Interesting facts about Greece

C area of ​​50,949 square miles (131,958 square kilometers) Greece is approximately the size of the US state of Alabama. The population of Greece is more than 10 million people - for comparison - in Alabama is home to around 4, 5 million people.
-Primerno 16, 5 million tourists visit Greece every year, it's more than the entire population of the country. Tourism accounts for about 16% of gross domestic product (GDP) in Greece.
-In Greece, no one can renounce the right choice. Voting is compulsory for all citizens over 18 years old.
-About 7% of marble produced in the world is produced in Greece.
-In Greece is a large international airports than in most countries, as it wants to visit a lot of foreign tourists.
-Third For the production of olive country, Greece, growing olive trees in ancient times. Some olive trees planted in the thirteenth century, is still bearing fruit.
-According To Greek mythology, Athena and Poseidon argued that the one who will present the city the best gift would be his patron. Although the gift of Poseidon was the water, olive tree, a gift from Athena, was seen by other gods as a precious gift.
-In Greece, no one navigable river because of its mountainous terrain. Approximately 80% of Greece is mountainous.
The old-Greek legend has it that when God created the world, he sifted through all the way to the ground through a sieve. When each country had a good soil, he threw stones remaining in the sieve over his shoulder and created Greece.
-Approximately 98% of the population of Greece - Greeks. Turks constitute the most significant minority. From representatives of other nations live in Greece Albanians, Macedonians, Bulgarians, Armenians and Gypsies.
-Primerno 12 million people in the world speak Greek. They live mainly in Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Turkey, USA.
-Tysyachi Russian word comes from the Greek language, sometimes through the Roman adaptation in Latin and then in Russian. Common words with Greek origin, is the word "academy", "Marathon", "siren", "alphabet" and "typhoon».
-In 1950, only about 30% of adult Greeks could read and write. Today, the literacy rate is over 95%.
-Greece has more than 2,000 islands, about 170 of which are inhabited. The largest Greek island - Crete (3189 sq. Miles) (8260 sq. Km.).
-Svyshe 40% of the population live in Athens, capital of Greece. Ever since the city became the capital of the modern state, its population grew from 10,000 in 1834 to 3, 6 million in 2001.
Constantly inhabited for 7,000 years, Athens - one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is also the birthplace of democracy. Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, Political Science, Western literature and historiography, the most important mathematical laws and the Western theory of tragedies and comedies.
-Some Scientists say that Greek civilization there for so long, I had the opportunity to try on myself almost every form of government.
-In The case of Greece, more than 250 sunny days - or 3,000 hours of sunshine - a year.
At present, the male population of Greece is obliged to serve in any army troops from a year to 18 months. The state spends 6% of its annual gross domestic product (GDP) in the armed forces.
-Drevnyaya Greece was not a single state, as a modern Greece. Rather, it consisted of approximately 1,500 individual city-states or policies. Each of them had their own laws and army, and they are often in conflict. Athens was the largest city-state.
-Before The late 1990s was the main enemy of Greece, Turkey, since these countries have historical differences due to Cyprus and other territories for decades. Once rendered mutual devastating consequences of the earthquake that hit the two countries in 1999, their relationship improved.
-Average Life expectancy of ancient Greek women was 36 years and for men 45. Of all children born half dying in infancy. At present, the life expectancy in Greece is for women - 82 years old, male - 77 years. Greece is on the 26th place in the world for life expectancy.
-Greece - a leading manufacturer of marine sponges.
To Greek ships account for 70% of merchant vessels of the European Union. According to Greek law 75% of the ship's crew to be Greeks.
-In Greece is a large archaeological museums than any other country in the world.
-At Home nursing - a rarity in Greece. Grandparents tend to live with their families their children to death. Most young people live with their parents until they marry.
-Feta Derived from goat's milk is a traditional Greek cheese. He was already known in the Homeric era, and its annual consumption per capita is the highest in the world.
-In Greece, people are more willing to celebrate the name day, days of the saints, whose name they bear, than their own birthdays.
-Tysyachi Birds stop at the wetlands of Greece during the flight. Its winter here spend as much as 100,000 birds from northern Europe and Asia.
-Vyrazhenie "Take the bull by the horns" comes from the Greek myth of Hercules, in which he rescues from Crete enraged bull, grabbing him by the horns.