Official name of the Country: Capital: Independence Day:

GREECE Athens Friday, 25 March 2022

Name of Political Leader Type of Government:

(President/Monarch):
Katerina Sakellaropoulou 
Membership in organization/s:
Greece has been a WTO
member since 1 January 1995
and a member of GATT since 1
March 1950. It is a member
State of the European Union.
Year of Membership in UN (if
member):
Greece became member of the
UN since October 25, 1945.
Type of Economy:
Greece has a capitalist
economy with a public sector
accounting for about 40% of
GDP and with per capita GDP
about two-thirds that of the
leading euro-zone economies.
Parliamentary republic.
Official Language/s:
Greek
Major industry/ies: GDP (as of 2020):
Greece's main industries The Gross Domestic
are tourism, shipping, Product (GDP) in Greece
industrial products, food was worth 189.41 billion
and tobacco processing, US dollars in 2020.
textiles, chemicals, metal Greece's economy
products, mining and expanded 3.4% in the
petroleum. second quarter of year
2020 compared with the
January to March
period. Output rose by
16.2% in the second
quarter compared with
the same period in the
previous year.

Trade (as of 2020): Major export/s: Foreign Direct

A positive value means a trade Greece main exports are Investments (as of
surplus, a negative trade petroleum products (29 % 2020):
balance means a trade deficit. In of the total exports),
2020, the trade deficit in Greece aluminum (5%), Greece Foreign Direct
amounted to about 20.42 billion medicament (4%), fruits investment (FDI).
U.S. dollars. and nuts, fresh or dried Increased by 521.6 USD.
(3%), vegetables, Compares with an
prepared or preserved increase of 906.7 USD
(2%) and fish, fresh or mn in the previous
frozen (2%) months.

Political allies: Country in conflict with Wars involved in:

It’s main allies are the United
States, France, Italy, Bulgaria,
the
other NATO countries, Cyprus a
nd the rest of the European
Union.
(if any): Turkey Greece has been
Their conflict began in involved in so many wars
2019-2020 when Ankara throughout its history.
launched seismic The list below states the
research ships to disputed different war happened in
waters with Greece and the history, beginning
 the Republic of Cyprus, from the Greek War of
interfered in Libya's civil Independence to World
war, and signed a War 2 to Parliamentary
maritime delineation Republic and their crisis.
agreement with Tripoli.
Over opposing
sovereignty claims,
Turkey's adversaries have
increasingly sided with
Greece.
Brief History (Enumerate major historical events):
1821-1829 - Greek War of Independence from Ottoman Empire.
1832 - Prince Otto of Bavaria is chosen as the first king of independent Greece.
1863 - King Otto is deposed; Prince William of Denmark becomes king of the Hellenes.
1913 - Greece gains Epirus, Macedonia, Crete and the North Aegean Islands from the
Ottomans in the First Balkan War, and then West Thrace from Bulgaria in the Second
Balkan War.
1919-22 - Greco-Turkish War - Greek invasion of Asia Minor prompted by the collapse of
the Ottoman Empire after World War 1 is defeated by Turkish forces
1924 - Greeks vote for the abolition of the monarchy, country becomes republic.
1935 - Monarchy restored.
1936 – General Ioannis Metaxas appointed prime minister, establishes right-wing
dictatorship.
World War 2
1940 - Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's forces attack Greece from Italian-held Albania
but are repelled.
1941 - Metaxas dies. Greece falls to Germany. More than 100,000 die in famine.
1942 - 1944 - Fierce resistance to the occupation by communist and royalist factions
alike.
1944 - British and Greek forces combine to force Nazi withdrawal. With backing from
Britain, Georgios Papandreou becomes prime minister. Communists protest. Tensions
rise and there is sporadic violence.
1946 - 1949 - Royalist parties win elections. Ensuing civil war ends with defeat of
communist forces.
1952 - New constitution declares Greece a kingdom ruled by parliamentary democracy.
Greece joins Nato.
1955 - Konstantinos Karamanlis becomes prime minister.
1964 - King Constantine II succeeds his father, Paul.
1967 - Group of army officers seize power in military coup. Elections are postponed
indefinitely, and Col George Papadopoulos takes office as prime minister.
Hundreds of political activists are arrested under a regime characterized by brutality and
repression
1973 - Greece declared a republic, the monarchy is abolished, and Papadopoulos
assumes the presidency.

