Greece

A country in southeast Europe, the birthplace of democracy and the Olympic Games, heir to an ancient civilization and a long history, Greece has long been near the center of European culture.

Soccer and basketball have been prominent sports in Greece for years, and unlike much of Europe, Greece was one of the founding countries of the International Basketball Federation in 1932. Though the national team and professional basketball have only been prominent since the 1980s, amateur basketball enjoys a history nearly as old as the sport itself. The success of the national team since the 1980s has propelled the popularity of youth and interscholastic basketball, making it one of the most popular recreational team sports. Though soccer is more popular, arousing more passion in the professional arenas, the Greeks have been less successful there, going nearly 40 years without making it to the European Cup final.

Cricket and handball are common recreational sports in some parts of the country, and volleyball is popular nationwide. Because of the size of Greece's coastline, water polo is one of the nation's leading sports (and the national teams are some of the best in the world).

Among Greek children, a popular game is Kukla, which is essentially a tag game. Parallel lines are drawn, chalked, or otherwise indicated, about 10 feet long and 10 feet apart: a goal line and a throw line, with an empty can or other target places at the center of the goal line. Players line up at the throw line and toss bean bags at the can in an attempt to knock it over, while one player takes a guard position behind the can. The first player to knock the can over must run to retrieve their bean-bag and return behind the throw line, while the guard must set the can upright again and attempt to tag the player before they reach the safety of the throw line. If a tag is made successfully, the player becomes the guard in the next round.

Thanks to the beauty and pleasantness of the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, water sports are especially popular in Greece. Sailing, yachting, and other boating activities are the pleasure of those who can afford them, and scuba diving is increasingly popular because of the clarity of the water.

The politics of commercial fishing discourage amateur fishermen—who must be licensed, pay a fee, and abide by certain restrictions—but the Greek islands abound with windsurfers, who enjoy some of the best conditions for the sport outside the tropics.