Geographic Information

Greece has many mountains, most famously Mount Olympus The country consists of a large mainland at the southern end of the Balkans; the Peloponnesus peninsula (separated from the mainland by the canal of the Isthmus of Corinth); and numerous islands, including Crete, Rhodes, Euboea and the Dodecanese and Cycladic groups of the Aegean Sea. Greece has more than 14,880 kilometres of coastline and a land boundary of 1,160 kilometres. About 80% of Greece consists of mountains or hills. Dry and rocky conditions prevail in much of the country, with only 28% of the land classed as arable. Western Greece contains lakes and wetlands. Pindus, the central mountain range, has an average elevation of 2,650 m. Mount Olympus forms the highest point in Greece at 2,911 m above sea level. Greece's climate features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Temperatures rarely reach extremes, although snowfalls do occur in the mountains and occasionally even in Athens during the winter. Seals, sea turtles and other rare marine life live in Greek seas, while Greece's forests provide a home to Western Europe's last brown bears and lynx.

Greece from orbit Greece has thousands of islands Greece has many mountains, most famously Mount Olympus

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Location: Southeastern Europe, on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula.  The Greek mainland is bounded on the north by Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria, on the west by Turkey.  South of Greece is the Ionian Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and Aegean Sea.    The country consists of a large mainland, with the Peloponnesos connected to the mainmand by the Isthmus of Corinth, and more than 3000 islands with a total area of 24,800 sq km.

Total borders: total: 1,228 km
Border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km

Coastline: 15,021 (incl. islands)
Thousands of sun drenched islands with sandy beaches;
Only 170 of the island are inhabited.  The biggest islands are Crete, Eubea, Rhodos, Lesbos, Hios, Tasos, Corfu.

Terrain: 80% of Greece is mountainous or hilly with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands.  Much of the country is rocky and dry.  Only 28% of the land is arable.

Elevation extremes 
        lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
        highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Climate: Subtropical, Mediterrainean with mild wet winters and hot dry summers. Temperatures are rarely extreme.

Peak Tourist Season: Year around

Main Tourist Season:  May to September

Waters: Greece borders three seas - the Ionian Sea to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Aegean Sea to the west. The country is poor in inland waters.  Main rivers are Vardar, Sruma, Mesta, and Maritsa.  Bigger lakes are the Prespan, the Lagadin and the Bogdan Lake.

Plants and Animals: 44% of the total area of the country is covered with forests and shrubs.

Natural hazards: earthquakes

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