Greece' s official name is Hellenic Republic. However Greeks call their country Hellas or Hellada.
Greece is a leading producer of sea sponges.
Alexander the Great, one of history’s greatest warriors and leaders of all time, was Greek. Alexander the Great conquered land all the way from Greece to Asia. His achievements and conquests gave rise to the later Hellenistic period (323 BC - 31 BC).
Greece has one of the richest varieties of wildlife in Europe, including 116 species of mammals, 18 of amphibians, 59 of reptiles, 240 of birds, and 107 of fishes.
Olympus (2,917m), the mountain of Gods and Muses is the highest mountain of Greece and the 2nd in the Balkans.
Did you know that in Greece you can enjoy skiing with a sea view?
Continuously inhabited for over 7,000 years, Athens is one of the oldest cities in Europe.
Greece's national drink is ouzo. Ouzo is a dry anise-flavoured aperitif. Cheers, "stin igia mas" in Greek!
Greece has historically engaged in wine making. Take for example Dionysus, the son of Zeus, the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking and wine. His face is seen today on the sommelier’s pin which is a symbol of respect to wine’s contribution throughout history.
About 7% of all the marble produced worldwide comes from Greece.
The species and subspecies of the native plants in Greece are about 6,000, almost as much as 50% of the native plants of Europe!
Feta, which is made from sheep and goat’s milk, is Greece’s national cheese. It dates back to the Homeric ages, and the average per-capita consumption of feta cheese in Greece is the highest in the world!
Greece is the place where democracy was born. But democracy in ancient Athens was significantly different from modern democracies. It was both more participatory and exclusive, and there were no political parties in Athenian democracy.
Did you know that Epirus is the most mountainous territory of Greece and the poorest in the EU; however it has a unique natural wealth!
Greece has more archaeological museums than any other country in the world; in-fact they are around 196!
Did you know that most days of the year are sunny in Greece? 250, to be exact.
The first philosopher is considered to be Thales of Miletus (c. 624 – 425 B.C.). He is credited as giving the first explanation for the origin of the world that was not mythological.
Τhe concept of democracy developed in Athens around the 6th century BC. The Greek word demokratia (δημοκρατία) meant “the power of the people”.
Greek is one of the oldest spoken languages in Europe since it has been spoken for more than 3.000 years.
Greece has historically engaged in wine making. Take for example Dionysus, the son of Zeus, the God of the grape-harvest, winemaking and wine. His face is seen today on the sommelier’s pin which is a symbol of respect to wine’s contribution throughout history.