G06: WWW - Greece: History & Geography

Greece is a country of southeastern Europe. The birthplace of Western civilization, the small country has had a long and eventful history. At one time a major center of science, philosophy, and art, it is today a country with political and economic problems. These problems exist in part because of the mountainous nature of its land, poor soil, and few natural resources—and in part from the four centuries of foreign rule that resulted in little economic development.

Greece has the longest coastline in Europe and is the southernmost country in Europe. The mainland has rugged mountains, forests, and lakes, but the country is well known for the thousands of islands dotting the blue Aegean Sea to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the Ionian Sea to the west.