Interesting facts about Greece

Day 1,324, 05:51 • Published in Greece USA • by Stelios Trojan

According to recent surveys and factbooks:

55% of the youth in Greece, graduate from a 4yr college - Highest rate in the world.

National & Kapodistrian University of Athens

Greece has the lowest crime rate in Europe, and second in the world.


85% of Greek people own their accommodation - the highest rate in the EU.


Greece is currently the most sexually active country in the world. (Durex Global Sex Survey)

Doukissa Nomikou

Greece has the highest smoking rates in Europe.


Greece came third in Europe, when asking "Do you believe in God" -- 83% said yes.

Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) Church between 532 and 537 on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian.

In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II, who subsequently ordered the building converted into a mosque.[7] The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed and many of the mosaics were plastered over. Islamic features – such as the mihrab, minbar, and four minarets – were added while in the possession of the Ottomans. It remained a mosque until 1931 when it was closed to the public for four years. It was re-opened in 1935 as a museum by the Republic of Turkey.

80% of Greece is mountainous and 50% is covered by forests.

Olympus National Park

Greece is the 2nd largest mountainous country in Europe after Switzerland.

Tzoumerka Mountain - Ioannina

Greece has half the seismic activity of Europe.

5,9R in Athens in 1999 (Newspaper "Ta Nea")

Athens is the oldest city in Europe, and the birthplace of democracy.

"The School of Athens" by Raphael in Vatican City . In the centre of the picture is Plato and Aristoteles

Greece enjoys three climates: Mediterranean, Temperate and Alpine.

S.Athanasios Village in Kaimaktsalan of Pella

Greece has more goats than any other country in Europe. (Ever wonder why we always eat lambs at Easter?)


Greece is the only country in the world that is officially Orthodox (Christian)

A Christian Greek Orthodox Church

Greece has the largest maritime fleet in the world. (15.5😵


Greece has about 2,000 islands. (227 are inhibited)

Zante Island

During the World War II, Greece was the only country which had to fight 3 countries continuously (Italy, Albania, Germany). And it was the only country in which it held the most days of resistance. (219 days)

Hitler referred to Greeks durring WWII as "the bravest who fought with the highest disregard of death" (1943)
The will of the Greek people to resist, a will which was popularly expressed in one wor😛 "Ochi" (Όχι) (Greek for "No").

Shortly thereafter, Metaxas addressed the Greek people with these words: "The time has come for Greece to fight for her independence. Greeks, now we must prove ourselves worthy of our forefathers and the freedom they bestowed upon us. Greeks, now fight for your Fatherland, for your wives, for your children and the sacred traditions. Now, above all, the struggle!"

Winston Churchill recalled them "Greeks do not fight like heroes. Heroes fight like Greeks." (1941)

King Leonidas leading 300 Spartans in the Battle of Thermopylae

Santa Claus is Greek (Saint Nicholas).

Saint Nicholas of Myra is the primary inspiration for the Christian figure of Sinterklaas. He was a 4th century Greek Christian bishop of Myra (now Demre) in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes.

Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation in the Greek island of Patmos.

The Angel Appears to John. The book of Revelation. 13th century manuscript. British Library, London

Greece is considered 'the cradle of Western Civilization"

The Acropolis of Athens

The "Lost City of Atlantis" is believed to be found in the island of Santorini after a volcanic erruption.

Santorini Island

The New Testament was written in Greek.

Codex Regius (New Testament)

Cleopatra was Greek. (She came from the famous Ptolemy family, and she was the only Greek ruler that spoke Egyptian)

Cleopatra VII and her son Caesarion at the Temple of Dendera

13% of the English Dictionary is derived from Greek words.

Early Greek alphabet on pottery in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens

Interesting words that come from Greek are: Europe, Bible, Christ and telephone.

"Europa and bull on a Greek vase. Tarquinia Museum, circa 480 BCE"
In Greek mythology Europa (Greek Ευρώπη Eurṓpē) was a Phoenician woman of high lineage, from whom the name of the continent Europe has ultimately been taken.

Greece is the only country in Europe that is considered 'Western' that is not geographically located in the Western part of Europe.

The New Acropolis Museum

Famous ancient Greeks are: Homer, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Cleopatra.

Alexander the Great (Alexander III of Macedon fighting the Persian king Darius III. From Alexander Mosaic, Naples National Archaeological Museum)

Greece is home to the Olympic Games, and the Highest mountain in Greece is Olympus, in which the Greek Gods were supposed to live at.

Olympic flame lighting ceremony in Ancient Olympia

(Μην μου πείτε ότι τα θέλετε και στα Ελληνικά... Αγγλικά ξέρετε νομίζω)