Which countries does Greece border with? Countries with which Greece borders: what kind of states are they? Greece territory borders position

Its population in 2010 was eleven million citizens. The official language is, of course, Greek. Today we will determine the names of the countries with which Greece borders and get acquainted with basic data about them. But first, let’s learn a little about the state itself.

About Greece

The territory of this country includes the mainland and nearby islands. They also have many cultural values ​​and historical monuments. But you shouldn’t focus only on the Greece that existed before, because in its modern form it is no less interesting.

Let's take a closer look at it and see its geographical location. Let's figure out what kind of countries Greece borders on and consider the characteristics of each of them.

So, Greece is a European state located in its southern part. The country occupies many islands. The largest of them are Crete, Lemnos, Ikaria, Samos, Lesvos, Lefkas, Kefalonia, Corfu, Rhodes, Samothrax, Thassos, as well as the islands of the Cyclades and Northern Sporades. All of them are inhabited by local residents. The official name of the state is the Greek Republic. Its area is 131,940 km². The capital of the state is the city of Athens. Greece is washed by the four Aegean, Mediterranean and Ionian. The coastline is heavily indented, its length is 4100 km.

According to natural conditions, all of Greece is divided into several regions:

1. Northern Greece.
2. Western Greece.
3. Central Greece.
4. Southern Greece.
5. Island of Crete.
6. seas.

All areas have different climates and unprecedented beauty of vegetation, small rivers flow, mountains rise with plains at their feet, and beaches stretch.

Now let’s find out which countries Greece borders with. On the northern side of it are Albania and Bulgaria, and on the eastern side are Türkiye.

Now, knowing who Greece borders with, you can get to know these countries in more detail, learn about their climate and weather.

Albania

The capital of the state is Tirana. The area of ​​the republic is 28,748 km². Albania is located on the Balkan coast, in its western part. More than three million people live on its territory, including Roma and Greeks. The air temperature here varies from +20 to +27, depending on where you are, because the further north, the colder, and the south, naturally, warmer.

Bulgaria

Considering the countries with which Greece borders, let’s get acquainted with Bulgaria. Its capital is Sofia. The country's area is 110,993 km². The temperature here in winter is from -3 to +5 degrees, and in summer up to +35. The country is small in size, but even though Bulgaria is very diverse. Small areas of the country are rich in valleys, hills, mountains, gorges, ponds and deep rivers. Bulgaria is washed by the Black Sea from the east. The main population of the country is Bulgarians.

Türkiye

The capital of Turkey is Ankara. The area of ​​the state is 783.5 thousand square kilometers. Türkiye is washed on four sides by seas: the Black, Mediterranean, Marmara and Aegean. This country is the most popular and visited by tourists. It conceals many secrets and mysteries of the past.

In winter, the air temperature here varies from +17 to +22°C, and the water temperature - from +22 to +26°C. It is quite cold in the mountains, and the temperature sometimes reaches -15 degrees, or even -20°C. In summer, during the hottest period, the air warms up to +40°C.

Now we know that Bulgaria and Turkey, as well as Albania, are the countries with which Greece borders. All of them do not shine with animal populations, except that only in the mountains you can find wild predators such as bears, badgers, jackals, foxes and rodents.

Conclusion

Now we see that the countries with which Greece borders are no less interesting. Their climate is a little similar, but there are also differences. All these countries are washed by seas and have resorts, including ski resorts.

You may not know the geography of the country you have chosen for your vacation, and spend your entire vacation limiting yourself to exploring “your” resort and its surroundings. Or you can plan a great trip that covers several countries at once. And such a vacation will definitely be remembered for a long time!

Before traveling to the Balkans, many tourists find out who it borders with. This knowledge will allow you not only to expand your horizons, but also to create an interesting trip route to a neighboring state. Such excursions take at least two days, because at best you will have to spend 5-6 hours on the road.

Countries to choose from

Greece is located in the south of the Balkan Peninsula. It includes not only part of the mainland, but also many islands of different sizes, among which there are huge ones, on which several cities and villages are built, and very small, uninhabited ones, which often go under water during storms.

On land, Greece borders four countries:

• Albania. The small state in the southwest of the Balkan Peninsula shares a 282 km long border with Greece;
• Republic. The border between this country and Greece is 228 km;
• Bulgaria. Greece has the longest border with it - 494 km;
• Turkey. Only 206 km of land and the Aegean Sea separate Greece.

