |
70 |
| Gallikos |
70 |
| Ladonas |
70 |
| Mornos |
70 |
| Pinios (Peloponissos) |
70 |
| (*) length of river on Greek territory |
|
