Greece

Greece, the southernmost of the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. Geography has greatly influenced the country’s development. Mountains have historically restricted internal communications, but the sea has opened up wider horizons. The total land area of Greece (one-fifth of which is made up of the Greek islands) is comparable in size to England or the U.S. state of Alabama.

Greece has more than 2,000 islands, of which about 170 are inhabited; some of the easternmost Aegean islands lie just a few miles off the Turkish coast. The country’s capital is Athens, which expanded rapidly in the second half of the 20th century. Attikí (ancient Greek: Attica), the area around the capital, is now home to about one-third of the country’s entire population.

A Greek legend has it that God distributed soil through a sieve and used the stones that remained to build Greece. The country’s barren landscape has historically caused the people to migrate. The Greeks, like the Jews and the Armenians, traditionally have been a people of diaspora, and several million people of Greek descent live in various parts of the world. Xeniteia, or sojourning in foreign lands, with its strong overtones of nostalgia for the faraway homeland, has been a central element in the historical experience of the Greek people.

Greece is a country that is at once European, Balkan, Mediterranean, and Near Eastern. It lies at the juncture of Europe, Asia, and Africa and is heir to the heritages of Classical Greece, the Byzantine Empire, and nearly four centuries of Ottoman Turkish rule.

Aspects of the topic Greece are discussed in the following places at Britannica.

Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Greece - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)

In ancient times Greece was a center of science, philosophy, and art. In the 1900s the country experienced wars and changes of government. Today Greece has become an important member of the European Union. The capital and largest city is Athens.

Greece - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

The birthplace of Western civilization, the small country of Greece has had a long and eventful history. At one time a major center of science, philosophy, and art, it is today a country with political and economic problems. These problems exist in part because of the mountainous nature of its land, poor soil, and few natural resources-and in part from the four centuries of foreign rule that resulted in little economic development. During the 20th century, wars and frequent changes of government contributed to the political instability of the country. In spite of these problems, modern Greece and its people have achieved much, particularly in the area of commerce. Area 50,949 square miles (131,957 square kilometers.) Population (2013 est.) 10,893,000.