Destinations › Europe · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Greece.
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey. 131,957 sq km and 10,413,962 people, 13,676 km of coastline, temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers.
Region · EuropePopulation · ~10,413,962Languages · Greek, with Albanian, Turkish, Aromanian and PomakEco Index · 68/100 · Passable
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Conservation
Wildlife
Water
Food & farming
Organic & clean
Climate & energy
Waste
Health
Heritage
Ownership
Governance
Future
The History of Greece.
Greece keeps an unusually alive folk culture. Regional circle dances such as kalamatianos, syrtos, tsamiko and the pontic dances are danced at weddings, saints' day panigyria and village festivals across the country.
Where the name comes from
Elláda in Greek, from Hellas. 'Greece' comes through Latin Graecia, from a name Rome applied to the whole. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
The land itself: mountainous throughout, with ranges running out to sea as peninsulas and island chains. Its high point is Mount Olympus, 2,917 m. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
Where it starts
Sailing before farming
Franchthi Cave in the Argolid was occupied almost continuously from the Palaeolithic through the Neolithic. Obsidian from the island of Melos found there is among the earliest evidence of seafaring anywhere in the world, meaning people here were crossing open water before they were farming. Minoan Crete followed from about 3000 BC with palaces at Knossos and Phaistos, running water and a script still undeciphered, and Mycenaean centres left Linear B, the earliest recorded form of Greek.
How it got here
City-states to republic
Between roughly 800 and 300 BC the city-states developed philosophy, drama, mathematics, medicine and democratic assembly. Greece was incorporated into Rome, and Constantinople ruled the eastern empire for a thousand years. Ottoman rule lasted nearly four centuries until a war of independence established a Greek state between 1821 and 1832. Military rule ended in 1974 and a republic was established by referendum.
The timeline
c. 40,000 years ago
Franchthi Cave.
A cave in the Argolid occupied almost continuously from the Palaeolithic through the Neolithic, with obsidian carried from Melos across open sea. ↗
c. 7000 BC
Sea travel.
Obsidian from Melos found on the mainland is among the earliest evidence of seafaring anywhere in the world. ↗
c. 3000 to 1450 BC
Minoan Crete.
Palaces at Knossos and Phaistos, running water, and a script still undeciphered. ↗
c. 1600 to 1100 BC
Mycenaean Greece.
Fortified centres, Linear B writing, and the earliest recorded form of Greek. ↗
c. 800 to 300 BC
City-states.
Athens, Sparta, Corinth and others develop philosophy, drama, mathematics, medicine and democratic assembly. ↗
146 BC to AD 1453
Rome and Byzantium.
Greece is incorporated into Rome, and Constantinople rules the eastern empire for a thousand years. ↗
1453 to 1821
Ottoman rule, but not everywhere.
Ottoman rule reaches the Greek lands piecemeal rather than all at once. Constantinople falls in 1453, but Venetian Crete holds out until the surrender of Candia in 1669 after a siege lasting more than two decades, and the Ionian Islands are never taken at all. They stay Venetian, and Greek culture continues there without Ottoman restriction. ↗
1821 to 1832
Independence.
A war from 1821 establishes a Greek state, recognised in 1832. The state was small: it took another century, and several wars, before the borders reached their present extent, and Crete did not join until 1913. ↗
1974
The republic.
Military rule ends and a republic is established by referendum. ↗
National Archaeological Museum, Athens · Hellenic Ministry of Culture · Ephorate of Antiquities of Argolida, Franchthi Cave
Nature and Biodiversity in Greece.
About 35.2% of Greek land is designated as protected on paper, largely Natura 2000 (World Bank 2023), but enforcement is chronically under-resourced and many sites function as paper parks. Marine protection stands at just 4.5% of territorial waters, one of the weaker figures in the region.
Is wild Greece protected? 35% of the land is, already past the 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in Greece?
Forest cover30.27%
Terrestrial protected area35.2%
Marine protected area4.5%
215 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
Recorded in Greece and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Cretan kri-kri wild goat
Cr
Skyros pony
Sk
Dittany of Crete (Origanum dictamnus)
Di
Rich island-endemic flora
Ri
The watchlist
ThreatenedCommon thread turtle (Mauremys sinensis)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Greece in GBIF occurrence data (turtle).
