General Information about Greece

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General Informationabout Greece

• Greece is situated in Southeastern Europe, with
  an area of 131,957 sq.km. and a population
  of 10,964,020. Athens is the capital of Greece
  with a population of 3,192,606.Local time is
  GMT 2 hours.The Hellenic Republic is a
  Presidential Parliamentary Democracy.President
  of the Hellenic Republic Mr Karolos
  Papoulias.Prime Minister Mr  Constantinos
  KaramanlisParliament  Three hundred elected
  members with elections held every four
  yearsGreece is a member state of E.U. since
  1981. The currency is the euro.

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• Heraklion is the largest urban centre in Crete,
  the capital of the region and the economic centre
  of the island. The first European civilisation,
  the Minoan civilisation, flourished on this land
  5000 years ago. The conquering of Constantinopole
  by the Franks in 1204, left Crete under the
  sovereignty of the Venetians until 1669. During
  this period, Heraklion experienced significant
  cultural growth and became the capital of the
  ''Regnio di Candia''. However, all this cultural
  and spiritual growth came to a sudden end in 1669
  with the invasion of Crete by the Turks. Crete
  became autonomous in 1897, to be united with
  Greece in 1913. The cultural heritage of the city
  of Heraklion offers a variety of forms of modern
  entertainment.

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• Every year, the city, as well as numerous
  villages in the surrounding area, organize
  cultural events such as theatrical performances,
  art exhibitions, musical nights and festivals
  which attract a lot of people, locals and
  visitors alike. For those inclined to modern
  entertainment and clubbing, the city offers ample
  opportunities for night life. Heraklion is a city
  with one foot rooted in the past, the other
  stepping into the future. Currently the
  population of Heraklion is approximately 150000
  people. It is a very dynamic and cosmopolitan
  town, particularly during the summer period when
  thousands of visitors can be seen shopping in the
  market or visiting the museums and other places
  of interest. Today Heraklion is the top choice
  for tourist destinations in the
  Mediterranean.The unique natural beauty favours
  the development of alternative forms of tourism
  and provides a combination of mountain and sea
  sports.

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• Heraklion is also the commercial and scientific
  centre of the island. It has a strategic
  geopolitical position in the southeast basin of
  the Mediterranean Sea connecting three continents
  and many different cultures.During the last 20
  years the city has made remarkable progress in
  the academic and technological fields. The
  dynamic and imaginative combination of natural
  beauty, climate, strategic position, cultural
  heritage and scientific background has created an
  appropriate environment to add value to the
  broader entrepreneurial activity in the region
  and stimulate the local economy.