All of these countries can be entered from Greece. This allows you to expand the geography of your own travels and choose convenient flights.

Macedonia – formerly Greece

The historical region of Macedonia occupied the north of what is now Greece, part of modern Greece, and the Republic of Macedonia. In the 5th century BC. e. the inhabitants of Macedonia were not considered Greeks. In Hellas of those times it was believed that Macedonia was inhabited by barbarians who did not have their own culture. But Macedonia was famous for its natural resources. There was everything here: steep mountains, including the mountain - the abode of the gods, pine forests, turquoise sea, lakes rich in fish. For a long time, Macedonia was ruled by the Ottoman Empire. At the beginning of the 20th century, all nearby countries began to lay claim to this historical province. After the First Balkan War, Macedonia was divided by Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia.

One of the republics of the former Yugoslavia is now called the Republic of Macedonia. It borders Greece and proudly bears its ancient name, which incredibly irritates the Greeks. Greece believes that Macedonia has no right to this name. Local residents call the Republic of Macedonia - this is the name of the main city of the Macedonians. This dispute has no solution: each country is confident that it is right. However, tourists care little about it. There are no bus or train connections between Greece and Macedonia, but nothing will prevent you from traveling to neighboring Macedonia with a rented car. There are no queues at the border between the two countries. Tourists in Macedonia are treated kindly.

Türkiye - eastern neighbor

There are many Turks living in Greece. Even in cities remote from the border with Turkey, such as , there are Turkish quarters. There is an excellent ferry connection between Greece and Turkey. From any large city located in the Aegean or Mediterranean Sea, such as Lemnos, Lesbos, and others, ferries run regularly, allowing you to easily reach the Turkish shores. Most tourists choose Turkish, Marmaris, etc. for holidays and excursions.

From most Greek islands, ferries travel non-stop to Turkey. From Santorini, which is especially popular among holidaymakers, you will have to get to Turkish resorts with one transfer to or Rhodes. From Kos to Bodrum, a speedboat takes tourists in just 20 minutes. The journey from Bodrum will take about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Travelers wishing to cross from the Turkish port of Ayvalik must be prepared to pay a large amount of money. Ferries between these cities do not operate regularly, and accordingly, the crossing itself is expensive.

Any travel agency in Greek resorts will help you with purchasing ferry tickets. The agency's staff will also select a convenient time for moving and, if necessary, book a hotel room in Turkey.

From Greece to Bulgaria and Albania

You can get to Bulgaria from the cities of Northern Greece, especially from Thessaloniki, by public transport. International luxury buses depart from the White Tower in Thessaloniki, which is the city center, and travel to, stopping along the way in several Bulgarian cities. Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. From here you can take a bus or train to the Black Sea resorts.

There is also a train from Thessaloniki to Sofia. It departs once a week and goes until , stopping for two hours in Sofia.

There is no regular bus service between Greece and Greece. From Thessaloniki you can get to Albania, but you will have to find out the bus schedule only on the spot. Tourists who vacation on the island have a much greater chance of ending up in Albania. It is connected to the Albanian city by ferry service. A ferry ticket will cost about 20 euros.

Greek Parliament

Greece is the state in Europe with the longest history: scientists suggest that it has existed for more than 5,000 years. The modern Hellenic Republic has a population of approximately 11.5 million people and is slowly increasing.

The overwhelming majority of Greeks here is 93 percent, 4% of the population considers themselves Orthodox Albanians-Arnauts, more than one percent identifies themselves with the Macedonian Slavs. A small number of Gypsies, Armenians, Serbs, Arabs and Jews also live here.

In the country, legislative power belongs to the parliament, which is why Greece is called a parliamentary republic, headed by the president.

It should be noted that Hellas - this is what the local population calls their state - is a unique European country where the church is not separated from the state, and on one of its peninsulas there is the monastic republic of Athos with its own form of government.

What peninsula is Greece on?

The Greek Republic fits compactly into southeastern Europe, on the southern edge of the Balkan Peninsula, occupying the Peloponnese and most of the islands surrounding it. In the north-west it has common borders with Albania, in the north - with Bulgaria and Macedonia, in the north-east - with the European part of Turkey.