ThreatenedGreek Red Damsel (Pyrrhosoma elisabethae)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Greece in GBIF occurrence data (insect).
ThreatenedAtocion compactumCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Greece in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedPen Shell (Pinna nobilis)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Greece in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedAnguilla anguillaCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Greece in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedMerodon clavipesCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Greece in GBIF occurrence data (insect).
ThreatenedAndrena chelmaCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Greece in GBIF occurrence data (insect).
ThreatenedBlue Star (Amsonia orientalis)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Greece in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
What is still here, and what is gone?
Tap a species for the honest status.
Common thread turtle (Mauremys sinensis)Greek Red Damsel (Pyrrhosoma elisabethae)Atocion compactumPen Shell (Pinna nobilis)Anguilla anguillaMerodon clavipesAndrena chelmaBlue Star (Amsonia orientalis)
.
Closest to being lost, by name
Common thread turtle (Mauremys sinensis)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Greece. GBIF holds 12 verified occurrence records.
Greek Red Damsel (Pyrrhosoma elisabethae)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Greece. GBIF holds 173 verified occurrence records.
Atocion compactum
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Greece. GBIF holds 17 verified occurrence records.
Pen Shell (Pinna nobilis)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Greece. GBIF holds 68 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Greece filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
National park in Attica, mapped and named in the open record for Greece. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Greece.
Mainland cities draw on mountain springs, reservoirs and groundwater, and the Joint Monitoring Programme models 96.9% of the population on safely managed water in 2023. Many arid islands, however, rely on desalination or shipped supply and face real summer stress, so tap water is safe on the mainland but locals drink bottled on much of the Aegean.
Does Greece have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
96.7% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Tap water is safe for a visitor nearly everywhere.
Cleanest water: Ionian islands (Kefalonia, Zakynthos) and the small Cyclades; Greece ranks among the top countries for Blue Flag beaches
How much fresh water does Greece have, per person?
5,557 m³
Greece
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Greece withdraws about 10,047 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 20.3% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as medium water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 80%, homes and towns 17%, industry 3%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Greece beaches?
·Tap water: Varies.
✓Plastic rules: EU single-use-plastic ban (national Law 4736/2020) since 2021, plus levies on plastic cups and food containers.
✓Solo travel: rated easy on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 4.5% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Named on the open map: Aghiofili Beach, Alonaki Bay, Bouka Beach, Kristina Beach, Megas Limnionas Beach, Paralia Alexander, Pebblestone Beach, Skafidia Beach. That is 14 named beaches in the public record for Greece, each one a place you can look up before you go. OpenStreetMap.
Where does the sewage go?
92.9%
of people have safely managed sanitation
92.9% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). That is close to universal coverage.
How is the sea around Greece doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Hot dry summers with meltemi winds on the islands; winters are mild.
Nearshore
Protected water
4.5% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
Ionian islands (Kefalonia, Zakynthos) and the small Cyclades; Greece ranks among the top countries for Blue Flag beaches.
The record
Measured
Mainland cities draw on mountain springs, reservoirs and groundwater, and the Joint Monitoring Programme models 96.9% of the population on safely managed water in 2023. Many arid islands, however, rely on desalination or shipped supply and face real summer stress, so tap water is safe on the mainland but locals drink bottled on much of the Aegean.
Sea protected
4.5%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
215 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Cleanest water
here
Ionian islands (Kefalonia, Zakynthos) and the small Cyclades; Greece ranks among the top countries for Blue Flag beaches.
Is the tap water safe in Greece?
96.7% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 5,557 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 2 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 17.3% of what Greece renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit Greece? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does Greece actually have?
Nature renews about 5,557 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Greece 138 of 208 countries measured, putting it in the wetter half of the world. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
Greece is a major producer and exporter of olive oil, table and oil olives, fruit and cotton, and is the European Union's largest cotton grower, so it is self-sufficient to surplus in these crops. It remains a net importer of meat, cereals, animal feed and dairy.
Where does the food in Greece come from?
