| Republic on the south part of the Balkan peninsula, bounded on the north by Albania, Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, on the west and south by the Mediterranean and on the east by the Aegean Sea and Turkey. One of the OECD countries. Member of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). | |
| CAPITAL | Athens. |
| PRINCIPAL PORT(S) | Igoumenitsa, Patras, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Volos. |
| POPULATION | 10,623,835 (July 2001 estimate). |
| DEPENDENT/ASSOCIATED TERRITORIES | Mount Athos is within the EU Customs area, but outside the EU fiscal (VAT) area. |
| LANGUAGE(S) | Greek (English, French and German are widely understood). |
| WEIGHTS AND MEASURES | Metric system. |
| ELECTRICITY SUPPLY | Domestic: 220v AC; Industrial: 380v AC 3-phase. |
| CURRENCY(-IES) | The euro |
| EXCHANGE RATE | 1.59 euro = £1 sterling (fluctuating rates). |
| DIALLING CODE | 00 30. |
| PUBLIC HOLIDAYS | 1, 6 Jan; 25 Mar; 1 May; 15 Aug; 28 Oct; 25, 26 Dec; in addition, the following which have variable dates: Clean Monday (start of Lent); Good Friday; Easter Monday; Easter Tuesday (1/2 day for shops); Holy Ghost day. |
| TIME | 2 hours ahead of GMT (2 hours ahead of BST). |
| EMBASSY(-IES) | 1A Holland Park, London W11 3TP.
Tel: 020 7229 3850, fax: 020 7229 7221, e-mail: political@greekembassy.org.uk - consulategeneral@greekembassy.org.uk
(visas, passports, certificates, etc), website: www.greekembassy.org.uk
- office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1640. The Consulate General of Greece and the Greek office for Economic and Commercial Affairs are at the same address. Honorary Consulates at Belfast, Birmingham, Falmouth, Glasgow, Leeds, Southampton. |
| BRITISH EMBASSY | 1 Ploutarchou Street, 106 75 Athens. Tel: 00 30 10 727 2600, fax: 00 30 10 727 2720, e-mail:britania@hol.gr - website: www.british-embassy.gr The Trade and Development Section is at the same address. |
| CHAMBER(S) OF COMMERCE | British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, Vass, Sophias 25, Athens 10674. Tel: 00 30 1 721 0361/1721 0493, fax: 00 30 1 721 8751. |