The territory of the Hellenic Republic is conventionally divided into three parts:

• mainland (this can include the historical regions: Epirus, Thessaly, Macedonia and Thrace) with the islands of the Ionian Sea;
• the Peloponnese Peninsula, which has a land connection with the mainland through the Isthmus of Corinth;
• islands located in the Aegean and Cretan seas.

Several archipelagos that make up modern Hellas surround the mainland of the republic on three sides. On the western side, near Epirus, there are Eptanis (translated from Greek - seven islands), which in Russia are called Ionian. The largest of them is Kerkyra (Corfu), and the most famous:

• Ithaca (where the legendary Odysseus was born);
• Cephalonia, named after the skilled ancient Greek archer Cephalus;
• Lefkada (St. Maura Island);
• Paxos;
• Kythera (Kythira), lying south of the Peloponnese;
• Zakynthos (named after the son of the Phrygian king Dardanus).

Ancient Rhodes

In the southeast of the Balkans stretches the famous island of Crete, whose area is more than 8,000 square kilometers. Around it there are a number of small islands that play an important role in the Greek economy: Gavdos (Klavda), Dia, Chrysi, Koufonision, as well as the Dionysiades group of islands.

To the northeast of Crete, close to the Turkish coast of Asia Minor, lie the Southern Sporades, better known as the Dodecanese (which means “twelve islands” in Greek). The largest of them: Rhodes, Patmos, Karpathos.

A group of small islands located north of Crete, east of the Peloponnese, is called the Cyclades (Cycladic Islands), surrounding Delos on all sides, an island that in ancient times had very great cultural and political significance. The largest among them are Mykonos and Naxos.

Euboea Island

To the east of Central Greece is one of the largest islands of the state - Euboea. Its area is more than 3,500 square kilometers and its population exceeds 200,000 people. To the north of Euboea the archipelago of the Northern Sporades is scattered; Translated, the name means “scattered in the north.”

To the east and north of the above-mentioned archipelago there are quite large islands of the Hellenic Republic:

• Samos;
• Ikaria;
• Chios;
• Lesvos;
• Lemnos;
• Samothrace;
• Thasos.

These islands are surrounded by their smaller counterparts. Some scientists have identified them as a group of Northeastern Aegean islands.

Looking at the political or physical map of Eurasia, we can say that Greece, with a huge number of islands with thousands of kilometers of coastline, with bays, natural beaches and located in the subtropics, is intended by God himself for recreation and tourism.

It is here that many ancient historical monuments, cultural centers, mineral water sources and other attributes integral to resorts are concentrated.

Climate of Greece

Thassos Island

The modern Internet is literally crammed with articles claiming that a temperate climate prevails in some areas of Greece. It must be said right away that this is a fallacy. The entire area of ​​modern Hellas lies in the subtropical zone, the characteristic feature of which is hot and more or less dry summers with cool and damp winters.

Drought and heat in summer are caused by the dominance of tropical air masses brought in by the Azores anticyclone. Rains and relatively warm weather in winter form tropospheric masses of temperate latitudes, coming here from behind Gibraltar.

The climate of areas located high in the mountains is characterized by lower temperatures and frequent precipitation, especially on the western slopes of the mountains. Sometimes the climate of Greece is called Mediterranean, and the vegetation of the high mountain areas - above 2000 m above the sea line - is the zone of alpine meadows.

What is the sea like in Greece?

Greece is washed by many seas, because the Mediterranean Sea, which in ancient times was called the Tethys Ocean, stretching from the Middle East to the Pyrenees Mountains, in geographical nomenclature “retained” some of the properties of the ocean, having relatively small seas on its outskirts.

From the west, the Balkan Peninsula is washed by the waves of the Ionian Sea, the maximum depth of which is more than 5100 meters; in the Mediterranean this is the deepest point.

The Aegean Sea of ​​Greece washes the country from the east. It is named after the mythological king Aegeus who died here, whose son, the legendary hero Theseus, like Hercules, accomplished many great and glorious feats.

In the north, the Aegean Sea is separated from the Thracian Sea by the island of Lemnos. The latter borders Macedonia and Thrace; the Turkish Gallipoli peninsula stretches on the eastern borders of the Aegean Sea, and Halkidiki on the western borders. In ancient times, the southern part of the Aegean Sea was called the Myrtoan Sea, and the southeastern part was called the Icarian Sea. But in modern geography these terms are rarely used.

