Greece / Ελλάδα / Grécia

Is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula. The country has land borders with Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of mainland Greece, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the tenth longest coastline in the world at 14,880 km (9,246.00 mi) in length, featuring a vast number of islands (approximately 1400, 227 of which are inhabited), including Crete, the Dodecanese, the Cyclades, and the Ionian Islands among others. Eighty percent of Greece consists of mountains, of which Mount Olympus is the highest at 2,917 m (9,570.21 ft).

Modern Greece traces its roots to the civilization of ancient Greece, generally considered to be the cradle of Western civilization. As such, it is the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, Western literature and historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, and Western drama, including both tragedy and comedy. This legacy is partly reflected in the 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites that Greece is home to.

A developed country with a very high Human Development Index, Greece has been a member of what is now the European Union since 1981 and its Economic and Monetary Union since 2001, NATO since 1952, and the European Space Agency since 2005. It is also a founding member of the United Nations, the OECD, and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization. Athens is the capital; other major cities include Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion and Larissa.

 

History

Please go to

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Greece

 

Geography

Please go to

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Greece

 

Other info

Oficial names:

Ελληνική Δημοκρατία-Ellinikí Dhimokratía

Hellenic Republic

 

Formation:

First known Greek civilizations, c.3000 BCE

- Last previously independent state, 1461

- Independence from, the Ottoman Empire, 25 March 1821

- Recognized 1832, with the Treaty of Constantinople

 

Area:

131.957 km2

 

Inhabitants:

11.560.000

 

Languages:

Ελληνικά__Elliniká (Greeke)

Albanian, Arvanitika [aat] 150,000 (2000). Attica (Attiki), Boeotia (Viotia), southern Euboea (Evia), and the island of Salamis (Salamina); Thrace; Peloponiso Peninsula, Arkadia; Athens. Mainly rural. Also the Northwestern Peloponnese with enclaves elsewhere in the Peloponnese; north of the island of Andros, 300 villages. Alternate names: Arvanitika, Arvanitic, Arberichte. Dialects: Thracean Arvanitika, Northwestern Arvanitika, South Central Arvanitika. Arvanitika is partially intelligible to speakers of Tosk. Dialects are perceived as unintelligible to speakers of other dialects. Classification: Indo-European, Albanian, Tosk

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Albanian, Tosk [als] 10,000 in Greece (2002 Nicholas). Epyrus Region, village of Lehovo. Alternate names: Camerija, Arvanitika. Classification: Indo-European, Albanian, Tosk

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Bulgarian [bul] 30,000 in Greece (1998 Greek Helsinki Monitor). Western Thrace, 3 departments, including Xanthi. Dialects: Pomak (Pomakci, Pomakika). Classification: Indo-European, Slavic, South, Eastern

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Greek [ell] 9,859,850 in Greece (1986). Population total all countries: 12,258,540. Throughout the country, concentrated in Greek Macedonia. Also spoken in Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bulgaria, Canada, Congo, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Malawi, Paraguay, Poland, Romania, Russia (Europe), Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey (Europe), Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA. Alternate names: Ellinika, Grec, Greco, Graecae, Romaic, Neo-Hellenic. Dialects: Katharevousa, Dimotiki, Saracatsan. Katharevousa is an archaic literary dialect, Dimotiki is the spoken literary dialect and now the official dialect. The Saracatsan are nomadic shepherds of northern Greece. The Greek of Italy and that of Corsica are probably separate languages (R. Zamponi 1992). In Cyprus, the dialect is reported to be closer to Classical Greek than that spoken in Greece in some vocabulary and grammar, and to have many Arabic and Turkish loanwords. Lexical similarity 84% to 93% with Standard Greek. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic

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Greek Sign Language [gss] 42,600 (1986 Gallaudet Univ.). Classification: Deaf sign language

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Pontic [pnt] 200,000 in Greece (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk). Population total all countries: 324,535. The majority of speakers live in Salonica, borough of Kalamaria, and the rest of Macedonia in Greece. Also spoken in Azerbaijan, Canada, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia (Europe), Turkey (Europe), USA. Alternate names: Pontic Greek. Dialects: Speakers of Standard Greek cannot understand Pontic, and Pontic speakers are reported to not understand or speak Standard Greek. Pontic clubs and centers exist in the Athens-Peiraeus suburbs. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic

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Romani, Balkan [rmn] 40,000 in Greece (1996 Birgit Igla). Population includes 10,000 Arlija, 30,000 Greek Romani. About 500 families in Agia Varvara. Agia Varvara, a suburb of Athens. Dialects: Greek Romani, Arlija (Erli). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Balkan

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Romani, Vlax [rmy] 1,000 Lovari in Greece. Alternate names: Romanés, Tsingani, Rom. Dialects: Lovari. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Vlax

