Greece lies at the most southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It is placed at the juncture of Europe, Asia, and Africa, being at the same time European, Balkan, and Mediterranean.
The Greek peninsula has an area of 50,949 square miles (131,957 square kilometres), of which one-fifth constitutes of the Greek islands. More than 2,000 islands belong to Greece - 170 are inhabited - giving the country a strong nautical tradition.
Borders
The country is bordered to the west by the Ionian Sea, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea and to the east by the Aegean Sea. To the north and northeast it has land borders, which run from west to east with Albania, FYROM, Bulgaria, and Turkey.
Regions
Greece consists of the following regions: Sterea Ellada, the Peloponnese, Central Greece, Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia and Thrace in the mainland, the islands of the Aegean Sea to the east, the Ionian islands to the west and Crete to the south, the largest of the Greek islands.
Climate
The climate is typical Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers - pleasant and healthy due to its distinctive dryness, with ample sunshine reaching the 3.000 hours yearly.
Currency and credit cards
The National Currency of Greece is EURO. Foreign currency can be changed at any bank, exchange office, at the airport, or even at many of the hotels and travel agencies. Major credit cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops.
Metric System
Greece uses the metric system of weights and measures. Temperatures are given in degrees Celsius; distances and speed limits are indicated in kilometres, lengths and sizes in centimetres and weights in grams and kilograms.
Electricity
The voltage in Greece is 220 volts. Round European style two-pin plugs are used. Appliances designed to operate on 110/120V need a voltage converter and a plug adapter for two-prong, round-prong plugs with side grounding contacts.
