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

Athens.

Major cities

Athens, Patra, Piraeus, Larisa and Salonica.

51,000 square miles.

has many medieval churchs.

makes Greece a very popular tourist area.

well known for its sculptures, paintings, pottery, poetry and playwriting.

The land within Greece is not very productive for farming.

Greeks have struggled to build a strong economy.

standard of living in Greece is lower than other European countries.

Manufacturing

becoming one of the key industries.

Tourism

still has many ancient ruins, some over 4000 years old.

very important, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast.

farming includes wheat, fruits, vegetables, olives and grapes.

Some areas support goat and sheep ranching.

Fishing also continues to be an important industry.

Top of Page Ancient Greece is considered the birthplace of European civilization, dating back over 5000 years.

date back over 4000 years,

caves showing signs of life over 10,000 years ago.

ancient greek people may have come from northern Africa.

Ancient Greece produced many philosophers and scholars, such as Socrates and Plato.

contributed significantly to our current culture.

first democratic government

created

scientific principles

created

mathematics.

contributed to the artistic community with Homer

wrote the Iliad and The Odyssey,

artisans creating sculptures, paintings, pottery, poetry and playwriting.

Competitive sports were a major part of Greek life. The first Olympic Games were held in Greece in 776 BC.

did not have a strong, unified military force.

ancient Greeks

an easy target for other invading people.

ancient times, Greece was conquered by the Romans. Others controlled Greece at various times. In the 15th century, the Turks invaded Greece and ruled for about 400 years. The Greeks finally got their independence in the early 1800s.

discovered

Two thirds of the population lives in urban areas such as Athens.

Greek culture is still heavily influenced by its ancient history.

Most of Greece has a mild climate. Summers are warm and dry, particularly in the southern coastal areas. Rain is heavy during the winter months, with some mountain areas getting snow.