definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.6%

People - note:
women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece for
the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor

Government Greece

Country name:
conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece
local short form: Ellas or Ellada
former: Kingdom of Greece
local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

Government type:
parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December
1974

Capital:
Athens

Administrative divisions:
51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*;
Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis,
Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos,
Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis,
Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria,
Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades,
Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella,
Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia,
Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Independence:
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution:
11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Legal system:
based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
criminal, and administrative courts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS
(since 10 March 1995)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by February
2005); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only
serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing
plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a
government
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos KARAMANLIS (since 7
March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president;
percent of Parliament vote - 90%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
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