13.1% imported
about US$12,092m a year
On the plate: Legumes (fasolada, gigantes, lentils, chickpeas), fava, horta wild greens, olives and olive oil, tomatoes, aubergine, courgette and stuffed vegetables (gemista)
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Fava51%
Horta wild greens42%
Olives33%
Olive oil24%
Tomatoes15%
1 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$12,092m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
About 13.1% of everything Greece buys in from abroad is food, roughly 1 in every 10 imported items on the dock (2024, World Bank). Farming itself is 3.6% of the economy and 41.7% of the land is agricultural, of which 14.4% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Greece? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined77.2%
Diabetes8%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 61.4%.
Can Greece feed itself?
14.4%
Arable land
41.7%
Agricultural land
503,512
Farmers
4,599,002
Arable acres
3.6%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Olive harvest October to December; grapes in late summer; summer vegetables and tomatoes
Feeding itself
Greece is a major producer and exporter of olive oil, table and oil olives, fruit and cotton, and is the European Union's largest cotton grower, so it is self-sufficient to surplus in these crops. It remains a net importer of meat, cereals, animal feed and dairy.
Certification
Eurostat records 12.2% of Greek agricultural land as organic in 2021, above the EU average. Olives, olive oil and produce dominate the organic area.
Water for crops
Mainland cities draw on mountain springs, reservoirs and groundwater, and the Joint Monitoring Programme models 96.9% of the population on safely managed water in 2023. Many arid islands, however, rely on desalination or shipped supply and face real summer stress, so tap water is safe on the mainland but locals drink bottled on much of the Aegean.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Greece, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 41.7% of the country is agricultural land and 14.4% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Greece are olives, wheat, maize, oranges and tomatoes (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Greece has moved renewables to roughly half of electricity generation, about 48 to 51 per cent in 2024, with solar exceeding 20 per cent and wind a major contributor, while natural gas and a shrinking share of lignite make up much of the rest. Per person emissions are mid range at 5.31 tonnes of CO2 in 2024. The country has committed to closing its lignite (brown coal) plants by 2028 and runs a national energy and climate plan aligned with EU targets. The direction is strongly positive, but gas dependence and remaining lignite keep it in the middle band.
What powers Greece?
Renewable 47.8%Fossil 52.2%
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
5.05 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
8.01 tonnes
The grid
Greece has moved renewables to roughly half of electricity generation, about 48 to 51 per cent in 2024, with solar exceeding 20 per cent and wind a major contributor, while natural gas and a shrinking share of lignite make up much of the rest. Per person emissions are mid range at 5.31 tonnes of CO2 in 2024.
Pollution
The EU single-use-plastics ban is in force through national Law 4736/2020, alongside levies on plastic cups and food containers. Air quality is only moderate, with population-weighted PM2.5 at 14.1 µg/m³ in 2023 (World Bank), well above the WHO guideline, and popular islands face heavy summer waste pressure.
Water stress
Mainland cities draw on mountain springs, reservoirs and groundwater, and the Joint Monitoring Programme models 96.9% of the population on safely managed water in 2023. Many arid islands, however, rely on desalination or shipped supply and face real summer stress, so tap water is safe on the mainland but locals drink bottled on much of the Aegean.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.50.8%
2IndustryLignite (brown-coal) mining and power (Western Macedonia, Megalopolis); island over-tourism.named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.14.12
4On the recordThe EU single-use-plastics ban is in force through national Law 4736/2020, alongside levies on plastic cups and food containers.
What has Greece promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today40.6% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target35% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target4.7% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in law. Measured against it, 40.6% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 59.4% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year5.05 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Sydney return, economy2.76 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy2 t CO2e
Singapore return, economy1.63 t CO2e
New York return, economy1.43 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy1.29 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Greece emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Greece.
Data centres
10
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
47.8 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Greece?
Most of the power behind a machine here is still burned.
Renewable 47.8%Fossil 52.2%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 40.6% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Greece has 10 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Thessaloniki (4), Athens (3), Koropi (1), alongside 8 internet exchanges (GR-IX::Athens, GR-IX::Thessaloniki, SEECIX, THESS-IX). Named sites include Digital Realty ATH1/2/3 - Athens, Synapsecom SNC-2 Athens, Εθνικό Ίδρυμα Ερευνών / National Hellenic Research Foundation (EIE/NHRF), TI Sparkle Greece (IDC).
