Greece is one of the world’s most storied and historically influential countries. Its history is rich and its culture equally so. Below, you’ll find 20 interesting facts about Greece. Keep these in mind during your next Greece holiday.

1. Greece is roughly the size of Alabama but with more than twice the number of people. Alabama has a population of 4.5 million and Greece 10 million people plus.

2. Voting is mandated by law in Greece. Citizens don’t have the option of not voting. Everyone over 18 years old must vote or risk breaking the law.

3. More people visit Greece each year than live there. The country is home to 10 million people but welcomes more than 16.5 million tourists annually.

4. Greece is the third most prolific provider of olives in the world.

5. Nearly all of the country’s population (98%) is made up of ethnic Greeks. Turks are the next largest group.

6. Thousands of English words have Greek origins, amongst them, alphabet, academy, typhoon, siren, marathon and apology.

7. The literacy rate in Greece is over 95%. This is up from 30% in the 1950s.

8. There are more than 2000 islands in Greece

A Short Tour of Kefalonia

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A Short Tour of Kefalonia

Thomson 737 Stormy Approach & Hard Landing! Kefalonia, Greece

Kefalonia (Greek island) Various Holiday Destination Videos

9. Only 170 of Greece’s 2000 islands is populated

10. Greece is a very mountainous country. Almost 80% of the country contains mountains.

11. There are no navigable rivers in Greece

12. Forty percent of the Greek population resides in Athens, the country’s capital.

13. Democracy is believed to have been birthed in Athens.

14. Spartans once ate a specialty dish that consisted of vinegar, salt and blood. Spartans were the only ones in the country to eat it. No one else in Greece would.

15. The Olympic Games were started in Athens

16. Nearly every form of government has been tried in Greece. It is one of the few places in the world which can make this boast.

17. Every male over the age of 18 has to spend between 12 to 18 months in the country’s armed forces.

18. Greece has 250 days of sunshine annually.

19. The first Greek ruler to have his face printed on a coin was Alexander the Great. Prior to him, only the faces of gods or goddesses adorned coins.

20. Before Greece was habitable, it was an underground mass of rock. It was transformed into what it is today after a collision between Europe and a tectonic plate created its world-famous mountain ranges.

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Package Details	Original	Deal	Saving
7 Nights All Incl. 5* Corfu - Sept '11 booked 7 days before departure.	£1310	£484.70	63%
Flight, Transfers, Villa, Kos - June '11 booked 60 days in advance, online.	£995	£547.25	47%
10 days 4* Hotel, hire car - Feb '11 early booking (5 months in adv online)	£886	£540.46	39%

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{cbp website}Written by Anna James