Defense
The defense is based on NATO membership. In 1990,
Greece's defense was reorganized, and the rights of the
United States to have larger bases in the country were
extended. To see related acronyms about this country, please check ABBREVIATIONFINDER where you can see that GRC stands for Greece. The defense covers (2005) 165,000 men with 325,000
men in reserve and is based on general defense with an
initial service of up to 14 months. It is organized into an
army of 110,000 men, 310,000 men fully staffed, with 17
brigades, five of which are independent and a parachute
division. The Navy comprises 19,000 men, 43,000 men fully
manned, with 13 submarines, about 18 fighters/frigates and
about 40 patrol vessels.
The Air Force has 23,000 men, 55,000 men fully staffed,
with 285 fighter aircraft, preferably Mirage and F-16. The
National Guard covers 35,000 reservists. In addition, Greece
has coastguard forces of 4,000 men with 100 guard boats.
Defense costs (2005) amount to 2.1% of GDP. Greece has a
mechanized brigade and adviser, a total of 1,150 men,
located in Cyprus and participates in a number of
international efforts, including in Bosnia and Herzegovina
(200 men) and in Serbia and Montenegro (1,700 men). The US
has two smaller naval bases and an air base in Greece.
Greece's defense overview
Greece is a member of NATO. There is a general military
duty for men (and voluntary service for women) from the age
of 18; the initial service is up to 9 months for the Army
and 12 months for the Air Force and Navy. The total force
figures for Greece's armed forces are 142,350 active
personnel, a reserve of 220,500 personnel, and in addition
4000 semi-military in the Coast Guard and Customs (2018,
IISS).
Army
The army has a strength of 93,500 active personnel,
including 45,000 conscripts. Heavy materials include 1328
tanks (353 Leopard 2, 500 Leopard 1, 100 M60 and 375 M48),
398 BMP-1 storm tanks and 2407 armored personnel vehicles,
of which 2108 M113 or variants. The Army also has 18 light
transport aircraft and 168 helicopters, of which 28 are
combat helicopters of the Apache type, and four medium- duty
drones.
Air Force
The Air Force has a strength of 21,000 active personnel,
including 2,200 conscripts. Materials include 231 fighter
aircraft (34 Phantom II, 155 F-16 and 42 Mirage 2000), four
AEW aircraft, 26 transport aircraft, 31 helicopters and 91
training aircraft.
The Navy
The Navy has a strength of 16 250 active personnel, of
which 2050 conscripts. The fleet comprises 11 submarines, 13
frigates, of which four are MEKO 200 (3200 tonnes) and nine
of the Dutch Kortenaer class (3800 tonnes), five corvettes,
28 patrol vessels (four of which are Norwegian Nasty class),
four minesweepers, 20 landing craft, 25 logistics and
auxiliary vessels, five Orion patrol aircraft (in
circulation) and 18 helicopters.
Operations abroad
Greece participated in 2018, including NATO operations in
Afghanistan (Operation Resolute Support) with five
personnel, and in Serbia (KFOR) with 116 personnel.
Greece also participated in the UN operation in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
with 148 personnel and a frigate.
The Greek army has a presence in Cyprus with 1150
personnel, 61 tanks, as well as armored personnel vehicles
and artillery. Athens
Climate
Athens has a temperate climate with mild winters and dry, hot summers. Heat
waves occur when the "livas" wind brings warm air from the Sahara; On the
contrary, in July-August the "melt chemistry" brings fresh air from the north.
Rainfall occurs in the winter months, but the rainfall is one of the lowest in
the country.
The structure of the city
The cityscape is dominated by the ancient city's limestone mounds, first and
foremost the Acropolis (156 m), but also the Nymphs 'High, the Muses' High,
Pnyx, the Agora Hill and Areopagos immediately west of it.
Modern Athens is a monotonous and densely built concrete city with straight,
narrow streets dominated by lively trade and many small grocery and specialty
shops.
The older and renovated part of the city center, Plaka, with among others.
The Danish Institute, located just northeast of the Acropolis and is
characterized by neoclassical houses, taverns, exclusive residential areas and
the exciting, revived craft and market area Monastiraki. Here you will find
bazaar-like streets characterized by specialty shops and a flea market.
Between Sintagma Square and Omonia Square are among other things. the
university, the academy and the national library, designed by the Danish
architect brothers Christian and Theophilus Hansen. The newer part with modern
business center is further north and around Kolonaki Square to the northeast.
The building here is a mix of office and residential buildings in concrete and
large, beautifully renovated neoclassical buildings that often house banks and
public institutions.
Athens Latin Quarter is located in the Exarchia area northeast of the city
center. a technical university. Behind the Pantheon Stadium southeast of the
city center, where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896, lies the
quiet artist district of Mets.
Rich suburbs such as Kifisia and Ekali and new middle class neighborhoods
such as Chalandri and Melissia are located on the northern outskirts of Athens.
Along the coast of the Saronic Gulf are green residential areas, such as Glyfada
and Voula.
The older industrial area lies parallel to the old main street between Athens
and Piraeus southwest of the center; the newer ones like Votanikos and Peristeri
are found in the western part of the city, west of the railway line and north of
Piraeus.
Athens has only a few green areas; in the center is the National Park with
the Parliament building at Sintagma Square and the adjacent meeting and
exhibition center Zappio.
The Panathenic Stadium at the green Ardittoshøj and Athens' first cemetery
constitute small oases. With its 275 m, the Likavittos mound clearly emerges
northeast of the center. Most parks provide a framework for annually recurring
political-cultural summer festivals, including the Singroulunden, the
university's campus in Zografou and the shooting range in Kesariani as well as
the Áreosparken north of the National Museum.
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