Greece

Greece is a country in southeastern Europe. It sits at the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, where Europe meets the Mediterranean Sea. Greece shares land borders with Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. About 10 million people live there. The capital and largest city is Athens.

Greece is made up of a mainland and thousands of islands. The country covers about 51,000 square miles, roughly the size of the state of Alabama. The islands stretch across the Aegean Sea to the east and the Ionian Sea to the west. The biggest island is Crete, which has its own mountains, beaches, and ancient ruins. Other well-known islands include Rhodes, Corfu, Mykonos, and Santorini.

Mountains cover about 80 percent of Greece. The tallest is Mount Olympus, rising 9,573 feet above sea level. That is taller than any peak in the eastern United States. The ancient Greeks believed their gods lived at the top of Olympus, hidden in the clouds. Because so much of the land is rocky, most Greeks have always lived near the coast.

Greece has a Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are mild and rainy. This weather is perfect for growing olives, grapes, lemons, and figs. Greek farmers have grown olives for more than 6,000 years. Today Greece is one of the top olive oil producers in the world.

The country's history is one of the longest and most famous on Earth. Ancient Greece, which began around 800 BCE, gave the world ideas that still shape daily life. The word "democracy" comes from the Greek words for "people" and "rule." Greek thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle asked questions that people still study in schools today. The first Olympic Games were held in Olympia, Greece, in 776 BCE.

Ancient ruins stand all over the country. The most famous is the Parthenon, a marble temple built on a rocky hill called the Acropolis in Athens. It was finished in 432 BCE and has survived earthquakes, wars, and explosions. Millions of tourists visit each year to see it.

Modern Greece became an independent country in 1830, after nearly 400 years of Ottoman rule. Today it is a republic, which means the people elect their leaders. Greek people are known for strong family ties, long meals shared outdoors, and holidays that mix ancient traditions with the Orthodox Christian faith.