Land area: 50,502 sq mi (130,800 sq km); total area: 50,942 sq mi (131,940 sq km)

Population (2006): 10,688,058 (growth rate: 0.2%); birth rate: 9.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 5.4/1000; life expectancy: 79.2; density per sq mi: 212

Capital City: Athens

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly drachma)

Languages: Greek 99% (official), English, French

Ethnicity/race: Greek 98%, other 2%; note: the Greek government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece

Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Islam 1.3%, other 0.7%

Much of Greece is mountainous and rocky terrain, with the occasional plain. The Pindus Mountains start in northern Greece and stretch south to the Gulf of Patra. In the southern part of Greece are the Peloponnesus Mountains.

About 20% of Greece is made up of islands. Crete is a large island located in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a popular tourist area for its beautiful mountains, coastline, and many ancient ruins.

Most of the people in Greece live along the coast, or along rivers and harbors.

The culture of Greece has evolved over thousands of years, with its beginnings in Ancient Greece, through the influence of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and Greek independence. Greece is often called the cradle of Western civilisation.

Ancient Greece produced many philosophers and scholars, such as Socrates and Plato. These Greeks contributed significantly to our current culture. They created the first democratic government, discovered many scientific principles, and created mathematics. The Greeks also contributed to the artistic community with Homer, who wrote the Iliad and The Odyssey, and other artisans creating sculptures, paintings, pottery, poetry and playwriting.

The people of Greece were one of the earliest civilizations. Greece still has many ancient ruins, some over 4000 years old. Greece also has many medieval churchs. This makes Greece a very popular tourist area. Greece is also well known for its sculptures, paintings, pottery, poetry and playwriting.

The capital city, Athens is the home to many ancient sites. Famous landmarks include the enormous Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens, which was built around 1,500 years ago for the worship of the Greek God Zeus. Athens' Acropolis towers is also another famous landmark in Europe and the classical Greek architecture has become a symbol of the city. Built around 2,500 years ago, the Acropolis has several temples, of which the most important build is the Parthenon, dedicated to Athena, a Greek goddess.

Competitive sports were a major part of Greek life. The first Olympic Games were held in Greece in 776 BC. Some of these stadiums are still around today including the Olympia Stadion.