Opposition to military rule leads to increasing unrest. Papadopoulos overthrown in

bloodless coup by Brigadier-General Demetrios Ioannidis, commander of the military
police. He partially restores civilian rule but retains large measure of power.
1974 - A Greece-backed coup against President Makarios of Cyprus is followed by
Turkish invasion and occupation of north of the island.
Ioannidis government collapses. Mr. Karamanlis recalled from exile and sworn in as
prime minister. Referendum rejects restoration of monarchy.
Parliamentary republic
1975 - New constitution declares Greece a parliamentary republic with some executive
powers vested in a president.
1980 - Conservative Constantine Karamanlis elected president.
1981 - Greece joins EU. Andreas Papandreou's Socialist Party (Pasok) wins elections.
1985 - President Karamanlis resigns in protest at government plans to reduce powers of
president. Christos Sartzetakis becomes head of state.
1986 - Constitutional amendment transfers some of president's powers to the legislature
1990 - Centre-right New Democracy party forms government under party leader
Constantine Mitsotakis
1991 - Yugoslav former Republic of Macedonia declares independence. Greece objects
to name and flag of Republic of Macedonia on grounds they imply territorial claims to the
Greek province of Macedonia.
1993 - Election returns Papandreou to power.
1995 - Relations with Macedonia normalized.
1996 - Tension flares between Greece and Turkey over disputed Aegean islet.
Papandreou resigns through ill health and dies shortly afterwards. Succeeded by Kostas
Simitis.
1999 September - Earthquake hits Athens - dozens killed, thousands left homeless.
2000 June - Senior British diplomat Brigadier Stephen Saunders shot dead in Athens by
left-wing guerrilla group November 17.
2002 January - Euro replaces drachma
2002 March - Greek, Turkish governments agree to build gas pipeline through which
Turkey will supply Greece with gas.
2002 July - Suspected leader and members of November 17 terror group arrested after
one of them is injured, allegedly by his own bomb, and provides information to police.
2003 December - Trial of November 17 suspects ends with their conviction. Head of
group and its main hitman jailed for life.
2004 February - Kostas Simitis calls March elections and stands down as Pasok leader.
Government change
2004 March - Conservative New Democracy party led by Costas Karamanlis wins general
election, ending over a decade of Pasok government.
2004 August - Athens hosts Olympic Games.
2004 December - European Commission issues formal warning after Greece found to
have falsified budget deficit data in run-up to joining eurozone.
2005 April - Parliament ratifies EU constitution.
2005 December - Amid protest strikes by transport workers, parliament approves
changes to labor laws, including an end to jobs for life in the public sector. The plans
sparked industrial action in June.
2006 March - Public sector workers strike over pay and in protest at government plans to
scrap job security laws and intensify privatization.
2006 May - Greek and Turkish fighter planes crash into the Aegean after colliding in mid-
air.
2006 September - Greece, Russia and Bulgaria back a long-awaited deal to build an oil
pipeline which will carry Russian oil to Europe via Alexandropoulis in Greece.
2007 August - Wildfires sweep through tinder-dry forests across the mainland and
islands, killing dozens of people.
2007 September - Despite criticism of his government's handling of the fires, Prime
Minister Karamanlis wins a narrow majority in the poll. He says he now has a mandate for
more reforms but also pledges to make national unity a priority.
2008 March - Greece blocks Macedonia's bid to join Nato because of unresolved dispute
over former Yugoslav republic's name.
Parliament narrowly passes government's controversial pension reform bill in face of
general public sector strike and mass protests.
2008 December - Students and young people take to city streets in nationwide protests
and riots over the police killing of a 15-year-old boy in Athens. Major public-sector strikes
coincide to increase pressure on the government over its economic policies.
2009 August - Around 10,000 people are evacuated from their homes as wildfires sweep
across the country.
2009 October - Opposition Pasok socialist party wins snap election called by PM
Karamanlis. George Papandreou takes over as new prime minister.
Debt crisis
2009 December - Greece's credit rating is downgraded by one of world's three leading
rating agencies amid fears the government could default on its ballooning debt. PM
Papandreou announces program of tough public spending cuts.
2010 January- March - Government announces two more rounds of tough austerity
measures and faces mass protests and strikes.
2010 April/May - Fears of a possible default on Greece's debts prompt eurozone
countries to approve a $145bn (110bn euros; £91bn) rescue package for the country, in
return for a round of even more stringent austerity measures. Trade unions call a general
strike.
2011 June - 24-hour general strike. Tens of thousands of protesters march on parliament
to oppose government efforts to pass new austerity laws.
Crisis deepens
2011 July - European Union leaders agree a major bailout for Greece over its debt crisis
by channeling 109bn euros through the European Financial Stability Facility.
All three main credit ratings agencies cut Greece's rating to a level associated with a
substantial risk of default.
2011 October - Eurozone leaders agree a 50% debt write-off for Greece in return for
further austerity measures. PM George Papandreou puts the deal in doubt by announcing
a referendum on the rescue package.
2011 November - Faced with a storm of criticism over his referendum plan, Mr
Papandreou withdraws it and then announces his resignation.
Lucas Papademos, a former head of the Bank of Greece, becomes interim prime minister
of a New Democracy/Pasok coalition with the task of getting the country back on track in
time for elections scheduled provisionally for the spring of 2012.
New bailout plan
2012 February - Against a background of violent protests on the streets of Athens, the
Greek parliament approves a new package of tough austerity measures agreed with the
EU as the price of a 130bn euro bailout
2012 March - Greece reaches a "debt swap" deal with its private-sector lenders, enabling
it to halve its massive debt load.
2012 May - Early parliamentary elections see support for coalition parties New
Democracy and Pasok slump, with a increase in support for anti-austerity parties of the
far left and right. The three top-ranking parties fail to form a working coalition and
President Papoulias calls fresh elections for 17 June.