To the south of the Cyclades archipelago and the Southern Sporades, north of Crete, is the Cretan Sea, and between Cape Sideros and the island of Karpathos, the small Carpathian Sea is “hidden,” which is part of the waters of the Cyprus Sea.

The southern coast of Crete is washed by the waves of the Libyan Sea, whose coastal waters are much colder than their northern neighbors. The reason for this is the flow into the Libyan Sea of ​​a large number of cold mountain springs located on the southern slopes of the mountains of Crete.

The water temperature in the seas surrounding Greece fluctuates: in winter it cools to 11-15 degrees, and in summer it warms up to 22-26 and higher.

It should be noted that the seas surrounding Greece have high salinity: 3.85%, and sometimes more.

It increases especially in summer, during times of strong evaporation. Therefore, staying on the water here is much easier than in the Black Sea; This is where you can quickly learn to swim.

When going to Greece, many people wonder: are there sharks there?
Most often, these marine predators are found in the Adriatic Sea, but they also swim further east.
Recently, in the waters of the seas surrounding Greece, sharks rarely make their presence known.

We must remember that there is an increased risk of being bitten by a shark for divers and scuba divers, while for people who follow safety precautions, it is minimal.

Greece is unique! Philosophy, democracy, physics and poetry, as well as other sciences and arts, were born here. On the territory of modern Hellas, a huge number of monuments of ancient Greek civilization have been preserved, which, together with its exceptional geographical position and comfortable climate, make Greece an unusually attractive, ideal country for tourists.

Greece is a picturesque Balkan country with a rich culture, delicious cuisine and a very long history. The modern state is located on the territory where the center of the great ancient civilization was once located. What is the country like now? What is Greece's area, climate and economy? You will learn all the details about the country below.

Geographical location

Greece belongs to the countries of Southern Europe. It is located in the very south of the Balkan Peninsula, as well as on the islands closest to it. On land, the country is surrounded by Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania, and has both land and sea borders with Turkey.

The seas surrounding Greece (Ionian, Mediterranean, Aegean and Libyan) belong to the Atlantic Ocean. The coastline stretches for 15 thousand kilometers. The total area of ​​Greece is 131,944 km2. Geographically, the state is divided into three large areas:

• Mainland Greece and the Ionian Islands.
• Peloponnese Peninsula.
• Islands of the Aegean Sea.

The mainland includes the Central Region, Greek Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly, Epirus. Medium-altitude mountainous terrain prevails here. Rocky mountains alternate with valleys, and on the coast with bays and lagoons.

The narrow Isthmus of Corinth connects the main part of the country with the Peloponnese. Its width is only 6 kilometers. Previously, it separated the Ionian and Aegean seas, but in the 19th century a canal was built here, connecting the reservoirs for ease of navigation.

In the Middle Ages, the peninsula was called Morea. It is located in the southwest of the country, covering 22,200 km2. Its shores are very indented, and from above the peninsula resembles the leaf of some plant.

Islands

Approximately 20% of Greece's area is islands. They cover an area of ​​24,800 km2. There are about 3,000 islands in total, some of them are combined into archipelagos. Only 230 are inhabited. All islands are divided into groups:

• Crete.
• Northern Sporades and Euboea.
• Dodecanese.
• Cyclades.
• Northern Aegean Islands.
• Ionian Islands.

The largest island in Greece is Crete, followed by Euboea. Crete is also one of the largest in the Mediterranean and the country's most popular tourist island. The Minoan civilization, the oldest in Europe, was born on it.

Lesvos is the third largest in Greece. It belongs to the North Aegean Islands, which are located near the Turkish coast. Many famous names are associated with Lesbos, including the poet Alcaeus and the poetess Sappho.

Rhodes, part of the Dodecanese archipelago, is one of the largest islands. It is called the “pearl of Greece” because of its incredibly beautiful nature and many preserved ancient monuments. The old part of its main city was even included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list.

Climate

The climate of Greece is temperate, alpine and Mediterranean. From the central regions and the Peloponnese to Crete and the Dodecanese islands the Mediterranean subtropical type is characteristic. Winters here are mild and humid, and summers are dry and hot. The island of Rhodes, which is the most fertile in the country, has the most favorable conditions.