Where the cables land. 36 landing points · Aethos, Agios Sostis, Athens, Baxedes
23% residents to 77% visitors across a year. 34,005,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 10,413,962 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Greece
7,406k
Visitors a year
0.7
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Greece?· for every $100 Greece earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 2020 peak
$ 210The worst year on the IMF record. Greece owed $210 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2020signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 137What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 111The IMF's own forecast has this falling to $111 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Greece earns in a year, it owes $137 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). That is more than a full year of national income, and the interest is paid before anything else.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Greece?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 34,005,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 10,413,962 residents, 3.3 visitors for every resident (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Greece is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is only 13.1% of everything Greece imports (2024, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, maize, wheat, oranges, tomatoes, peaches/nectarines, grapes, watermelons, barley, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown
4
The power
40.6% of the electricity is renewable (2021, World Bank), so the energy on the bill is mostly generated inside the country rather than shipped in.
made at home
5
What actually stays
Of the two parts of a visitor's bill that can be measured here, the plate and the power stay inside Greece. This is not an economy where a visitor's money drains away, and the board is shorter for it.
most of it
6
Pay the bank first
Greece owes $137 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$137 per $100
7
No plan B
32.4% of everything Greece sells abroad is mineral fuels and oils (2023, UN Comtrade). One market moving takes the whole board with it.
32.4% one export
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 10.5% of everything Greece makes from exports (2020, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
10.5% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Sydney a return economy seat is 2.76 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
2.76 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$308 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$308bn
GDPUS$280.6bn
Agriculture, share of GDP3.6%
Visitors a year7,406,000
Visitors per resident0.7
Residents~10,413,962
Agriculture
Farming is 3.6% of the economy. Greece is a major producer and exporter of olive oil, table and oil olives, fruit and cotton, and is the European Union's largest cotton grower, so it is self-sufficient to surplus in these crops.
Natural materials
Living wool crafts persist, from 100%-wool flokati rugs to mountain-village weaving, and cotton is a major field crop. The historic Soufli silk industry in Thrace collapsed after the First World War and survives mainly as heritage and boutique output rather than a living mass trade.
Energy
Greece has moved renewables to roughly half of electricity generation, about 48 to 51 per cent in 2024, with solar exceeding 20 per cent and wind a major contributor, while natural gas and a shrinking share of lignite make up much of the rest. Per person emissions are mid range at 5.31 tonnes of CO2 in 2024.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Greece?
By rooms · company records and press.
Spirit of the Knights · ~6 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
201526,114k
201628,071k
201730,161k
201833,072k
201934,005k
20207,406k
International tourism receipts run at about US$6.19 billion in 2020 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 10.5% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking legumes (fasolada, gigantes, lentils, chickpeas), fava, horta wild greens, olives and olive oil, tomatoes, aubergine, courgette and stuffed vegetables (gemista) over imported menus. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use Extensive ferry network from the Piraeus hub, KTEL intercity buses, domestic flights and the Athens metro
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
Home to one of Europe's most plant-forward cuisines, rare monk seals and loggerhead turtles and rich island-endemic flora, though recycling lags.
Best time: May to June and September to early October, warm with calmer seas and fewer crowds
Getting around
Extensive ferry network from the Piraeus hub, KTEL intercity buses, domestic flights and the Athens metro
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate is legumes (fasolada, gigantes, lentils, chickpeas), fava, horta wild greens, olives and olive oil, tomatoes, aubergine, courgette and stuffed vegetables (gemista). Greek cooking is among Europe's most plant-forward, built on legumes such as bean soup, giant baked beans, lentils and chickpeas, on fava, on horta wild greens, and on olives and olive oil with abundant stuffed and roasted vegetables.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cards widely accepted; EUR. Cash on the smaller islands.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Spirit of the Knights
.
Who owns the place to stay
Spirit of the KnightsIndependent · 6 rooms
The one property listed here does not publish who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Greece.
How well is Greece actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Greece scores 60 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That matters here because every pledge on this page is only as good as the machinery meant to deliver it.
How well is Greece run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 54 of 100
Control of corruption scores 53.9 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is above the halfway mark of governments measured.
54
Freedom and rights, scored 71 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 70.5 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens here can question their government openly.
71
Government effectiveness, scored 55 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 55.1 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated above average.
55
Income equality, scored 33 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 33.4 (2023, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Below 40 is the level usually treated as manageable, and Greece sits inside it.