2012 June - Further parliamentary elections boost New Democracy, albeit leaving it
without a majority. Leader Antonis Samaras assembles a coalition with third-placed
Pasok and smaller groups to pursue the austerity program.
Anti-austerity protests
2012 September - Trade unions stage 24-hour general strike against government
austerity measures. Police fired tear gas to disperse anarchist rally outside parliament.
2012 October - Parliament passes a 13.5bn-euro austerity plan aimed at securing the
next round of EU and IMF bailout loans; the package - the fourth in three years - includes
tax rises and pension cuts.
2013 January - Unemployment rises to 26.8% - the highest rate in the EU.
2013 April - Youth unemployment climbs to almost 60%.
Public broadcaster closed
2013 June - Government suspends state broadcaster ERT in effort to save money.
2013 August - New state broadcaster EDT is launched.
2013 September - Government launches crackdown on far-right Golden Dawn party.
Party leader Nikolaos Michaloliakos and five other Golden Dawn MPs are arrested on
charges including assault, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organization.
2013 December - Parliament passes 2014 budget, which is predicated on a return to
growth after six years of recession. Prime Minister Samaras hails this as the first decisive
step towards exiting the bailout
2014 February - Greek unemployment reaches a record high of 28%.
2014 March - Parliament narrowly approves a big reform package that will open more
retail sectors to competition, part of a deal between Greece and its international lenders.
2014 April - Eurozone finance ministers say they'll release more than 8bn euros of further
bailout funds to Greece.
Greece raises nearly four billion dollars from world financial markets in its first sale of
long-term government bonds for four years, in a move seen as an important step in the
country's economic recovery.
Left in power
2014 May - Anti-austerity, radical leftist Syriza coalition wins European election with
26.6% of the vote.
2014 December - Parliament's failure to elect a new president sparks a political crisis and
prompts early elections.
2015 January - Alexis Tsipras of Syriza becomes prime minister after winning
parliamentary elections and forms a coalition with the nationalist Independent Greeks’
party.
2015 February - The government negotiates a four-month extension to Greece's bailout
in return for dropping key anti-austerity measures and undertaking a eurozone-approved
reform program.
2015 June-July - European Central Bank ends emergency funding. Greece closes banks
and imposes capital controls. Voters overwhelmingly reject EU bailout terms in July
referendum.
2015 August - Greece and its creditors agree a third bailout worth 86bn euros, imposing
further spending cuts on the country to avoid bankruptcy and exit from the eurozone.
2016 March - Macedonia closes its border with Greece to migrants, leaving thousands of
people stranded at the Greek border village of Idomeni.
2016 May - Rapidly deteriorating conditions at makeshift Idomeni migrant camp prompt
government to evacuate the camp and transfer its occupants to purpose-built processing
facilities near Greece's second city, Thessaloniki.
Eurozone finance ministers agree to unlock a further 10.3bn euros in loans - a tranche of
cash that Athens needs to meet debt repayments due in July. They also agree on debt
relief for Greece, extending the repayment period and capping interest rates.
2018 February - The credit ratings agency, Fitch, raises its assessment of Greece
because of the growing economy and increased political stability.
Macedonia deal
2018 June - Macedonia, Greece sign an historic agreement resolving 27-year-long
dispute over the official name of Macedonia.
2019 July - Centre-right New Democracy party wins landslide at early elections, and
leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis becomes prime minister.
References:
https://www.crisisgroup.org/europe-central-asia/western-europemediterranean/263-turkey-
greece-maritime-brinkmanship-dialogue
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17373216