The climate of Greece on the mainland is determined by the topography. In the local mountains it is of the alpine type. The Pindus range separating Thessaly and Epirus influences the amount of rainfall in these regions. Thus, the slopes of Epirus receive much more moisture than the Thessalian slopes located in the east.

The Alpine climate also applies to the mountains of Western Macedonia, Central Greece, Achaea, Laconia and Arcadia. Eastern Macedonia and Thrace have moderate subtropical climate conditions with cool, wet winters and dry, hot summers.

There are about 300 sunny days a year. At night in summer, a breeze appears on the coasts, making the air cooler. On the islands, the holiday season lasts from April to October; on the mainland, especially in the northern part, it is shorter - from May to September.

Nature

Mountains occupy approximately 4/5 of the entire area of ​​Greece, so soils and vegetation in most of the territory vary zonally. The mountains contain a lot of limestone, which makes the soil not very suitable for farming. In the plains they are more fertile, but dry out quickly during hot periods.

The nature of modern Greece has been significantly influenced by people. The region was inhabited even before our era. Continuous deforestation and conversion into pastures and gardens, as well as hunting of wild animals, have significantly reduced the diversity of local flora and fauna.

More than 6 thousand plants grow in the country. These are mainly shrubs (maquis, freegana, etc.). Deciduous and coniferous forests grow on the foothills and plains; today they occupy only 12% of the country's area. In Greece you can see olive trees, oaks, beeches, black spruces, fir and plane trees.

The animal world is much poorer than the plant world. The best preserved animals in the country are small mammals and reptiles, such as hares, porcupines, badgers, mice, snakes and lizards. Large animals include bears, jackals, wild boars, and lynxes. The red deer has been almost completely exterminated by humans. Red-listed monk seals and carriage turtles live in local waters.

History of Greece

From the history of this Balkan state, we usually remember the classical or “golden” period (VI-IV centuries BC). It was then that ancient policies appeared with majestic temples and sculptures, spacious squares, houses with sewerage and heating. The art, architecture, science and philosophy of that time influenced the development of European civilization.

But people inhabited the country much earlier. From the III-II millennium BC. e. There was a non-Greek population living here. It was a developed Aegean civilization. Later, it was captured and assimilated by the ancient Greek tribes of the Achaeans, Ionians, and Dorians who came here. With the advent of the latter came the Dark Ages, described in the poems of Homer.

Culture and language decline, but over time navigation develops, facilitated by the geographical location of Greece. Active trade leads to the expansion of possessions, the emergence of trade and craft centers, and economic and social prosperity.

In 146 BC. Greece is captured by the Roman Empire, and after its collapse, it becomes part of the Byzantine Empire. In the Middle Ages, many different kingdoms, duchies, principalities and counties were formed on its territory. And from the 15th to the 19th centuries, Greek lands were part of the Ottoman Empire.

In 1821, Greece declares its independence, conflicting with Turkey until the end of the First World War. In the 40s, military coups and civil wars followed, after which the country took a democratic course. In 1981, Greece joined the European Union.

Economy

At the end of World War II, the Greek economy experienced a strong recovery. In the 2000s, it was one of the 30 developed countries in the world. In recent years, it has been experiencing a crisis and has again returned to the status of developing states. External debt in 2010 amounted to more than $300 billion.

It is an industrial-agrarian country in which the main industries are metallurgy, chemical, textile, food and mining industries. Production is developing at an average level, and agriculture is mainly represented by small private farms. The country grows olives, soybeans, tobacco, wheat, barley, vegetables, citrus fruits, and grapes.

A quarter of GDP comes from tourism. About 20 million people visit it annually. About 17% of the country's population works in the service sector. The Greek economy also consists of shipping. Foreign ships are allowed to register under the country's flag, making the Greek merchant fleet the third largest in the world.

Population

The population of Greece is 10.853 million people, and is characterized by negative growth. In 2016 alone, it decreased by almost 45,000 people. The population belongs to the declining or aging type - the majority of residents (66%) are between 15 and 65 years old, and only 14% of residents are under 15 years of age.