33
LGBTQ+ status: HighSolo female travel: Easy93.9% adult literacyIndustry to avoid: Lignite (brown-coal) mining and power (Western Macedonia, Megalopolis); island over-tourism
What is daily life in Greece really like? Measured
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Extensive ferry network from the Piraeus hub, KTEL intercity buses, domestic flights and the Athens metro
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 14.12. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest Pindus and Zagori mountains and thinly populated Aegean islands
✓Tap water Varies
✓What to drink Athens and mainland tap is drinkable; islands are bottled, many have their own desalination.
✓Plastic rules EU single-use-plastic ban (national Law 4736/2020) since 2021, plus levies on plastic cups and food containers
✓Sockets and voltage Type C/F, 230V
93.9%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 3.4% of GDP and 6.4% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 105.2% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2022 to 2023).
Made in Greece.
Living wool crafts persist, from 100%-wool flokati rugs to mountain-village weaving, and cotton is a major field crop. The historic Soufli silk industry in Thrace collapsed after the First World War and survives mainly as heritage and boutique output rather than a living mass trade. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Greece actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Greece sells the world is mineral fuels and oils, 32.4% of all exports in 2023 (about US$17.82 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are pharmaceuticals at 5.5%, aluminium at 4.9%, electrical machinery and electronics at 4.3%, machinery and mechanical appliances at 4.3%.
Sells now · 32.4% of exports
Mineral fuels and oils
Mineral fuels and oils is 32.4% of everything Greece sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$17.82 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 5.5% of exports
Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceuticals is 5.5% of everything Greece sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$3.02 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 4.9% of exports
Aluminium
Aluminium is 4.9% of everything Greece sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$2.72 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 4.3% of exports
Electrical machinery and electronics
Electrical machinery and electronics is 4.3% of everything Greece sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$2.38 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 4.3% of exports
Machinery and mechanical appliances
Machinery and mechanical appliances is 4.3% of everything Greece sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$2.37 billion. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 5.4% of imports
Vehicles
Greece imported US$4.81 billion of vehicles in 2023, 5.4% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 3.4% of imports
Other
Greece imported US$2.99 billion of other in 2023, 3.4% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 3.2% of imports
Plastics
Greece imported US$2.81 billion of plastics in 2023, 3.2% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 2.7% of imports
Organic chemicals
Greece imported US$2.42 billion of organic chemicals in 2023, 2.7% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Greece produces about US$281 billion a year, which is roughly US$26,948 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 3.6% of that, while food is 13.1% of everything the country imports. The country buys in more food than its own farms contribute to the economy, and every point of that gap is a business someone could build here rather than ship in. With 14.4% of the land arable, the raw material for that is already in the ground.
A living tradition of Greece, still practised rather than archived.
Syrtos
A living tradition of Greece, still practised rather than archived.
Tsamiko
A living tradition of Greece, still practised rather than archived.
Pontic folk dances
A living tradition of Greece, still practised rather than archived.
Rebetiko (UNESCO)A living tradition of Greece, still practised rather than archived.
NisiotikaA living tradition of Greece, still practised rather than archived.
Does Greece protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Greece keeps an unusually alive folk culture. Regional circle dances such as kalamatianos, syrtos, tsamiko and the pontic dances are danced at weddings, saints' day panigyria and village festivals across the country. Rebetiko, the urban song tradition inscribed by UNESCO, and island nisiotika and mainland dimotika music remain widely played.
Who it belongs to. Greece has many living island and mountain-village communities, from Zagori and the Mani to Crete and the Chios mastic villages, and a growing agrotourism scene of farm stays and food and wine tourism. Revenue reaches locals unevenly, since family tavernas, guesthouses and ferries capture some spending while all-inclusive resorts and cruise calls concentrate the rest.
