Demographics of Greece

Last updated

Demographics of Greece
Population Pyramid of the Hellenic Republic 2023.png
PopulationIncrease2.svg 10,409,500 (2025 est.) [1]
DensityDecrease2.svg 78.70/km2 (203.8/sq mi) (2024 est.)
Growth rateIncrease2.svg +0.13% (2025 est.)
Birth rateIncrease2.svg 7.9 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rateDecrease Positive.svg 11 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Life expectancyIncrease2.svg 81.9 years (2024 est.)
  maleIncrease2.svg 79.4 years
  femaleIncrease2.svg 84.6 years
Fertility rateIncrease2.svg 1.43 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rateDecrease Positive.svg 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Net migration rateIncrease2.svg 1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Age structure
0–14 yearsIncrease2.svg 13.9%
15–64 yearsIncrease2.svg 62.6%
65 and overIncrease Negative.svg 23.6% (2024 est.)
Sex ratio
Total0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
At birth1.07 male(s)/female
Under 151.06 male(s)/female
15–64 years1 male(s)/female
65 and over0.8 male(s)/female
Nationality
Nationality Greek
Language
Official Greek
Spoken Languages of Greece

The Demographics of Greece refer to the demography of the population that inhabits the country. The population of Greece was estimated by Eurostat to be 10,409,500 in 2025. The latest census in Greece was conducted in 2021. [2]

Contents

Historical overview

Greece was inhabited as early as the Paleolithic period. The Greek language ultimately dominated the peninsula and Greece's mosaic of small city-states became culturally similar. The population estimates on the Greeks during the 4th century BC, is approximately 3.5 million on the Greek peninsula and 4 to 6.5 million in the rest of the entire Mediterranean Basin, [3] including all colonies such as those in Magna Graecia, Asia Minor and the shores of the Black Sea.

During the history of the Byzantine Empire, the Greek peninsula was occasionally invaded by the foreign peoples like Goths, Avars, Slavs, Normans, Franks and other Romance-speaking peoples who had betrayed the Crusades. The only group, however, that planned to establish permanent settlements in the region were the Slavs. They settled in isolated valleys of the Peloponnese and Thessaly, establishing segregated communities that were referred by the Byzantines as Sclaveni. Traces of Slavic culture in Greece are very rare and by the 9th century, the Sclaveni in Greece were largely assimilated. However, some Slavic communities managed to survive in rural Macedonia. At the same time a large Sephardi Jewish emigrant community from the Iberian Peninsula established itself in Thessaloniki, while there were population movements of Arvanites and "Vlachs" (Aromanians and Megleno-Romanians), who established communities in several parts of the Greek peninsula. The Byzantine Empire ultimately fell to Ottoman Turks in the 15th century and as a result Ottoman colonies were established in the Balkans, notably in Macedonia, the Peloponnese and Crete. Many Greeks either fled to other European nations or to geographically isolated areas (i.e. mountains and heavily forested territories) to escape foreign rule. For those reasons, the population decreased in the plains, while increasing on the mountains. The population transfers with Bulgaria and Turkey that took place in the early 20th century, added in total some two million Greeks to the demography of the Greek Kingdom. [4]

During the next decades, the population of Greece continued to increase, except during a large part of 1940s due to World War II and subsequent events. After 1940s the population of Greece continued to grow, though on a decreased pace after 1960s, due to a gradual decrease in fertility and emigration to various countries, such as West Germany, Australia, United Kingdom and many others. The birth rate decreased significantly in 1980s, while in 1987 the Greek population surpassed 10 million. At this time Greece had started to see a positive migration rate, due to the return of Greek Civil War refugees and international immigration. During the 1990s the population increased by close to 1 million, as the collapse of the communist governments in Eastern Europe and the economic downturn resulted in a significant influx of Eastern European immigrants to Greece, especially from the Balkans, including many diaspora Greeks returning home. In the 2000s the population continued to increase reaching 11 million, thanks to an increased birth rate, a stable influx of migrants from other countries and the return of Greeks from United States, Germany, Australia and other countries. In the 2010s, in the wake of the Greek financial crisis, the population started to decrease and birthrates plummeted, while death rates increased due to an aging population. Many Greeks emigrated abroad, while more recently the population decrease has been largely stabilized due to foreign immigration.

