Greece Fast Facts

Language: Greek (Ellenika). Most people connected with tourism and those of a younger generation will speak some English, French, German or Italian.

Religion: 97 per cent Greek Orthodox, with Muslim, Roman Catholic and Jewish minorities.

Time: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Geography:
Greece is situated in southeast Europe on the Mediterranean. The mainland consists of the following regions: Central Greece, Peloponnese, Thessaly (east/central), Epirus (west), Macedonia (north/northwest) and Thrace (northwest). Euboea, the second-largest of the Greek islands, lying to the east of the central region, is also considered to be part of the mainland region. The Peloponnese peninsula is separated from the northern mainland by the Isthmus of Corinth. The northern mainland is dissected by high mountains (such as the Pindus) that extend southwards towards a landscape of fertile plains, pine-forested uplands and craggy, scrub-covered foothills Excursions section.