Elliniki Dimokratia

Political Status: Gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830; military rule imposed following coup of April 21, 1967; civilian control reinstituted July 23, 1974; present republican constitution promulgated June 11, 1975.

Area: 50,944 sq. mi. (131,944 sq. km).

Population: 10,688,000 (2020E—World Bank); 10,607,051 (2020E—U.S. Census).

Major Urban Centers (2019E—UN): ATHENS (3,052,000), Thessaloniki (788,000), Patras (214,000), Heraklion (174,000).

Official Language: Greek.

Monetary Unit: Euro (market rate September 30, 2020: 0.85 euro = $1US).

President: Katerina SAKELLAROPOULOU (ind.); elected by Parliament on January 22, 2020, and sworn in for a five-year term on March 13, succeeding Prokopis PAVLOPOULOS (New Democracy).

Prime Minister: Kyriakos MITSOTAKIS (New Democracy); appointed prime minister by the president on July 8, 2019, following the legislative elections on July 7, to succeed Alexis TSIPRAS (SYRIZA).