Recent Demographics

Population

Population of Greece since 1961. Population of Greece since 1961.svg
Population of Greece since 1961.
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
−1500 1,500,000    
−400 20,000,000+0.24%
600 10,000,000−0.07%
1600 700,000−0.27%
1800 2,500,000+0.64%
1928 6,204,684+0.71%
1940 7,344,860+1.42%
1951 7,632,801+0.35%
1961 8,398,050+0.96%
1971 8,831,036+0.50%
1981 9,729,350+0.97%
1991 10,258,364+0.53%
2001 10,934,097+0.64%
2011 10,816,286−0.11%
2021 10,482,487−0.31%
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority
millionyear567891011121920194019601980200020202040population (million)Greece Population
See or edit source data.
years-30-20-10010201920194019601980200020202040Natural change (per 1000)Crude migration change (per 1000)Greece Population Change
See or edit source data.

[5]

TFRyears11.522.533.544.51920194019601980200020202040Total Fertility RateTotal Fertility Rate
See or edit source data.

According to the 2001 census the population of Greece was 10,964,020. Eurostat estimations as of January 2008 gave the number of 11,214,992 inhabitants in the Greek peninsula. According to the official 2011 census, which used sophisticated methodology, the population of Greece was 10,816,286.

CensusPopulationChange
19718,768,372
19819,739,58911.1%
199110,259,9005.3%
200110,964,0206.9%
201110,816,286−0.88%
202110,482,487−3.1%

By region

Population density map of Greek regions Population density of Greece regions.png
Population density map of Greek regions

Greece is divided into nine geographic regions. The population of each region according to the 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 censuses is represented in the table below, comparing the change in population over a 50-year period. The latest population estimates by the Hellenic Statistical Authority are also included.

[6] [7] [8]

Region Population (1971)Population (1981)Population (1991)Population (2001)Population (2011)Population (2021)Population (2024) [9]
Aegean Islands 417,813 Decrease2.svg428,030 Increase2.svg456,555 Increase2.svg508,807 Increase2.svg508,246 Decrease2.svg522,763 Increase2.svg528,253 Increase2.svg
Central Greece 3,532,248 Increase2.svg4,125,463 Increase2.svg4,366,900 Increase2.svg4,591,568 Increase2.svg4,586,626 Decrease2.svg4,514,663 Decrease2.svg4,476,345 Decrease2.svg
Crete 456,642 Decrease2.svg501.909 Increase2.svg536,433 Increase2.svg601,131 Increase2.svg623,065 Increase2.svg624,408 Increase2.svg622,491 Decrease2.svg
Epirus 310,334 Decrease2.svg323.871 Increase2.svg327,176 Increase2.svg353,822 Increase2.svg336,856 Decrease2.svg319,991 Decrease2.svg321,108 Increase2.svg
Ionian Islands 184,443 Decrease2.svg182.327 Decrease2.svg189,338 Increase2.svg212,984 Increase2.svg207,855 Decrease2.svg204,532 Decrease2.svg200,642 Decrease2.svg
Macedonia 1,890,684 Increase2.svg2,116,361 Increase2.svg2,225,690 Increase2.svg2,424,765 Increase2.svg2,402,771 Decrease2.svg2,266,206 Decrease2.svg2,239,929 Decrease2.svg
Peloponnese 986,912 Decrease2.svg1,014,485 Increase2.svg1,045,020 Increase2.svg1,155,019 Increase2.svg1,046,897 Decrease2.svg995,410 Decrease2.svg985,134 Decrease2.svg
Thessaly 659,913 Decrease2.svg695,724 Increase2.svg729,268 Increase2.svg753,888 Increase2.svg732,762 Decrease2.svg688,255 Decrease2.svg678,747 Decrease2.svg
Thrace 329,582 Decrease2.svg341,180 Increase2.svg340,755 Decrease2.svg362,038 Increase2.svg371,208 Increase2.svg346,259 Decrease2.svg348,071 Increase2.svg
Total8,768,372 Increase2.svg9,729,350 Increase2.svg10,223,392 Increase2.svg10,964,020 Increase2.svg10,816,286 Decrease2.svg10,482,487 Decrease2.svg10,400,720 Decrease2.svg

