GENERAL
Official name of the state
Hellenic Republic.
Capital
Athens.
Geography
As a country located in Europe according to iamhigher, Greece lies on the Mediterranean Sea and borders Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria in the north and Turkey in the northeast. Greece borders the Mediterranean Sea in the south and west.
The mainland consists of the following regions: Central Greece, Attica (region around Athens), Peloponnese (“hand” of Greece), Thessaly (middle / east), Epirus (west), Macedonia (north / north-west) and Thrace (north-east). Euboea, the second largest island, is located east of Attica. The Peloponnesian Peninsula is separated from the mainland by the Gulf of Corinth. In the south of the peninsula (near Cape Tainaro) is the deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea at 5015 m. In the north, numerous mountain ranges (such as the Pindus Mountains) run from north to south. The highest mountains in Greece include Mount Olympus (2917 m) and Smolikas (2637 m). Crete’s highest mountain is the Ida with 2456 m.
The islands take up about 20% of the land area. Most of them are in the Aegean Sea between the Greek and Turkish coasts. The Seven or Ionian Islands are off the west coast. The Aegean Islands include the Dodecanese off the Turkish coast; the best known is Rhodes. The group of islands in the northeastern Aegean consists of Limnos, Lesbos, Chios, Samos and Ikaria. The Sporades lie off the coast of the central mainland. The Cyclades consist of 39 islands, 24 of which are inhabited. Crete in the south is the largest Greek island.
Government
Parliamentary democracy since 1974. Constitution from 1975, last amendment 2001. Unicameral Parliament (Vouli ton Ellinon) with 300 members. Independent since 1829 (formerly part of the Ottoman Empire). Greece is a member of the EU.
Head of state
Prokopis Pavlopoulos, since February 2015.
Head of government
Alexis Tsipras, since September 2015.
Electricity
230 V, 50 Hz. Round, two-pin plug.
Time zone
Eastern European Time: CET +3 (CET +4 from March 26 to October 29, 2017)
COMMUNICATION
Phone
The country code is 0030. The Greek telecommunications company is called Organismos Telepikinonion Ellados (OTE) (Internet: www.ote.gr). The cheapest are national and international calls in OTE branches. Inexpensive national and international calls can also be made from public card phones and in the kiosk. Telephone cards are available at the kiosk and in shops. Telephone cards can be used on all push-button telephones. Telephoning in internet cafés is also cheaper and more convenient than in a phone booth on a noisy street corner. There is a newly established tourist police (multilingual) on Dragatsanou Street 4 in Athens, Tel: (0210) 322 22 30 and (0210) 322 22 32.
Cellphone
GSM 900 and 1800. The cell phone companies include Cosmote (Internet: www.cosmote.gr) and Vodafone (Internet: www.vodafone.gr). The reception and transmission range is good around the larger cities on the mainland and on most of the islands. International roaming contracts exist.
International roaming can be used within the EU at the Euro tariff. Customers of all European mobile network operators automatically make all calls in and from other EU countries at the Euro rate. However, the Euro tariff does not apply to other mobile communications services such as SMS, MMS and data transmission.
Internet
In Athens, for example, you have free access to the Internet via Wi-Fi in cafes, restaurants, shopping centers and other public places (www.hotspotlocations.com). Internet cafes can be found widespread in the larger cities (for example in Athens and Thessaloniki) and on all tourist islands (for example Crete, Kos, Mykonos, Paxos, Rhodes and Skiathos), but also smaller towns usually have Internet cafes.. The main providers are Panafon (Internet: www.panafonet.gr) and Cosmote-MYCOSMOS (Internet: www.cosmote.gr). Mobile surfing on the Internet is also made possible by the paid Goodspeed Wi-Fi hotspots (Internet: goodspeed.io/de/index.html). The Greek government is in the process of implementing a nationwide, free Wi-Fi network.
Post Office
Letters and postcards abroad are automatically sent by airmail. Almost all post offices accept poste restante items. In the Athens post offices you have to let us know in advance, the only exception is the main post office at 180 Eolou Street. When you pick up the mail you have to show your passport or identity card. Post office opening times: Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and Sat 8 a.m.-1.30 p.m. Post boxes are yellow and postage stamps are available from the stamp machines in front of each post office and from the kiosk.
Radio
Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.
LANGUAGE
Overview
The official language is Modern Greek (Demotiki). English, German, French and Italian are spoken especially in holiday areas.
Idioms
- Eight = Okhtó
- Eighty = Ogdhónda
- Goodbye = Andío sas
- Exit = Exodos
- Beer = Bira
- Please = Parakaló
- Thank you = Efharistó
- Tuesday = Tríti
- Doctor = Iatrós
- Thursday = Pémpti
- Three = trís / tria
- Thirty = Triánda
- Entrance = Issodus
- One hundred = Ekató
- One = Éna
- One thousand = hílies
- Friday = Paraskebí
- Five = pende
- Fifty = penínda
- Danger = kíndhinos
- Closed = Klistó
- Hello = Giásou
- Today = Símera
- Hotel = Ksenodhohío
- I feel sick = Ímeh arostos
- I do not understand = Dhen katalavéno
- Yes = Néh
- My name is?? = Meh léne??
- I’m fine. = Kalá ímeh
- Wednesday = Tetárti
- Monday = Deftéra
- Tomorrow = Ávrio
- No = Óhi
- Nine = Enyá
- Ninety = Enenínda
- Open = Aniktó
- Bottom up! = Giamas!
- Restaurant = Estiatorio / taverna
- Saturday = Sábato
- Six = Éksi
- Sixty = Eksínda
- Seven = Eftá
- Seventy = Evdhomínda
- Sunday = Kiriakí
- Menu = catalog house
- Do you speak German / English? = Miláte jermaniká / anglika?
- Toilets = Toualétes
- Four = téseres / tésera
- Forty = Saránda
- Wine = Krasi
- How are you? = Ti kánis / ti kánete?
- How much is it? = Póso káni?
- Where is??? = Pou ine???
- Ten = Dhéka
- Twenty = Íkosi
- Two = Dhío
ECONOMY
Business etiquette
Suit and tie or costume. Appointments must be made in advance and confirmed the previous day of the week. Punctuality is welcome, but not always observed. In addition to Greek, many business people also speak French, English or German.
Opening hours
Business hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Economy
German-Greek Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Doryleou 10-12 / IV, GR-11521 Athens
Tel: 21 06 41 90 00.
Internet: www.german-chamber.gr
Branch in Thessaloniki.
Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chamber of Commerce of Athens)
Odos Akademias 7, GR-10671 Athens
Tel: 21 03 60 48 15-9.
Internet: www.acci.gr
Business contacts
German-Greek Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Doryleou 10-12 / IV, GR-11521 Athens
Tel: 21 06 41 90 00.
Internet: www.german-chamber.gr
Branch in Thessaloniki.
Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chamber of Commerce of Athens)
Odos Akademias 7, GR-10671 Athens
Tel: 21 03 60 48 15-9.
Internet: www.acci.gr
CLIMATE
Best travel time
Mediterranean climate. Dry, hot summer days are tempered by fresh breezes, especially in the north and on the coast. Athens can get stiflingly hot and acclimatization takes a few days. The evenings are cool. Winter is mild and humid in the south, but considerably cooler in the north. It rains the most between November and March. It rains more on the coasts than inland. The best travel times are April to June and September to early November.
COUNTRY DATA
Area code +30 Area (sq km) 131 957 Population 10 775 643 Population density (per sq km) 82 Population in 2015 Member of the EU Yes main emergency number 112