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Romanian, Macedo [rup] 200,000 in Greece (1995 Greek Monitor of Human and Minority Rights 1.3 Dec. 1995). Population total all countries: 306,237. Ethnic population: Possibly 700,000 in Greece (Association of French Aromanians). Northwest Salonika, and northern Greece, Pindus Mountains, around Trikala. Also spoken in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro. Alternate names: Macedo-Rumanian, Arumanian, Aromanian, Armina, Vlach. Dialects: Structurally a distinct language from Romanian (F. Agard). It split from the other 3 Rumanian languages between 500 and 1000 A.D. Many dialects. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern

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Romanian, Megleno [ruq] 3,000 in Greece (2002 Nicholas). Population total all countries: 5,000. Kilkis prefecture, Meglen Region, north of Salonika. Also spoken in Macedonia. Alternate names: Meglenitic, Meglenite. Dialects: Structurally a distinct language from Romanian, Macedo Romanian, and Istro Romanian (F. Agard). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern

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Romano-Greek [rge] 30 (2000). Alternate names: Hellenoromani, Romika. Dialects: Structured on Greek with heavy Romani lexicon. Classification: Mixed Language, Greek-Romani Nearly extinct.

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Slavic [mkd] 180,180 in Greece (1986 census). Macedonia Region in Greece, Florina prefecture, northern Kastoria prefecture, and Thessalonica prefecture. Alternate names: Macedonian Slavic, Macedonian. Classification: Indo-European, Slavic, South, Eastern

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Tsakonian [tsd] 1,200 (1981 J. Werner). 300 shepherds. Towns of Kastanitsa, Sitena, Prastos, Leonidi, Pramatefti, Sapounakeika, Tyros, Melana, possibly Korakovunio; eastern coast of Peloponnesos. Isolated in summer in the mountains west of Leonidi in the eastern Peloponnesus; in winter they descend to Leonidi and neighboring towns. Alternate names: Tsakonia. Dialects: Northern Tsakonian (Kastanista-Sitena), Southern Tsakonian (Leonidio-Prastos), Propontis Tsakonian (Vatka-Havoutsi). Derived from the Doric dialect spoken in Lakonia by ancient Spartans. Northern and Southern are reported to be intelligible to each other's speakers, but Propontis was more distinct, and closer to Standard Greek. Not inherently intelligible with modern Greek (Voegelin and Voegelin 1977). Lexical similarity 70% or less with Standard Greek. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Doric

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Turkish [tur] 128,380 in Greece (1976 WA). Thrace and Aegean regions. Alternate names: Osmanli. Classification: Altaic, Turkic, Southern, Turkish

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Extinct languages

Cappadocian Greek [cpg] Extinct. Resettled to various locations in Greece in 1922. Formerly in central Turkey (Cappadocia). The Sille dialect was in Sille town near Konya, Western Cappadocian was in villages south of Kayseri, Pharasa was in Pharasa (Faràs) and surrounding villages. Dialects: Sille, Western Cappadocian, Pharasa. Closest to Pontic. Even more distinct from Standard Greek than Pontic is. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic

More information.

 

Greek, Ancient [grc] Extinct. Dialects: Koine Greek, Classical Greek. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic

 

Capital city:

Athens

 

Meaning country name:

From the Latin Græcus (Greek Γραικοί, claimed by Aristotle to refer to the name of the original people of Epirus)

Hellas/Ellas/Ellada (Greek name): land of the Hellenes, descended in mythology from Hellen; the place name has a linguistic cognate in the English verb "settle". A popular folk etymology holds the name to mean "land of light", relating to ἥλιος (hḗlios), the Greek word for "sun".

Hurumistan (Kurdish variant), Urəm (Урым, Adyghe):

Saberdzneṭi (საბერძნეთი, Georgian):

Yunanistan (Azeri, Kurdish variant, Turkish), al-Yūnān (Arabic), Yavan (Hebrew): after Ionians, an older name for Greeks of Asia Minor

 

Description Flag:

The flag of Greece (Greek: Σημαία της Ελλάδος, popularly referred to as the Γαλανόλευκη or the Κυανόλευκη, the "blue-white") is based on nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white. There is a blue canton in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolises Christianity, the established religion of the majority of the people. According to popular tradition, the nine stripes represent the nine syllables of the phrase "Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος" ("Freedom or Death", " E-lef-the-ri-a i Tha-na-tos"), the five blue stripes for the syllables "Έλευθερία" and the four white stripes "ή Θάνατος". There is also a different theory, that the nine stripes symbolize the nine Muses, the goddesses of art and civilization (nine has traditionally been one of the numbers of reference for the Greeks). The official flag ratio is 2:3.

