Facts about Greece
- 09
Greek shipping magnates control approximately 4,500 merchant vessels globally, representing roughly 18 percent of the world's total commercial shipping fleet.
- 08
Over 80 percent of Greece's territory is mountainous, with the Pindus mountain range forming the country's rugged backbone and covering much of its mainland interior.
- 07
Ancient Greek athletes competed completely nude at the Olympic Games, a practice called gymnos that originated in Olympia around 776 BCE and continued for nearly 1,200 years.
- 06
Santorini's caldera was formed by a catastrophic volcanic eruption around 1600 BCE that destroyed most of the Minoan civilization on the island.
- 05
Feta cheese production in Greece is protected by European law, with only cheese made in specific regions using traditional methods permitted to bear the name since 2002.
- 04
About 6,000 islands comprise Greece, though only 227 of them are inhabited, making it the European country with the most islands.
- 03
Mount Olympus, Greece's highest peak at 2,918 meters, was believed by ancient Greeks to be the home of the twelve Olympian deities.
- 02
In 1821, Greece declared independence from Ottoman rule after 400 years of occupation, sparking a nine-year war that ultimately secured their sovereignty.
- 01
The Acropolis in Athens receives approximately 2.2 million visitors annually, making it Greece's most visited archaeological site.