Travel Maps of Greece

Having exported chaos, drama, tragedy and democracy before most nations stayed up late enough to want souvlaki, Greece boasts an unrivalled legacy. But don't expect a visit here to be a sober study of the ancient world - the Greek propensity for partying dates back to Dionysus.

From smoggy Athens to blindingly bright islands, ancient fragments abound - the belly button of the cosmos at Delphi, fallen columns galore on the sacred island of Delos, frescoed Minoan palaces on Crete and even, quite possibly, the remnants of Atlantis at Santorini.

Greeks are fierce guardians of tradition, but that doesn't mean they don't know how to have fun. In addition, hot sun and limpid seas conspire to make Greece a perfect place to relax. Whether you're supping in a beachside taverna, sipping coffee in a shady plateia or disco-dancing till dawn, chances are the gods already have you ensnared.

General Map of Greece

Political Maps of Greece
Political Map of Greece
Worldatlas Political Map of Greece
Map of Europe, showing Greece's location

Historical Maps of Greece
Ptolemy Ancient Map of Greece
Reference Map of Attica. Plan of Thermopylae, 480 B.C. Inset: Harbors of Athens. From The Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd, 1923. (500 Kb)
Beginnings of Historic Greece 700 B.C.-600 B.C. From The Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd, 1923. (177K)

Greece Overview

The Greek peninsula covers an area of 131,944 square kilometers and has a population of 10,939,605 (sensus 2001) . Greece consists of mainland Greece (Attica, Peloponnese, Central Greece, Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace) and the islands. Geographically it belongs to Europe since it forms the most southern extremity of the Balkan Peninsula but it also has a special link with Europe through the small entity of the Ionian Islands (Cephalonia, Corfu, Ithaca, Lefkada, Paxi and Zakinthos), which form a chain off Greece’s western shores in the Ionian Sea.

In contrast, there are the numerous Greek islands of the Aegean Sea, some isolated like Crete to the south, Ikaria, Chios and Lesbos to the east and Thassos and Samothrace to the north. Others form groups, such as the Cyclades, the Sporades and the Dodecanese. The largest are Crete and Evia.

The Cyclades consist of 39 islands, of which 24 are inhabited. The more important ones are Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Delos, los, Kea, Kimolos, Folegandros, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini (also called Thera), Serifos, Sikinos, Sifnos, Syros and Tinos.

The Sporades, consisting of Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros, lie off the eastern shores of mainland Greece and retain their genuine island characteristics and unchanged local traditions.

The Dodecanese group consists of 12 islands: Astipalea, Kalimnos, Karpathos, Kassos, Kastelorizo, Cos, Lipsos, Leros, Nissiros, Patmos, Rhodes, Simi and a number of smaller islands, each with its distinctive features and unique characteristics.

Finally, the Saronic Gulf which is the stretch of sea linking the shores of Attica to those of the Peloponnese, contains another group of small islands (Salamis, Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses) which adds its variety to the general surroundings. Variety is, in fact, the hallmark of the Greek landscape. There are high mountains and entire mountain ranges such as the Pindos range and Mount Olympus (with its summit, the Pantheon, being the highest peak in Greece at an altitude of 2,917 meters). The mountains of Macedonia and Thrace are intersected by a few valleys through which relatively small rivers flow. On the other hand, the endless lace work of the coastline produces a series of scenic surprises. It is these heavily indented shores, which give Greece rare beauty, quite unique in the Mediterranean.

The length of the Greek coastline is estimated at 15,000 kilometers. The marked variety of the terrain above water continues below the surface, along the seabed. Close to Cape Tainaron (Tenaro) off the southern tip of the Peloponnese, the so-called Oinoussai (Inousses) Pit is 4,850 meters deep, and is the deepest point in the Mediterranean. Vegetation and climate conform to the variations in the geographical area. The variety of plants is exceptional. Some 6,000 indigenous species have been recorded, 250 of which flourish on the island of Crete. It is an impressive figure resulting from Greece's geographical position between Europe and Africa.

The country’s countless vineyards are counted among the greatest joys of life. Trees in Greece are of medium height and vary from pine, oak, fir, olive and mulberry trees, to fruit and palm trees.

Full country name: Hellenic Republic
Area: 131,940 sq km
Population: 10.66 million
Capital City: Athens (pop approx. 2.7 million)
Language: Greek
Religion: 98% Greek Orthodox, 1.3% Muslim, 0.7% other
Government: parliamentary republic
Head of State: President Kostis Stephanopoulos
Head of Government: Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis

GDP: US$203.3 billion
GDP per capita: US$19,100
Inflation: 3%
Major Industries: tourism, shipping, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products, mining, petroleum products
Major Trading Partners: Germany, Italy, France, UK, USA
Member of EU: Yes