Increase2.svg/Decrease2.svg = change since previous census

Fertility rate

Greece total fertility rate by region (2014)
.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}
1.7 - 2.0
1.5 - 1.7
1.3 - 1.5
< 1.3 Greece total fertility rate by region 2014.png
Greece total fertility rate by region (2014)
  1.7 – 2.0
  1.5 – 1.7
  1.3 – 1.5
  < 1.3

The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World In Data and Gapminder Foundation. [10]

Years18501851185218531854185518561857185818591860 [10]
Total fertility rate in Greece6.035.815.595.365.144.924.74.474.254.033.81
Years1861186218631864186518661867186818691870 [10]
Total fertility rate in Greece3.953.873.783.943.734.033.833.853.863.77
Years1871187218731874187518761877187818791880 [10]
Total fertility rate in Greece3.813.833.73.913.783.973.823.643.323.27
Years1881188218831884188518861887188818891890 [10]
Total fertility rate in Greece3.283.383.353.833.824.014.194.384.574.73
Years1891189218931894189518961897189818991900 [10]
Total fertility rate in Greece4.84.884.955.035.15.185.255.325.45.47
Years1901190219031904190519061907190819091910 [10]
Total fertility rate in Greece5.355.225.14.974.854.724.64.474.354.22
Years1911191219131914191519161917191819191920 [10]
Total fertility rate in Greece4.093.973.843.723.593.473.343.223.092.97

Life expectancy

Life expectancy in Greece since 1877 Life expectancy in Greece.svg
Life expectancy in Greece since 1877
Life expectancy in Greece since 1960 by gender Life expectancy by WBG -Greece -diff.png
Life expectancy in Greece since 1960 by gender
PeriodLife expectancy in
Years
PeriodLife expectancy in
Years
1950–195565.81985–199075.6
1955–196067.21990–199577.4
1960–196569.31995–200078.1
1965–197070.12000–200579.1
1970–197571.82005–201080.0
1975–198072.82010–201580.6
1980–198574.52015–202081.2

Source: UN World Population Prospects [11]

Age structure

Being part of the phenomenon of the aging of Europe, the Greek population shows a rapid increase of the percentage of the elderly people. Greece's population census of 1961 found that 10.9% of the total population was above the age of 65, while the percentage of this group age increased to 19.0% in 2011. In contrast, the percentage of the population of the ages 0–14 had a total decrease of 10.2% between 1961 and 2011.

Age group19711981199120012011
Population%Population%Population%Population%Population%
0–142,223,90425.42,307,29723.71,974,86719.21,664,08515.21,576,50014.4
15–645,587,35263.76,192,75163.66,880,68167.17,468,39568.17,122,83066.6
65+957,11610.91,239,54112.71,404,35213.71,831,54016.72,108,80719.0
Total8,768,3729,739,58910,259,90010,964,02010,816,286

10203040506070198019902000201020202030Population <15Population 15-64Population 65+Greece Age Structure (%)

Vital statistics

Vital statistics from 1921

[12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority [18] and World Bank. [19]

Notable events in Greek demography:

