Greece : Country overview

Geography

• Full country name: The Hellenic Republic
• Population: 10.7 million
• Border countries of mainland Greece: Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Bulgaria, Turkey
• Climate: temperate with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
• Terrain: mainland Greece is mostly mountainous with occasional plains, and has more than 2,000 islands.
• Natural hazards: earthquakes, forest fires, which are comparatively common during Greece’s hot and dry summers.

Living in Greece

• Cost of living: compared to the average income, the cost of living remains quite high. The cost of living is higher in semi-urban and tourism areas. In non-tourism areas the cost of living is lower because of the availability of local agricultural products, lower rents and lower expenditure on travel.
• Utilities: the average cost of water, electricity and gas is around €30-€40 per month, depending on the number of people living in a property, which affects the level of consumption. Gas is not yet available in all parts of Greece.
• Internet domain: .gr
• Health: the national health system is operated by the Social Insurance Institute (IKA). You must obtain a health booklet from your local IKA office as soon as you start work. The booklet has to be presented on all visits to a doctor or hospital. The local IKA office will provide a list of doctors who work within the national health system. All medical care is free, but there is a prescription charge equal to 25% of the cost of medicines. If you are an EU national, you should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)  before leaving the UK; this will entitle you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Greek nationals, but it does not cover you for medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature, so take out appropriate insurance.
• Laws and customs: indecent behaviour is not tolerated and can incur heavy fines or prison sentences. You should not become involved with drugs of any kind, or bring drugs - including ‘class C’ drugs - into the country. Possession of even small quantities can lead to long terms of imprisonment. You should also know your alcohol limits as your insurance may in some cases not cover you after excessive drinking. Driving any vehicle whilst over the legal drinking limit is heavily penalised and may result in a heavy fine and/or imprisonment. If you are seeking employment in bars or night clubs in Greece, you are required to have a health certificate/licence issue by the local authorities. Failure to have such a certificate is punishable by a fine and or imprisonment. The law requires that you should be able to identify yourself, so carry your passport or a document with an ID photograph at all times. In order to comply with Greek law, you should ensure that you obtain a receipt for goods purchased. Purchasing pirated CDs or DVDs can lead to imprisonment. Since September 2010, smoking in all indoor public places is illegal. 

Economy and finance

• Currency: Euro (€)
• Type of economy: capitalist
• Health of economy: Greece entered an economic recession in 2008 and has not recovered.  By the end of 2010, the economy is expected to decline by 4% and another 2.6% in 2011. The budget deficit in 2009 was 13.6% of its GDP, which far exceeded the agreed EU figure of 3%. In April 2010, major credit ration agencies downgraded Greece’s international debt rating to ‘junk’ after concerns it would default on its borrowing. In May 2010, the International Monetary Fund and Eurozone governments had to provide Greece with emergency loans totaling £96billion. Under the loan agreement, Greece must decrease the budget deficit to the 3% that is the EU standard. The government recently promised spending cuts and tax increases totaling $40billion over the next three years, as well as putting into place austerity measures including a public sector pay freeze, a VAT rise and new labour laws.
• Unemployment rate: 12% and is expected to rise to 14.5% in 2011 as the country enters its third year of recession.
• Main exports: food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles.

Culture

• People: 98% Greek with a very small Muslim minority made up of Turkic people, Pomaks and Muslim Roma.
• Major religion: Christian Orthodox
• History: see BBC Timeline: Greece for an outline of Greek history.
• Local etiquette: there are unwritten rules that you should greet friends with a kiss on both cheeks, offer a seat on the bus to the elderly and bring a small gift (wine or flowers) when dining at somebody's home. Wine is common at lunch and dinner and it is usual to help yourself to food set out in the middle of the table. Reaching across the table for food is not uncommon. Sending a personal thank-you note to the host or hostess is not expected. Good manners dictate that you should use the formal plural pronoun (sas) when addressing an older person or someone you are meeting for the first time. It is inappropriate to ring someone at home in the afternoon between 2pm and 5pm when most Greeks rest, but it is fine to call after 9pm. Greeks do not take offence if you bump into them in the street and tend not to say ‘sorry’ or ‘excuse me’. Greeks tend to speak loudly in public and also come up close and make physical contact when talking to people. A raised palm means ‘stop’ in most countries but in Greece is a very offensive gesture. It is quite common to be asked personal questions about, for example, your income or your marital status and this is considered acceptable. When keeping appointments, it is best to be punctual, although in some instances you need to be prepared to wait.

Politics

• Type of government: Parliamentary democracy
• Major political parties: New Democracy (ND), Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA)

Travel advice

Check the information available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for travel advice and a checklist for travellers.