The blazon of the flag is Azure, four bars Argent; the canton Azure with a Greek cross throughout Argent. The shade of blue used in the flag has varied throughout its history, from light blue to dark blue, the latter being increasingly used since the late 1960s.

The above patterns were officially adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus in January 1822. Blue and white have many interpretations, symbolizing the colors of the famed Greek sky and sea (combined with the white clouds and waves), traditional colors of Greek clothes in the islands and the mainland, etc.

 

Coat of arms:

The National Emblem of Greece consists of a blue escutcheon with a white cross totally surrounded by two laurel branches.

The emblem is painted or woven, mainly on the hats, uniforms and buttons of the military, the security forces etc.

The Greek national emblem was provided for by the Constitution of Epidauros of 1 January 1822 and was established by decree on 15 March of the same year. It was blue and white and circular in shape.

Since it was first established the emblem has undergone many changes in shape and in design, mainly due to changes of regime.

The original Greek national emblem depicted the goddess Athena and the owl. At the time of Capodistrias, the first Prime Minister of modern Greece, the phoenix, the symbol of rebirth, was added. During the reign of King Otto, the royal coat of arms, with two crowned lions holding the shield with the royal crown, became the national emblem of the country. With the arrival of King George I, the Bavarian emblem was replaced by the Danish one. After Greece became a republic in 1924 the national emblem consisted of a simple white cross on a blue background. The Danish emblem returned with the restoration of the Monarchy until 1967.

 

Motto:

Ελευθερία ή θάνατος, Eleftheria i thanatos, "Freedom or else Death"

 

National Anthem: Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν-- Ímnos is tin Eleftherían--

Hymn to Liberty

 

Greek originals

Polytonic orthography

 

Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν κόψι

τοῦ σπαθιοῦ τὴν τρομερή,

σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν ὄψι

ποὺ μὲ βία μετράει τὴ γῆ.

Ἀπ’ τὰ κόκκαλα βγαλμένη

τῶν Ἑλλήνων τὰ ἱερά,

καὶ σὰν πρῶτα ἀνδρειωμένη,

χαῖρε, ὦ χαῖρε, Ἐλευθεριά!

 

Monotonic orthography

 

Σε γνωρίζω από την κόψη

του σπαθιού την τρομερή,

σε γνωρίζω από την όψη

που με βία μετράει τη γη.

Απ’ τα κόκκαλα βγαλμένη

των Ελλήνων τα ιερά,

και σαν πρώτα ανδρειωμένη,

χαίρε, ω χαίρε, Ελευθεριά!

 

Transliteration

 

Se gnorízo apó tin kópsi

tu spathiú tin tromerí,

se gnorízo apó tin ópsi,

pu me vía metrái ti yi.

Ap' ta kókkala vgalméni

ton Ellínon ta ierá,

ke san próta andhrioméni,

khére, o khére, Eleftheriá!

 

English Translations

 

I recognize you from the dreadful

edge of your sword

I recognize you from the countenance

which surveys the earth with force

Risen from the sacred bones

of the Greeks

and, valiant as before,

hail, oh hail, liberty!

 

Poetic

 

I shall always recognize you

by the dreadful sword you hold,

as the earth, with searching vision,

will rule, with spirit bold.

it was the Greeks of old whose dying

brought to birth our spirit free,

now, with ancient valour rising,

let us hail you, oh liberty!

 

Internet Page: www.greece.com

www.gnto.gr

www.gnto.gr

www.ancientgreece.com

 

Greece in diferent languages

 

eng | hau: Greece

ast | cos | glg | ina | ita | lld | ron | scn | spa: Grecia

arg | eus | roh: Grezia

afr | lim: Griekeland

cat | oci: Grècia

fra | frp: Grèce

ibo | tpi: Gris

kin | run: Ubugereki

nbl | zul: iGirisi

aze: Yunanıstan / Јунаныстан

bam: Girɛsi

bos: Grčka / Грчка

bre: Gres

ces: Řecko

cor: Pow Grek

crh: Yunanistan / Юнанистан

csb: Greckô

cym: Gwlad Groeg

dan: Grækenland

deu: Griechenland / Griechenland

dje: Gares

dsb: Grichiska

epo: Grekujo; Grekio

est: Kreeka

fao: Grikkaland

fin: Kreikka

fry: Grikelân

fur: Grecie

gag: Greţiya / Греция

gla: A’ Ghrèig

gle: An Ghréig / An Ġréig

glv: Yn Ghreag

hat: Grès; Lagrès

haw: Helene

hrv: Grčka

hsb: Grjekska

hun: Görögország

ind: Yunani / يوناني

isl: Grikkland

jav: Yunani

jnf: Grêce

kaa: Gretsiya / Греция

kal: Graekenlandi

kmr: Hurumistan / Һӧр’ӧмьстан / هوڕومستان; Ûnanistan / Унаньстан / ئوونانستان; Hûnastan / Һунастан / هووناستان; Yûnanîstan / Йунанистан / یوونانیستان

