Geography
Greece
Area
land
130,647 sq km
water
1,310 sq km
total
131,957 sq km
Climate
temperate; featuring mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain
characterized by mountainous terrain with ranges that extend into the sea, forming peninsulas or chains of islands
Land use
other
21.3% (2023 est.)
forest
36.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
41.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 14.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 19.2% (2023 est.)
Location
Located in Southern Europe, this region borders the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and Mediterranean Sea, situated between Albania and Turkey
Coastline
13,676 km
Elevation
lowest point
Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point
Mount Olympus 2,917
mean elevation
498 m
Irrigated land
12,191 sq km (2021)
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
1,110 km
border countries
Albania 212 km; Bulgaria 472 km; North Macedonia 234 km; Turkey 192 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
6 nm
continental shelf
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Natural hazards
prone to severe earthquakes
volcanism: Santorini (367 m) is recognized as a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, due to its explosive past and its proximity to populated areas; Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are also noted for their historical volcanic activity
Geography - note
strategically positioned to control the Aegean Sea and the southern approach to the Turkish Straits; this is a peninsular nation that includes an archipelago of approximately 2,000 islands
Natural resources
lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, and hydropower potential
Area - comparative
somewhat smaller than Alabama
Geographic coordinates
39 00 N, 22 00 E
Population distribution
approximately one third of the population resides in and around metropolitan Athens; the rest of the country exhibits a moderate population density along with significant urban clusters