YearAverage population (January 1, 2001 onwards)Live births [20] DeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Crude migration change (per 1000) Total Fertility Rates [fn 1] [10] [21] [22]
19215,050,000107,00069,00038,00021.213.77.51.82.84
19225,097,000110,00082,00018,00021.616.15.5173.62.88
19236,010,000113,926102,04211,88419.017.02.0−3.72.55
19246,000,000117,01493,32023,69419.515.63.9−10.92.61
19255,958,000156,36788,63367,73426.214.911.42.73.52
19266,042,000181,27884,13697,14230.013.916.1−2.04.02
19276,127,000176,527100,02076,50728.816.312.51.03.86
19286,210,000189,250105,66583,58530.517.013.5−1.34.09
19296,286,000181,870115,56166,30928.918.410.52.43.87
19306,367,000199,565103,81195,75431.316.315.00.14.19
19316,463,000199,243114,36984,87430.817.713.1−0.63.83
19326,544,000185,523117,59367,93028.418.010.42.03.8
19336,625,000189,583111,44778,13628.616.811.83.63.84
19346,727,000208,929100,651108,27831.115.016.10.34.16
19356,837,000192,511101,41691,09528.214.813.31.23.77
19366,936,000193,343105,00588,33827.915.112.70.73.68
19377,029,000183,878105,67478,20426.215.011.12.13.51
19387,122,000184,50993,76690,74325.913.212.71.33.47
19397,222,000178,852100,45978,39324.813.910.92.53.32
19407,319,000179,50093,83085,67024.512.811.7−4.73.29
19417,370,000134,760125,7109,05018.317.11.2−3.93.19
19427,350,000132,640191,030−58,39018.026.0−7.9−1.63.08
19437,280,000122,170111,32010,85016.815.31.51.22.98
19447,300,000145,530110,81034,72019.915.24.8−3.42.88
19457,310,000183,47085,54097,93025.111.713.43.02.78
19467,430,000209,36073,500135,86028.29.918.3−6.22.68
19477,520,000206,40070,340136,06027.49.418.1−20.82.58
19487,500,000210,00096,000114,00028.012.815.2−17.82.48
19497,480,000139,10859,45079,65818.67.910.6−0.72.37
19507,554,000151,31453,75597,55920.07.112.9−0.72.47
19517,646,000155,42257,50897,91420.37.512.8−1.42.47
19527,733,000149,63753,37796,26019.46.912.4−1.52.48
19537,817,000143,76556,68087,08518.47.311.1−1.42.49
19547,893,000151,89255,62596,26719.27.012.2−3.02.48
19557,966,000154,26354,78199,48219.46.912.5−4.32.47
19568,031,000158,20359,46096,72719.47.412.0−3.92.44
19578,096,000155,94061,66493,52819.27.611.6−2.12.42
19588,173,000155,35958,16097,19919.07.111.9−1.52.38
19598,258,000160,19960,85299,34719.47.412.0−2.82.36
19608,304,698157,23960,56396,67618.97.311.6−3.92.33
19618,363,490150,71663,95586,76117.97.610.3−4.32.32
19628,433,124152,15866,55485,60418.07.910.1−6.32.32
19638,463,290148,24966,81381,43617.57.99.6−6.12.34
19648,495,610153,10969,42983,68018.08.19.8−5.02.37
19658,525,408151,44867,26984,17917.77.89.8−2.42.41
19668,575,653154,61367,91286,70117.97.910.1−1.72.46
19678,651,739162,83971,97590,86418.78.310.5−4.22.51
19688,716,502160,33873,30987,02918.38.410.0−6.32.54
19698,765,894154,07771,82582,25217.68.29.4−7.12.56