Only here. Chios mastic (Mastiha), the resin produced only in southern Chios's mastic villages; an EU Protected Designation of Origin and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Three futures for Greece, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: Kangaroo Craft (Athens), Armonia craft (Attica). OpenStreetMap. Named craft workshops on the open map: Argalios, Art-Shop, Atelier Sud, Craft Thrift, Cristofle, Dim.Arg.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
+13%
Forest cover
1995: 26.8 % → 2023: 30.3 %
+373%
Renewable electricity
1995: 8.6 % → 2021: 40.6 %
-37%
CO2 per person
1995: 7.98 t → 2024: 5.05 t
-31%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 10712 k → 2020: 7406 k
0%
Protected land
2013: 35.1 % → 2025: 35 %
-45%
Farm workforce
1995: 19.3 % → 2025: 10.7 %
+213%
Protected sea
2013: 1.5 % → 2025: 4.7 %
-41%
Agricultural land
1995: 71.1 % → 2023: 41.7 %
+10%
Urban population
1995: 72.1 % → 2025: 79.2 %
-46%
Air pollution
1995: 26 µg/m³ → 2023: 14.1 µg/m³
+1%
Fresh water per person
1995: 5491.3 m³ → 2022: 5556.7 m³
+20%
Adult overweight
1995: 51.3 % → 2022: 61.4 %
+0%
Electricity access
1995: 100 % → 2024: 100 %
+111%
GDP per person
1995: 12779 → 2025: 26948
-1%
Population
1995: 10562 k → 2025: 10414 k
+159%
Renewable energy use
1995: 8.3 % → 2021: 21.5 %
-11%
Energy per person
1995: 2147 kg → 2024: 1921 kg
+30%
Protected area, total
2013: 8.6 % → 2025: 11.2 %
+5%
Life expectancy
1995: 77.6 yrs → 2024: 81.8 yrs
+8%
Cereal yield
1995: 3751 ha → 2024: 4053 ha
-21%
Fertiliser use
1995: 179 ha → 2023: 142.2 ha
-26%
Rural population
1995: 27.9 % → 2025: 20.8 %
-1%
Water productivity
1995: 21.5 $/m3 → 2022: 21.4 $/m3
+12%
Health spending
2000: 7.51 % → 2023: 8.39 %
+13%
Forest area
1995: 34494 km2 → 2023: 39018 km2
+26%
Electric power use
1995: 3709 kWh → 2024: 4686 kWh
-31%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 10.1 e → 2023: 7 e
-17%
Emissions: Building
1990: 5.47 e → 2023: 4.55 e
-48%
Emissions: Electricity/Heat
1990: 37.2 e → 2023: 19.4 e
-33%
Emissions: Energy
1990: 72.1 e → 2023: 48.4 e
+22%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 9 e → 2023: 11 e
-58%
Emissions: Manufacturing/Construction
1990: 9.7 e → 2023: 4.09 e
+22%
Emissions: Transportation
1990: 15.4 e → 2023: 18.8 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 26.8% to 30.3% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 8.6% to 40.6% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 8.0 t to 5.0 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 10712k to 7406k across 25 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 35.1% to 35.0% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 19.3% to 10.7% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 1.5% to 4.7% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 71.1% to 41.7% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 72.1% to 79.2% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 26.0 µg/m³ to 14.1 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 5491.3 m³ to 5556.7 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 51.3% to 61.4% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 100.0% to 100.0% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 12779 to 26948 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 10562k to 10414k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 8.3% to 21.5% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 2147 kg to 1921 kg across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 8.6% to 11.2% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 77.59 yrs to 81.84 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 3751 kg/ha to 4053 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 179.01 kg/ha to 142.18 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 27.92% to 20.78% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 21.51 $/m3 to 21.35 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 7.51% to 8.39% across 23 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 34494 km2 to 39018 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 3709 kWh to 4686 kWh across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 10.11 to 7.01 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 5.47 to 4.55 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 37.24 to 19.44 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 72.06 to 48.35 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 8.99 to 11.01 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 9.7 to 4.09 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have transportation emissions moved?
Transportation emissions moved from 15.42 to 18.84 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, recycling at 2/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Greece already shows it can do this: plant-based eating scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift recycling
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Greece's record. Eurostat puts Greece's municipal recycling rate at about 17% for 2023, among the five lowest in the European Union and well below the EU average of around 43%. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift conservation
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Greece's record. About 35.2% of Greek land is designated as protected on paper, largely Natura 2000 (World Bank 2023), but enforcement is chronically under-resourced and many sites function as paper parks. Marine protection stands at just 4.5% of territorial waters, one of the weaker figures in the region. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift energy
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Greece's record. Greece has moved renewables to roughly half of electricity generation, about 48 to 51 per cent in 2024, with solar exceeding 20 per cent and wind a major contributor, while natural gas and a shrinking share of lignite make up much of the rest. Per person emissions are mid range at 5.31 tonnes of CO2 in 2024. The country has committed to closing its lignite (brown coal) plants by 2028 and runs a national energy and climate plan aligned with EU targets. The direction is strongly positive, but gas dependence and remaining lignite keep it in the middle band. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Greece.