The country can be considered mono-ethnic; about 93% of the population of Greece is Greek. In addition, it is inhabited by Turks, Gypsies, Pomaks, Albanians, Armenians, Serbs, Jews and Arabs. About 4 million ethnic Greeks live outside the state, mainly in Australia, the USA and Canada.

According to the constitution, the leading religion in Greece is the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ. The population of several Aegean islands professes Catholicism, while Muslims live in Thrace and the Dodecanese Islands. Some groups profess Protestantism, Greek neo-paganism, and Judaism. About 30,000 people are Jehovah's Witnesses.

Athens

There is no clear administrative division into cities and villages in the country. They are classified into one group or another based on the number of inhabitants. The largest cities in Greece: Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Larissa, Volos, Heraklion, Acharnes.

Athens is the capital of a state with a population of 3,090 million people. The city is named after the goddess of wisdom, who was considered its patron. It was here that classical Greek culture and democracy were born 2.5 thousand years ago.

The city is located on a plain surrounded by mountains and the Saronicus Gulf. Now it is not only an administrative and cultural center, but also a major port. From here you can reach many islands and cities in Greece by sea.

The main tourist sites are located in the Plaka and Thissio areas. On a hill in the old city is the Acropolis with the Parthenon and other temples, an amphitheater and ancient sculptures. The center of trade in modern Athens is the Monastiraki area.

Nafplio

The city of Nafplion is located on the Peloponnese island. It is home to only 13 thousand people. According to legend, Nafplio was founded by the son of the god of the seas, Poseidon. This is one of the oldest cities in Greece, whose population lives mainly from tourism.

Local residents also engage in fishing. The region of Argolis, which includes the city, specializes in the cultivation of citrus fruits, and the port of Nafplio is the center of their export.

The city has preserved monuments from different eras and cultures. There are Orthodox churches, Catholic churches and Muslim mosques. From the time of the Venetian state, mansions, the fortresses of Budzi and Palamidi remained in it. Near the city there are numerous ancient ruins, as well as the Kanaf spring, in which the goddess Hera herself bathed to regain her virginity.

And I

One of the most vibrant cities in Greece is Oia, located on Santorini. This is the northernmost settlement of the island. Many people find it very romantic: tangled streets lined with mosaics of stones, snow-white walls of houses and blue domes of temples.

The city is picturesquely located on a hill above the sea. It has many mini-hotels designed for just one or two families. Some of them have special apartments for newlyweds.

People come here to enjoy nature and silence. Car traffic is prohibited in Oia. By car you are only allowed to visit the fishing port of Ammoudi. You can reach it on foot only by climbing more than 200 steps.

Greece, which is called the cradle of European culture, is located in the south of Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Relatively small in area, the country has an invaluable historical and cultural heritage.

Geographical characteristics

The capital of Greece is Athens, it is one of the oldest cities in the world, but the youngest European capital, since Athens acquired capital status only in the mid-19th century.

Greece is a republic. Greece's northern border runs with Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria, and in the east the state borders Turkey.

According to the characteristics of natural conditions, the country can be divided into 8 regions:

1. Northern Greece (subtropics),
2. Thessaly (a region combining mountains and plains),
3. Western Greece (most mountainous area),
4. Ionian Islands (subtropics with fertile lands),
5. Central Greece (the driest part of the country, hot and low-water),
6. Southern Greece (mildest climate),
7. Crete (a touristically attractive area with a comfortable climate, clean bays and beaches),
8. Islands of the Aegean Sea (more rocky and less fertile than the islands in the Ionian Sea).

Nature

The country's terrain is defined as mountainous, since plateaus, rocks and mountain ranges occupy up to 80% of the country's territory. The mountains are mostly of medium altitude, not exceeding 1800 meters. The east of the country is dominated by plains. The large and ancient Pindus mountain system runs through the central part.

The height of the famous Mount Olympus is 2917 meters, it is part of the Pindian system. Competing in height with Olympus is the no less famous Parnassus (2457 meters).

The Pindus Mountains continue in the Peloponnese in the form of ridges and capes. The eastern coast is heavily lined with rocks...

The western part of Greece is wetter - there are more permanent rivers here than in the east. In the east of the country, where the rivers are mostly fed by snow, the rivers often dry up in the summer.

The rivers of Greece are few in number: natural conditions predetermined that the narrow peninsula, heavily indented by rocks, could not form large river systems. Therefore, Greek rivers are mostly short, swift, originating in the mountains and rushing to the sea along wedge-shaped valleys.

