Transcript Greece

Greece
The most beautiful country
Athena Moraiti, Matina Katifori, Alice Plakidi
Greece : officially the Hellenic Republic and known since ancient times as Hellas , is a
country located in southeastern Europe.Greece's population is around 11,03 million. Athens is
the nation's capital and largest city, followed by Thessaloniki, which is commonly referred to as
the co-capital. Situated on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders
with Albania to the northwest, the "fYRοM" (former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) and
Bulgaria to the north and Turkey to the northeast. Greece consists of nine geographic
regions: Macedonia, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, the Aegean
Islands (including the Dodecanese and Cyclades), Thrace, Crete, and the Ionian Islands.
The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the west, and
the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has one of the longest histories of any country,
tracing its roots to the civilization of Ancient Greece, which is considered the cradle of
all Western civilization.
Culture
While countless archeological sites and
museums—including the new Acropolis Museum—
offer visitors a chance to experience Greek history
personaly, the country’s deep heritage is also felt in
the spectacular concert halls, in the summertime
open-air theaters, and in the neighbourhood art
galleries throughout Athens.
Greek music separates into two parts: Greek
traditional music and Byzantine music, with more
eastern sounds.
The Greek language holds an important place in the histories of Europe, the more loosely
defined Western world, and Christianity.
Greek cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine. Greek cookery
makes wide use of olive oil, lemon juice, vegetables, and
herbs, grains and bread, wine, fish, and various including
meats, lamb, poultry, rabbit and pork.
Religion
The prevailing religion in Greece is that of the Eastern
Orthodox Church of Christ. The Orthodox Church of Greece,
acknowledging our Lord Jesus Christ as its head, is inseparably
united in doctrine with the Great Church of Christ in
Constantinople and with every other Church of Christ of the
same doctrine.
Traditions and Customs
Many local traditions can be encountered in Greece, depending on your location, however,
below we will describe the basic folk traditions and customs found across Greece. Most of the time
these customs are associated with Christian holidays and rituals. In recent years however the bond
of religion and tradition begins to recede, creating new habits.
Climate
The climate of Greece is primarily Mediterranean,
featuring mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
This climate occurs at all coastal locations, including
Athens, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, the
Peloponnese, the Ionian Islands and parts of the
Central Continental Greece region.
Geography
Eighty percent of Greece consists of mountains or hills,
making the country one of the most mountainous in
Europe. Mount Olympus, the mythical abode of the Greek
Gods, culminates at Mytikas peak 2,917 m (9,570 ft), the
highest in the country. Western Greece contains a number
of lakes and wetlands and is dominated by the Pindus
mountain range.
Greece features a vast number of islands, between 1,200
and 6,000, depending on the definition, 227 of which are
inhabited.