kur: Yunanistan / یونانستان; Yunan / یونان; Yewnanistan / یەونانستان; Yewnan / یەونان; Yûnanistan / یوونانستان; Grîkistan / گریکستان

lat: Graecia

lav: Grieķija

lin: Gresi

lit: Graikija

liv: Grīekmō

ltz: Griicheland / Griicheland

lug: Buyonani

mlg: Gresy

mlt: Greċja

mol: Grecia / Гречия

mos: Gɛrs

mri: Karīki

msa: Yunani / يوناني; Greece / ڬريس

nah: Ellincan

nds: Grekenland / Grekenland

nld: Griekenland

non: Gríkland; Grikkland

nor: Hellas

nrm: Graêce

nso: Gerikilane

pap: Gresia

pol: Grecja

por: Grécia

que: Grisya

rmy: Grečiya / ग्रेचिया

rup: Gãrtsia

sag: Gerêsi

slk: Grécko

slo: Grecia / Грециа

slv: Grčija

sme: Greika

smg: Graikėjė

smo: Eleni

som: Giriig

sqi: Greqia

srd: Gréghia

swa: Ugiriki; Uyunani

swe: Grekland

szl: Grecyjo

tet: Grésia

tgl: Gresya

ton: Kalisi

tuk: Gresiýa / Греция

tur: Yunanistan

uzb: Yunoniston / Юнонистон; Gretsiya / Греция

ven: Gerika

vie: Hy Lạp; Hy Lập

vol: Grikän

vor: Kriika

wln: Grece

wol: Girees

zza: Yunanıstan

chu: Еллада (Ellada); Елада (Elada)

abq | alt | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | tyv | udm: Греция (Grecija)

chv | oss: Греци (Greci)

ady: Урым (Urəm); Грециа (Grecia)

bak: Греция / Grecija

bel: Грэцыя / Hrecyja

bul: Гърция (Gǎrcija)

che: Джелтимохк (Dželtimoḫk); Греци (Greci)

chm: Греций (Grecij)

kaz: Греция / Grecïya / گرەتسيا; Грекия / Grekïya / گرەكيا

kbd: Грецие (Grecie)

kir: Грекия (Grekija)

lbe: Юнан (Junan); Греция (Grecija)

mkd: Грција (Grcija)

mon: Грек (Grek)

srp: Грчка / Grčka

tat: Юнанстан / Yunanstan; Греция / Gretsiä

tgk: Юнон / یونان / Junon

ukr: Ґреція (Grecija)

xal: Грек (Grek)

ara: اليونان (al-Yūnān)

ckb: یۆنانستان / Yonanistan; یۆنان / Yonan

fas: یونان (Yūnān)

prs: یونان (Yūnān)

pus: يونان (Yūnān)

uig: گرېتسىيە / Grétsiye / Греция

urd: یونان (Yūnān); گریس (Garīs)

div: ގްރީސް (Grīs)

syr: ܝܘܢܢ (Yūnan); ܝܘܢ (Yawan)

heb: יון / יוון (Yavan)

lad: גריסיה / Gresia

yid: גריכנלאַנד (Griḫnland)

amh: ግሪክ (Grik)

tir: ግሪኽ (Griĥ)

cop-boh: Ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲛⲓⲛ (Oueinin); Ϯⲉ̄ⲗⲗⲁⲥ (Tièllas)

ell-dhi: Ελλάδα (Elláda)

ell-kat: Ἑλλάς (Hellás)

hye: Հունաստան (Hounastan)

kat: საბერძნეთი (Saberdzneṭi)

hin: यूनान (Yūnān); ग्रीस (Grīs)

nep: यूनान (Yūnān)

ben: গ্রীস (Grīs); গ্রিস (Gris)

pan: ਗਰੀਸ (Grīs)

kan: ಗ್ರೀಸ್ (Grīs)

mal: ഗ്രീസ് (Grīs)

tam: கிரீஸ் (Kirīs)

tel: గ్రీస్ (Grīs)

zho: 希臘/希腊 (Xīlà)

yue: 希臘/希腊 (Hèilihp)

jpn: ギリシャ (Girisha)

kor: 그리스 (Geuriseu)

bod: ཧི་ལ་ (Hi.la.); ཞི་ལ་ (Ži.la.)

dzo: གིརིསི་ (Girisi.)

mya: ဂရိ (Gáẏí)

tha: กรีซ (Krīs)

lao: ເກຣັກ (Klek)

khm: ក្រិក (Krik); ក្រឹក (Krʉk)

 

Done