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 ﻿ ﻿ GREECE ﻿Location: ﻿ Greece is located at the southern most tip of Europe and is surrouded on three sides by seas: by the Ionian Sea to the west Aegean Sea to the east and Mediterrean to the South. Map:

Population: The population of Greece is 10.2 million pople. An estimated 5 million Greeks live abroad. ﻿ Language: Modern Greek is based on the the same way of speaking used by famous Greek writers and poets more than 3000 years ago. Greek was the language of the Gospels and has made a major contribution to all western languages.

Flag: The National Flag of Greece consists of four white and five blue alternating horizontal stripes, with a white cross on the upper inner corner. Blue and white are the national colors of Greece. The stripes represent the sea which has been so important to Greece throughout its history; the white representing the white waves breaking on the sea; some say white also represents purity. The cross on the flag represents the Greek Orthodox faith.

Currency: Greece's monetary unit is the Euro. No other currency is accepted and it is best to exchange dollars or other currency at a bank. The exchange rates are all the same throughout the country and you exchange money at a bank or official exchange shop where you will get the best rates.

Religion: Ninety-eight percent of the people are Greek Orthodox. Freedom of religion is allowed and other religions such as Catholic, Jewish and Muslims have their own places of worship.  Government: The current president of Greece is Dr Karolos Papoulias who originally took office in 2005. He was re-elected in February 2010. As Greece has presidential term limits, like the United States of America, this will be his last term in office. There is also a prime minister, George Papandreou.  ﻿  History: Greece, also known as Hellas, is the birthplace of democracy. Its history stretches back almost 4,000 years to a time when the people who inhabited the island of Crete had developed a notable civilization known as Minoan. The Olympic Games were created by the ancient Greece.

 Education: Greek families have always placed a high value on education. Education is provided free by the Greek State from kindergarten to the university level, including tuition and textbooks. The years of compulsory education cannot be less than nine, which include six years of primary education and three years of secondary (high school) education. Flora and Fauna Greece has a rich and varied wildlife, from bears and wolfs to a rich variety of birds that include vultures and eagles. The marine life in Greece is also under threat from tourism, Europe ’s rarest mammal, the monk seal, which once thrived in the Mediterranean, only 200 are to be found in the waters around Greece. These seals are disturbed by the high number of tourist’s boats sailing or anchoring near to the caves where the seals breed. The variation of plants on Greece is exceptional; over 6000 species grow here, some are indigenous to Greece. The island of Crete and the Peloponnese region of Greece are the areas with the largest population of wild flowers. Orchids, of which they are over 100 varieties, grow alongside anemones, violets, tulips, peonies, narcissus and primroses. The olive tree, which the Greeks hold in highest regard, is the cause of a major ecological disaster. Due to its versatility of its oil not only used in cooking, but also in lighting and lubrication, huge tracks of native forest were cut down to make way for olive groves. Without the surface root systems of the native trees, the soil soon eroded and the olive trees, without a good surface root system was of no help at all in stopping this erosion. .

Christmas and New Year The two major religious holidays are, Christmas and Easter, and these are celebrated all over Greece with customs that are universal in character. Christmas has overtaken New Year's Day as the major occasion for gifts, parties and decorated fir trees. In Greece the traditional red-robed and white-bearded Santa Claus appears in the guise of Saint Basil, and on both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve the children go from house to house singing carols and collecting drachmas. media type="custom" key="10493572"

Easter: The candlelight processions of Good Friday, the celebratory fireworks at midnight on Saturday, and Easter Sunday feast and many other traditions, make this springtime celebration a very colorful, festive and distinctively Greek Orthodox holiday.

Culture and Lifestyle:

The Greek way of life is based around the family and church.

The National Anthem: //We know thee of old// //Oh divinely restored,// //By the light of thine eyes// //And the light of thy sword.// //From the graves of our slain// //Shall the valor prevail// //As we greet thee,// //As we greet thee again,// //Hail, Liberty! Oh, Hail!// media type="custom" key="10493506"

Tourists Attractions:

How is Greece globally connected to Australia? Greece's famous Greek island attracts many Australian tourists each year. And the ancient ruins, the parthenon and the acropolis are almost famous tourist attractions. Greece's main export to Australia are olives, mainly the world famous kalamata olive.