Wikijunior:Europe/Greece
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Greece is a country in southern Europe. It shares borders with Bulgaria, F.Y.R.O.M., Albania and Turkey. The capital city is Athens. Other big cities in Greece are Thessaloniki, Patras and Piraeus.
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[edit] Greece's History
Greece is heir to the heritages of ancient Greece, the Roman and Byzantine Empires, and nearly four hundred years of Ottoman rule. Greece is the birthplace of democracy, the Olympic Games, Western literature, and Western drama including both tragedy and comedy. Greece became the tenth member of the European Union on January 1, 1981. The country adopted the Euro in 2001 and successfully organized the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
[edit] Greece's Geography
Four fifths of Greece consist of mountains or hills, making the country one of the most mountainous in Europe. Western Greece contains a number of lakes and wetlands.
The climate of Greece can be categorized into three types: the Mediterranean, the Alpine and the Temperate. The Mediterranean type of climate features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The Alpine type of climate features harsh winters with large snowfalls, while the summers are cool with many thunderstorms. This climate is to be found on high mountains. The Temperate type of climate features cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers.
[edit] Greece's People
The language of Greece is Greek. Education in Greece is required from the ages of 5 to 15.
[edit] Greece's Sights
Greece attracts more than 16 million tourists each year. Greece has been an attraction for international visitors for a long time because of its rich and long history and more recently for its glorious Mediterranean coastline and beaches.