Who is in charge of Greece now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Prime Minister
Kyriakos Mitsotakis is the head of government of Greece, in office since 26 June 2023. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 70.5 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 53.9 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 68.3 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 62.1 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 62.4 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Kyriakos MitsotakisPrime Minister
Hellenic Parliament (Vouli Ton Ellinon)Legislature, unicameral
Next election2030
Last election12 February 2025
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1975
Government typeparliamentary republic
Greece national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Law
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Law (05/26/2022) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is Greece sustainable?
Greece scores 68 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. Home to one of Europe's most plant-forward cuisines, rare monk seals and loggerhead turtles and rich island-endemic flora, though recycling lags.
Is the water in Greece safe and plentiful?
Mainland cities draw on mountain springs, reservoirs and groundwater, and the Joint Monitoring Programme models 96.9% of the population on safely managed water in 2023. Many arid islands, however, rely on desalination or shipped supply and face real summer stress, so tap water is safe on the mainland but locals drink bottled on much of the Aegean.
Can Greece feed itself?
Greece is a major producer and exporter of olive oil, table and oil olives, fruit and cotton, and is the European Union's largest cotton grower, so it is self-sufficient to surplus in these crops. It remains a net importer of meat, cereals, animal feed and dairy.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Greece?
Greek cooking is among Europe's most plant-forward, built on legumes such as bean soup, giant baked beans, lentils and chickpeas, on fava, on horta wild greens, and on olives and olive oil with abundant stuffed and roasted vegetables. Orthodox nistisima fasting food, which is effectively vegan, is observed across a large share of the calendar, giving the country a deep and genuinely traditional plant-based repertoire.
How much of Greece is actually protected?
About 35.2% of Greek land is designated as protected on paper, largely Natura 2000 (World Bank 2023), but enforcement is chronically under-resourced and many sites function as paper parks. Marine protection stands at just 4.5% of territorial waters, one of the weaker figures in the region.
What wildlife is left in Greece?
Greece shelters the Critically Endangered Mediterranean monk seal, one of the world's rarest seals, with strongholds around Alonnisos and Zakynthos, and Laganas Bay on Zakynthos hosts roughly 80% of Mediterranean loggerhead-turtle nesting. Island and Cretan endemism is rich, from the Cretan kri-kri wild goat and the Skyros pony to endemic flora such as dittany of Crete.
Is Greece on clean energy?
Greece has moved renewables to roughly half of electricity generation, about 48 to 51 per cent in 2024, with solar exceeding 20 per cent and wind a major contributor, while natural gas and a shrinking share of lignite make up much of the rest. Per person emissions are mid range at 5.31 tonnes of CO2 in 2024. The country has committed to closing its lignite (brown coal) plants by 2028 and runs a national energy and climate plan aligned with EU targets.
How polluted is Greece?
The EU single-use-plastics ban is in force through national Law 4736/2020, alongside levies on plastic cups and food containers. Air quality is only moderate, with population-weighted PM2.5 at 14.1 µg/m³ in 2023 (World Bank), well above the WHO guideline, and popular islands face heavy summer waste pressure.
Does recycling work in Greece?
Eurostat puts Greece's municipal recycling rate at about 17% for 2023, among the five lowest in the European Union and well below the EU average of around 43%.
Is the farming in Greece organic?
Eurostat records 12.2% of Greek agricultural land as organic in 2021, above the EU average. Olives, olive oil and produce dominate the organic area.
Are there natural materials and craft in Greece?
Living wool crafts persist, from 100%-wool flokati rugs to mountain-village weaving, and cotton is a major field crop. The historic Soufli silk industry in Thrace collapsed after the First World War and survives mainly as heritage and boutique output rather than a living mass trade.
Is there living culture in Greece?
Greece has many living island and mountain-village communities, from Zagori and the Mani to Crete and the Chios mastic villages, and a growing agrotourism scene of farm stays and food and wine tourism. Revenue reaches locals unevenly, since family tavernas, guesthouses and ferries capture some spending while all-inclusive resorts and cruise calls concentrate the rest.
