of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS
(since 10 March 1995)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by February
2005); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only
serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing
plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a
government
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos KARAMANLIS (since 7
March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president;
percent of Parliament vote - 90%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by
March 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%,
KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE
12, Synaspismos 6
Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
judicial council
Political parties and leaders:
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS];
Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or
ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist
Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally
[Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos
POLYZOGOPOLOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas
KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros
PAPASPYROS]
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU,
FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryios SAVVAIDIS
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and Tampa
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 939–1324
telephone: [1] (202) 939–1300
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles RIES embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842–0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721–2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645–6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
Flag description:
nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there
is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white
cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
religion of the country
Economy Greece
Economy - overview:
Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector
accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the
leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants
make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs.
Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of
annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by about 4.0% for the past two
years, largely because of an investment boom and infrastructure
upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Despite strong growth,
Greece has failed to meet the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget
deficit criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000; public debt, inflation,
and unemployment are also above the eurozone average. Further
restructuring of the economy include privatizing several state
enterprises, undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing
bureaucratic inefficiencies.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $213.6 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.7% industry: 22% services: 71.2% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.5% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.7 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
4.39 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 20%, industry 20%, services 60% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.4% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $76.84 billion
expenditures: $79.48 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)
Public debt:
100.9% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco,
potatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries:
tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal
products; mining, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: