Greece, [c] officially the Hellenic Republic, [d] is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east. Greece, the southernmost of the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. Geography has greatly influenced the country’s development. Mountains historically restricted internal communications, but the sea 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 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.Britannica QuizGuess the Country by Its Neighbors QuizSee full list on britannica.comGreece is bordered to the east by the Aegean Sea, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, and to the west by the Ionian Sea. Only to the north and northeast does it have land borders (totaling some 735 miles [1,180 km]), with, from west to east, Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia (see Researcher’s Note: Macedonia: the provenance of the name), ...See full list on britannica.comThree characteristics of geology and structure underlie these landscape elements. First, northeastern Greece is occupied by a stable block of ancient (Hercynian) hard rock. Second, younger and weaker rocks, the majority of which are of limestone origin, make up western and southern Greece. These were heavily folded during the Alp-building phase of the Paleogene and Neogene periods (about 66 to 2.6 million years ago), when Earth movements thrust the softer sediments east-northeast against the unyielding Hercynian block and produced a series of roughly parallel tectonic zones that gave rise to the mountain-and-valley relief. Third, both the Hercynian block and the Hellenidic (Alpine) ranges were subsequently raised and fractured by tectonic movements. These dislocations created the sunken basins of the Ionian and Aegean seas as well as the jagged edges so typical of Greece’s landscape. Earthquakes are frequent reminders that similar earth movements continue, particularly along the major fault lines. One result of the region’s geologic instability is the widespread presence of marble, which is limestone that has been altered by pressure and heat. Seismic disturbances are sometimes associated with volcanic explosions, especially those involving the island of Thíra (ancient Greek: Thera; also called Santoríni), which was virtually destroyed by a major eruption in the 2nd millennium bce. The vents of the Kaméni islands in the sea-filled explosion crater of Thíra remain active. The island of Mílos (Melos), which rises to 2,465 feet (751 metres) above sea level, is composed of young volcanic rocks.Are you a student? Get Britannica Premium for only 24.95 - a 67% discount!Learn MoreRelief and geology provide the basis for describing the Greek landscape in terms of six major regions: central, northeastern, eastern, southern, and western mainland Greece, along with the islands.See full list on britannica.comFeb 24, 2021 · Greece is a European country on the southern edge of the Balkan Peninsula, bordering the Aegean, Ionian, Cretan, Mediterranean and Thracian seas. It has a mountainous terrain, many islands, ancient volcanoes, rivers, lakes and a rich cultural heritage. Greece is a European country in the southern region of the continent. As part of the Balkan Peninsula, Greece is surrounded by more water than land, though the country shares land borders with four other European countries. Greece is a Southern European country with a long coastline and many islands. It borders Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Turkey and three seas. See its coordinates, capital, population, economy and more. View allDec 10, 2020 · Greece is a southeastern European country on the Balkan Peninsula, with over 6,000 islands and islets. Learn about its geography, history, culture, and major cities on the world map. Greece is a country located in southern Europe, on the southern edge of Balkan Peninsula. The capital city of Greece is Athens - one of the most ancient European cities. · Greece is a European country on the southern edge of the Balkan Peninsula, bordering the Aegean, Ionian, Cretan, Mediterranean and Thracian seas. It has a mountainous terrain, many islands, ancient volcanoes, rivers, lakes and a rich cultural heritage. Greece is a European country in the southern region of the continent. As part of the Balkan Peninsula, Greece is surrounded by more water than land, though the country shares land borders with four other European countries. Greece is a Southern European country with a long coastline and many islands. It borders Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Turkey and three seas. See its coordinates, capital, population, economy and more. View allDec 10, 2020 · Greece is a southeastern European country on the Balkan Peninsula, with over 6,000 islands and islets. Learn about its geography, history, culture, and major cities on the world map. Greece is a country located in southern Europe, on the southern edge of Balkan Peninsula. The capital city of Greece is Athens - one of the most ancient European cities. Greece is a European country in the southern region of the continent. As part of the Balkan Peninsula, Greece is surrounded by more water than land, though the country shares land borders with four other European countries. Greece is a Southern European country with a long coastline and many islands. It borders Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Turkey and three seas. See its coordinates, capital, population, economy and more. · Greece is a southeastern European country on the Balkan Peninsula, with over 6,000 islands and islets. Learn about its geography, history, culture, and major cities on the world map. Greece is a country located in southern Europe, on the southern edge of Balkan Peninsula. The capital city of Greece is Athens - one of the most ancient European cities. 博尔赫斯的《我用什么才能留住你》，特别喜欢。 I offer you lean streets, desperate sunsets, the moon of the jagged suburbs. 我给你贫穷的街道、绝望的日落、破败郊区的月亮。 I offer you …