What heritage does Greece keep alive?
Greece keeps an unusually alive folk culture. Regional circle dances such as kalamatianos, syrtos, tsamiko and the pontic dances are danced at weddings, saints' day panigyria and village festivals across the country. Rebetiko, the urban song tradition inscribed by UNESCO, and island nisiotika and mainland dimotika music remain widely played.
So is Greece actually green? The measured answer
What is working: land protected at 35%.
What is not: sea protected at 4.7% against a 30% mark, renewable electricity at 40.6% against a 100% mark.
Greece sits 34 of 77 at 68/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is Greece particularly good at?
✓Plant-based eating, scored 5/5. Greek cooking is among Europe's most plant-forward, built on legumes such as bean soup, giant baked beans, lentils and chickpeas, on fava, on horta wild greens, and on olives and olive oil with abundant stuffed and roasted vegetables. Orthodox nistisima fasting food, which is effectively vegan, is observed across a large share of the calendar, giving the country a deep and genuinely traditional plant-based repertoire.
✓Culture, scored 4/5. Greece has many living island and mountain-village communities, from Zagori and the Mani to Crete and the Chios mastic villages, and a growing agrotourism scene of farm stays and food and wine tourism. Revenue reaches locals unevenly, since family tavernas, guesthouses and ferries capture some spending while all-inclusive resorts and cruise calls concentrate the rest.
✓Food and farming, scored 4/5. Greece is a major producer and exporter of olive oil, table and oil olives, fruit and cotton, and is the European Union's largest cotton grower, so it is self-sufficient to surplus in these crops. It remains a net importer of meat, cereals, animal feed and dairy.
Where does Greece score worst?
✕Water, scored 3/5. Mainland cities draw on mountain springs, reservoirs and groundwater, and the Joint Monitoring Programme models 96.9% of the population on safely managed water in 2023. Many arid islands, however, rely on desalination or shipped supply and face real summer stress, so tap water is safe on the mainland but locals drink bottled on much of the Aegean.
✕Wildlife, scored 3/5. Greece shelters the Critically Endangered Mediterranean monk seal, one of the world's rarest seals, with strongholds around Alonnisos and Zakynthos, and Laganas Bay on Zakynthos hosts roughly 80% of Mediterranean loggerhead-turtle nesting. Island and Cretan endemism is rich, from the Cretan kri-kri wild goat and the Skyros pony to endemic flora such as dittany of Crete.
✕Recycling, scored 2/5. Eurostat puts Greece's municipal recycling rate at about 17% for 2023, among the five lowest in the European Union and well below the EU average of around 43%.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
FranceScored on the same twelve pillars as Greece.78
SwitzerlandScored on the same twelve pillars as Greece.75
GermanyScored on the same twelve pillars as Greece.75
United KingdomScored on the same twelve pillars as Greece.65
MontenegroScored on the same twelve pillars as Greece.63
SerbiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Greece.58
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 3/5
Greece has moved renewables to roughly half of electricity generation, about 48 to 51 per cent in 2024, with solar exceeding 20 per cent and wind a major contributor, while natural gas and a shrinking share of lignite make up much of the rest. Per person emissions are mid range at 5.31 tonnes of CO2 in 2024.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Greece's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 4/5
Greece is a major producer and exporter of olive oil, table and oil olives, fruit and cotton, and is the European Union's largest cotton grower, so it is self-sufficient to surplus in these crops. It remains a net importer of meat, cereals, animal feed and dairy.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Greece's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 4/5
Greece keeps an unusually alive folk culture. Regional circle dances such as kalamatianos, syrtos, tsamiko and the pontic dances are danced at weddings, saints' day panigyria and village festivals across the country.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Greece's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The Greece Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Greece, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
55.1 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
62.1 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
68.3 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
70.5 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
67.3 / 100 · 11 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 11 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
67.0 / 100 · 24 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 24 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
62.4 / 100 · 40 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 40 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
88.0 / 100 · 34 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 34 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
100.0 / 100 · 7 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 7 of 180 countries assessed.
Marine protected areas
47.2 / 100 · 103 of 131
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 103 of 131 countries assessed.
How Greece Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
One index, every destination. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