19708,780,549144,92874,00970,91916.58.48.1−3.82.57
19718,805,194141,12673,81967,30716.08.47.6−1.02.57
19728,857,439140,89176,85964,03215.98.67.2−2.72.55
19738,920,359137,52677,64859,87815.48.76.7−3.02.54
19748,937,982144,06976,30367,76616.18.57.61.92.52
19758,986,203142,27380,07762,19615.78.96.96.42.33
19769,106,985146,56681,81864,74816.08.97.14.02.35
19779,269,459143,73983,75059,98915.49.06.57.12.28
19789,347,618146,58881,61564,97315.58.76.97.92.29
19799,512,347147,96582,33865,62715.58.66.94.52.26
19809,584,298148,13487,28260,85215.49.16.32.62.23
19819,700,893140,95386,26154,69214.58.95.60.72.10
19829,757,944137,27586,34550,93014.08.85.20.62.03
19839,821,279132,60890,58642,02213.59.24.30.71.94
19849,872,195125,72488,39737,32712.78.93.801.82
19859,919,539116,48192,88623,59511.79.42.40.91.68
19869,949,185112,81091,46920,78111.39.22.11.31.60
19879,985,374106,39295,23210,66710.69.51.12.51.50
198810,015,957107,50593,03114,63710.79.31.43.91.50
198910,058,127101,65792,7178,43210.09.20.96.11.40
199010,120,984102,22994,1528,07710.19.30.88.61.39
199110,272,768102,62095,4987,12210.09.30.710.31.37
199210,367,276104,08198,2315,85010.09.50.68.71.36
199310,431,200101,79997,4194,3809.79.30.47.91.32
199410,489,958103,76397,8075,9569.89.30.67.21.33
199510,536,004101,495100,1581,3379.59.40.17.01.28
199610,588,378100,718100,740−229.49.4−0.06.31.26
199710,629,378102,03899,7382,3009.59.30.25.21.27
199810,693,340100,894102,668−1,7749.39.5−0.24.61.24
199910,747,879100,643103,304−2,6619.29.5−0.33.51.23
200010,775,693103,274105,219−1,9529.59.6−0.1−7.41.25
200110,836,578102,282102,559−2779.49.40.04.81.25
200210,888,357103,569103,915−3469.59.50.02.51.28
200310,915,874104,420105,529−1,1099.69.7−0.12.41.29
200410,940,437105,655104,9427139.69.60.12.61.31
200510,969,984107,545105,0912,4549.89.60.23.01.34
200611,004,784112,042105,4766,56610.29.60.62.21.40
200711,036,789111,926109,8952,03110.19.90.22.11.41
200811,060,985118,302107,97910,32310.79.70.92.21.50
200911,094,768117,933108,3169,61710.69.80.91.31.50
201011,119,102114,766109,0845,68210.39.80.5−0.11.48
201111,123,400106,428111,099−4,6719.610.0−0.4−2.91.40
201211,086,459100,371116,668−16,2979.110.6−1.5−6.01.34
201311,003,68794,134111,794−17,6608.610.2−1.6−5.41.29
201410,926,85992,149113,740−21,5918.510.4−2.04.31.30
201510,858,49891,847121,183−29,3368.511.2−2.7−4.21.33
201610,783,72992,898118,788−25,8908.611.0−2.41.01.38
201710,768,29088,553124,495−35,9428.211.6−3.30.81.35
201810,741,24486,440120,291−33,8518.111.2−3.21.81.35
201910,726,59883,756124,954−41,1987.811.7−3.83.11.32
202010,718,56584,764131,025−46,2617.912.3−4.3−0.71.37
202110,664,97285,346143,904−58,5588.213.8−5.6−1.41.38
202210,590,31776,095140,801−64,7067.213.2−6.0−10.71.33
202310,523,49272,244129,587−57,3436.912.4−5.52.51.26(e)
202410,491,92269,675128,259−58,5846.612.2−5.62.61.24(e)

Current vital statistics

PeriodLive birthsDeathsNatural increase
January–July 202439,93575,870−35,935
January–July 202537,90573,922−36,017
DifferenceDecrease2.svg −2,030 (−5.08%)Decrease Positive.svg −1,948 (−2.57%)Decrease2.svg −82
Source: [23]

Total fertility rates by region

2023 [24]
Regions TFR
South Aegean 1.58
Crete 1.57
North Aegean 1.46
Peloponnisos 1.38
Western Greece 1.34
Thessaly 1.33
Ionian Islands 1.31
Eastern Macedonia and Thrace 1.29
Central Greece 1.24
Western Macedonia 1.23
Epirus 1.18
Central Macedonia 1.18
Attica 1.18

Structure of the population

Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 09.V.2011): [25]
Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total5 303 2235 513 06310 816 286100
0–4274 788262 455537 2434.97
5–9262 432250 164512 5964.74
10–14265 787253 642519 4294.80
15–19286 386266 890553 2765.12
20–24325 127301 970627 0975.80
25–29371 617352 154723 7716.69
30–34417 861404 614822 4757.60
35–39409 681403 148812 8297.51
40–44414 026418 640832 6667.70
45–49367 086381 343748 4296.92
50–54355 552375 934731 4866.76
55–59321 466338 902660 3686.11
60–64301 589324 180625 7695.79
65–69241 832266 444508 2764.70
70–74246 264295 901542 1655.01
75–79209 983265 094475 0774.39
80–84146 455205 918352 3733.26
85–8960 93398 908159 8411.48
90–9418 76034 68553 4450.49
95–994 94810 23915 1870.14
100+6501 8382 4880.02
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–14803 007766 2611 569 26814.51
15–643 570 3913 567 7757 138 16665.99
65+929 8251 179 0272 108 85219.50
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.I.2021) (Data refer to usual resident population.): [25]
Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total5 196 0485 482 58410 678 632100
0–4232 962221 004453 9664.25
5–9256 724242 916499 6404.68
10–14286 211270 919557 1305.22
15–19286 473261 827548 3005.13
20–24295 675267 375563 0505.27
25–29289 021268 852557 8735.22
30–34292 391293 623586 0145.49
35–39351 172348 759699 9316.55
40–44397 038400 046797 0847.46
45–49388 226404 647792 8737.42
50–54388 838418 213807 0517.56
55–59340 585379 684720 2696.74
60–64320 930366 665687 5956.44
65–69288 274327 034615 3085.76
70–74261 202309 037570 2395.34
75–79200 470246 135446 6054.18
80–84161 684227 332389 0163.64
85–8998 597148 795247 3922.32
90–9441 16058 05299 2120.93
95–9912 18814 44526 6330.25
100–1044 3344 1908 5240.08
105–1091 3702 0473 4170.03
110+5239871 5100.01
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–14775 897734 8391 510 73614.15
15–643 350 3493 409 6916 760 04063.30
65+1 069 8021 338 0542 407 85622.55

Other demographic statistics

Population pyramid of Greece in 1928 Population pyramid of Greece (1928).svg
Population pyramid of Greece in 1928

Demographic statistics according to the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated. [22]

Population pyramid of Greece in 2017 Greecepop.svg
Population pyramid of Greece in 2017
Population
10,413,982 (Jan 2023 est.)
10,718,565 (Jan 2020 est.)
10,761,523 (July 2018 est.)
10,768,477 (July 2017 est.)
10,768,193 (Jan 2017 est.)
Age structure
0–14 years: 14.53% (male 794,918/female 745,909)
15–24 years: 10.34% (male 577,134/female 519,819)
25–54 years: 39.6% (male 2,080,443/female 2,119,995)
55–64 years: 13.1% (male 656,404/female 732,936)
65 years and over: 22.43% (male 1,057,317/female 1,322,176) (2020 est.)
0–14 years: 13.83% (male 767,245/female 722,313)
15–24 years: 9.67% (male 532,179/female 509,487)
25–54 years: 42.45% (male 2,275,984/female 2,295,082)
55–64 years: 13.13% (male 692,420/female 721,641)
65 years and over: 20.91% (male 986,816/female 1,265,310) (2017 est.)
0–14 years: 14.2% (male 787,143/female 741,356)
15–64 years: 66.2% (male 3,555,447/female 3,567,383)
65 years and over: 19.6% (male 923,177/female 1,185,630) (2011 est.)
Median age
total: 45.3 years. Country comparison to the world: 9th
male: 43.7 years
female: 46.8 years (2020 est.)
total: 44.5 years
male: 43.5 years
female: 45.6 years (2017 est.)
total: 42.5 years
male: 41.4 years
female: 43.6 years (2011 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
29.9 years (2017 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.39 children born/woman (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 225th
Population growth rate
−0.34% (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 221st
Birth rate
7.72 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 222nd
8.4 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
Death rate
12.05 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 14th
Net migration rate
0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 62nd
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 81.28 years. Country comparison to the world: 41st
male: 78.73 years
female: 84 years (2021 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 3.61 deaths/1,000 live births. Country comparison to the world: 204th
male: 4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Ethnic groups

population: Greek 91.6%, Albanian 4.4%, other 4% (2011) Note: data represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect data on ethnicity

Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 56.1
youth dependency ratio: 21.3
elderly dependency ratio: 34.8
potential support ratio: 2.9 (2020 est.)
Religions

Greek Orthodox (official) 81–90%, Muslim 2%, other 3%, none 4–15%, unspecified 1% (2015 est.)

Urbanization
urban population: 79.7% of total population (2020)
rate of urbanization: 0.22% annual rate of change (2015–20 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15–24
total: 39.9%. Country comparison to the world: 11th
male: 36.4%
female: 43.9% (2018 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 20 years
male: 20 years
female: 20 years (2018)

Immigration

Foreign citizens in Greece in 1998 by country of citizenship. COB data Greece.PNG
Foreign citizens in Greece in 1998 by country of citizenship.

Greece has received a large number of immigrants since the early 1990s. The majority of them come from the neighbouring countries. As of 2011, the number of foreigners in an enumerated total of 10,815,197 people was 911,299.

Foreign-born by country (Eurostat): [26] The Top-15 per year are displayed for consistency.

Country201020142020 n-aEU [27] 2020 EU [28] 2021 [29]
Flag of Albania.svg Albania 384,600337,719346,918374,926
Flag of Europe.svg Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria 45,70040,914 [note 1] 72,77735,444
Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan 20,10018,04019,16735,309
Flag of Europe.svg Flag of Romania.svg Romania 32,40027,191 [note 1] 44,60028,250
Flag of Georgia.svg Georgia 62,60045,06123,05026,083
Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh 14,2008,362included into others17,189
Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine 13,30010,66218,05616,408
Flag of the Taliban.svg Afghanistan included into others15,457
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 5,20010,736 [note 1] 14,75213,517
Flag of Russia.svg Russia 55,70042,95914,77213,415
Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt 10,2009,81311,65212,453
Flag of India.svg India 13,25912,385
Flag of Europe.svg Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus 10,20010,881 [note 1] 13,85012,362
Flag of Syria (2025-).svg Syria 7,5008,306included into others10,785
Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines 10,69610,585
Flag of Europe.svg Flag of Poland.svg Poland 10,80016,635 [note 1] 13,560included into others
Flag of Europe.svg Flag of Germany.svg Germany 29,30025,722 [note 1] 10,336included into others
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China 19,814included into others
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey 9,50012,469included into othersincluded into others
others117,100102,00665,429 [note 1] 736,470 [note 2] 127,287
Total828,400727,477524,813 [note 1] 906,345761,855
Nationality of Greece over time
Nationality19511961197119811991200120112021 [30] 2021
census [29]
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%
Flag of Greece.svg Greeks7,602,23099.60%8,333,81799.35%8,675,80498.94%9,568,01798.24%10,092,62498.37%10,166,92792.73%9,903,26891.57%9,777,43991.34%9,716,88992.70%
Foreigners30,5710.40%54,7360.65%92,5681.06%171,4241.76%167,2761.63%797,0937.27%911,9298.43%921,4858.61%761,8557.27%
Flag of Europe.svg EU-27199,1011.84%168,5501.57%116,6691.11%
Non-EU752,9007.1%641,9216.12%
Total7,632,8018,388,5538,768,3729,739,44110,259,90010,964,02010,815,19710,698,83710,482,487