The Greek river with the longest length is Aliakmon (the length is 300 meters and the river is entirely within the country). Rivers that originate in other countries also flow through Greece: Moritsa, Nestos, Strymon, Vardar.

The Aheloos and Tnyos rivers, flowing along the western edge of the country, are the deepest. In summer, they do not dry out, as happens with eastern rivers.

There are more than 20 large lakes in Greece. Areas of more than 90 sq. km reach Trichonis and Volvi, and Lake Prespa, with an area of ​​more than 280 sq. km, only one edge invades Greece, occupying the territories of two more countries.

Small Greek lakes, such as Ioannina, are karst - the most ancient in origin. They are fed by groundwater...

Greece is washed by several seas - the Mediterranean, Ionian, Aegean and Libyan. The largest of them is the Mediterranean, and locals consider all other seas to be part of the Mediterranean.

The Aegean washes Greece on the right, the Ionian - the left, and the Cretan - the southern coast. The Aegean Sea is the largest, northernmost and coldest of the three smaller seas. There are many small archipelagos in the sea, since the eastern part of the peninsula was once dry land, but over time it sank and flooded. The Aegean Sea is very clean and transparent, the water has a turquoise tint.

The Ionian Sea washes the peninsula from Corfu to Zakynthos. This is the deepest and saltiest of the Greek seas.

The Cretan Sea is located north of the island of Crete, it is famous for its gentle slopes into the water, clean, smooth beaches, cozy bays, where comfortable resort towns are located one after another...

There is almost no natural vegetation left in the country, although extensive Greek forests were once reported, today almost exterminated. The same fate befell representatives of the animal world - today it is poor in large mammals - deer, wild boars, mountain goats and bears.

In the forests on the border with Bulgaria there are still bears, wolves, wild cats, foxes, lynxes, jackals, martens, and rabbits.

In the coastal part of the country there are many animals that are now endangered - the Mediterranean sea turtle and the endemic monk seal.

Natural in a hot climate is the diversity of turtles, lizards and snakes - grass snakes and vipers, which easily adapt to the lack of moisture. Greek land lizards, endemic rock lizards, as well as Peloponnesian, Ionian and green lizards are common.

Partridges and hoopoes live in the mountains, and kingfishers are considered a decoration of the forests. The world of birds of prey is diverse - owls, kites, vultures, falcons.

On the island of Crete there are more than 100 species of shellfish, more than 70 of which are found only on this island and nowhere else in the world...

The climate of the small country is heterogeneous, it is strongly influenced by the mountains - only on the plains and near the sea the climate is comfortable, Mediterranean subtropical. Winters are mild, summers are hot and dry.

In the mountains there is more humidity and more precipitation, while temperatures are significantly lower and there is a possibility of snowfall. The western part of the country has a milder climate than the eastern part due to the influence of western currents. The eastern part is drier.

July and August are dry, when temperatures reach 45 degrees Celsius. High temperatures promote the ripening of grapes, peaches, figs, and pomegranates. In October the rains come, dragging on for a whole period, but after the autumn rains a semblance of spring comes again - the meadows turn green, the rivers collect water...

Resources

Greece has few useful natural resources - brown coal, lignite, small gas and oil reserves, iron, nickel, and manganese ores. There are reserves of silver and copper.

There are abundant reserves of limestone, sandstone, granite, marble - all this is successfully exported as valuable building materials.

Animal husbandry and agriculture have a very small share in the country's industry - the majority of residents who breed animals or are engaged in agriculture do this for personal plots. Greek animals are not exported - goats, sheep, horses are raised here, but all this is called “for themselves”.

Soils in Greece require constant irrigation, so important agricultural crops are not produced here either. Important export products from Greece are tomatoes, olives, sugar beets, and potatoes. They produce and import legumes, corn...

Culture

The familiar word “Greek,” which today denotes nationality, previously referred to Greek colonists in Southern Italy, and the Greeks themselves called themselves Hellenes.

The vast majority of the population of modern Greece - 96% - are Greeks; they speak only Greek, but most also speak English. Among the population there are shares of Turks, Macedonians, Bulgarians, and Albanians. Most Greeks are Orthodox Christians...