Net Migration

Net Migration of Greece (1991–2023)
YearImmigrationEmigrationNet Migration
1991151,97864,62887,350
1992110,33452,38957,945
1993107,46252,92954,533
199486,95946,81340,146
199598,98947,96751,022
199695,58554,62840,957
1997113,47751,79461,683
1998116,41160,11956,292
199984,69554,17530,520
2000109,25146,99362,258
200198,47145,90952,562
200267,22039,37827,842
200363,14137,43325,708
200466,87138,04128,830
200570,93338,58332,350
200663,09438,36824,726
200763,29840,40022,898
200866,52943,04423,485
200958,61343,68614,927
201060,46262,041-1,579
201160,08992,404-32,315
201258,200124,694-66,494
201357,946117,094-59,148
201459,013106,804-47,791
201564,446109,351-44,905
2016116,867106,53510,332
2017112,247103,3278,920
2018119,489103,04916,440
2019129,45995,02034,439
202084,22177,8376,384
202157,12079,596-22,476
202296,66280,30716,355
2023118,81676,15842,658

[31]

Illegal immigration

Greece has received many illegal immigrants beginning in the 1990s and continuing during the 2000s and 2010s. Migrants make use of the many islands in the Aegean Sea, directly west of Turkey. A spokesman for the European Union's border control agency said that the Greek–Albanian border is "one of Europe's worst-affected external land borders." Migrants across the Evros region bordering Turkey face land-mines. Principal illegal immigrants include Albanians, Pakistanis, Kurds, Afghans, Iraqis and Somalis. [32] [33]

Ethnic groups, languages and religion

The population of northern Greece has primarily been ethnically, religiously and linguistically diverse. [34] The Muslim minority of Greece is the only explicitly recognized minority in Greece by the government. The officials define it as a group of Greek Muslims numbering 98,000 people, consisting of Turks (50%), Pomaks (35%) and Romani (15%). No other minorities are officially acknowledged by the government. [35] [36] [37] There is no official information for the size of the ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities because asking the population questions pertaining to the topic have been abolished since 1951. [38] [39]

Map showing the distribution of major Modern Greek dialect areas Modern Greek dialects en.svg
Map showing the distribution of major Modern Greek dialect areas
Note: Greek is the dominant language throughout Greece; inclusion in a non-Greek language zone does not necessarily imply that the relevant minority language is still spoken there, or that its speakers consider themselves an ethnic minority. Greece linguistic minorities.svg
Note: Greek is the dominant language throughout Greece; inclusion in a non-Greek language zone does not necessarily imply that the relevant minority language is still spoken there, or that its speakers consider themselves an ethnic minority.
Religion in Greece for the period 2006–2015 according to Swiss Metadatabse of Religious Affiliation in Europe [40]
  1. Eastern Orthodoxy and other Christian (87.6%)
  2. Unaffiliated (6.10%)
  3. Islam (5.30%)
  4. others (0.80%)

Education

Greek education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 15. English study is compulsory from first grade through high school. University education, including books, is also free, contingent upon the student's ability to meet stiff entrance requirements. A high percentage of the student population seeks higher education. More than 100,000 students are registered at Greek universities, and 15% of the population currently holds a university degree. Admission in a university is determined by state-administered exams, the candidate's grade-point average from high school, and his/her priority choices of major. About one in four candidates gains admission to Greek universities.

Greek law does not currently offer official recognition to the graduates of private universities that operate in the country, except for those that offer a degree valid in another European Union country, which is automatically recognized by reciprocity. As a result, a large and growing number of students are pursuing higher education abroad. The Greek Government decides through an evaluation procedure whether to recognize degrees from specific foreign universities as qualification for public sector hiring. Other students attend private, post-secondary educational institutions in Greece that are not recognized by the Greek Government. At the moment extensive public talk is made for the reform of the Constitution to recognize private higher education in Greece as equal with public and to place common regulations for both.

The number of Greek students studying at European institutions is increasing along with EU support for educational exchange. In addition, nearly 5,000 Greeks are studying in the United States, about half of whom are in graduate school. Greek per capita student representation in the US (one every 2,200) is among the highest in Europe.

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The source doesn't include immigrants from the European Union, European Free Trade Association nations or the United Kingdom
  2. Of which 21,243 people are from the remaining EU countries and 1,630 are from the EFTA countries
  1. In fertility rates, 2.1 and above is a stable population and has been marked blue, 2 and below leads to an aging population and the result is that the population decreases.

References

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