Around 3.15 million people lived in Athens, making it the largest city in Greece in 2021. The second-most populated city, Thessaloniki, had approximately 802,390 inhabitants.

Greece GR: Population in Largest City data was reported at 3,157,451.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3,159,302.000 Person for 2016. Greece GR: Population in Largest City data is updated yearly, averaging 3,062,740.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,187,197.000 Person in 2001 and a record low of 1,813,686.000 Person in 1960. Greece GR: Population in Largest City data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Greece – Table GR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.; ; United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.; ;

In 2023, the share of urban population in Greece remained nearly unchanged at around 80.67 percent. Nevertheless, 2023 still represents a peak in the share in Greece. A population may be defined as urban depending on the size (population or area) or population density of the village, town, or city. The urbanization rate then refers to the share of the total population who live in an urban setting. International comparisons may be inconsistent due to differing parameters for what constitutes an urban center.Find more key insights for the share of urban population in countries like Italy and Malta.

This horizontal bar chart displays male population (people) by capital city and is filtered where the country is Greece. The data is about countries per year.

Prior to 1829, the area of modern day Greece was largely under the control of the Ottoman Empire. In 1821, the Greeks declared their independence from the Ottomans, and achieved it within 8 years through the Greek War of Independence. The Independent Kingdom of Greece was established in 1829 and made up the southern half of present-day, mainland Greece, along with some Mediterranean islands. Over the next century, Greece's borders would expand and readjust drastically, through a number of conflicts and diplomatic agreements; therefore the population of Greece within those political borders** was much lower than the population in what would be today's borders. As there were large communities of ethnic Greeks living in neighboring countries during this time, particularly in Turkey, and the data presented here does not show the full extent of the First World War, Spanish Flu Pandemic and Greko-Turkish War on these Greek populations. While it is difficult to separate the fatalities from each of these events, it is estimated that between 500,000 and 900,000 ethnic Greeks died at the hands of the Ottomans between the years 1914 and 1923, and approximately 150,000 died due to the 1918 flu pandemic. These years also saw the exchange of up to one million Orthodox Christians from Turkey to Greece, and several hundred thousand Muslims from Greece to Turkey; this exchange is one reason why Greece's total population did not change drastically, despite the genocide, displacement and demographic upheaval of the 1910s and 1920s. Greece in WWII A new Hellenic Republic was established in 1924, which saw a decade of peace and modernization in Greece, however this was short lived. The Greek monarchy was reintroduced in 1935, and the prime minister, Ioannis Metaxas, headed a totalitarian government that remained in place until the Second World War. Metaxas tried to maintain Greek neutrality as the war began, however Italy's invasion of the Balkans made this impossible, and the Italian army tried invading Greece via Albania in 1940. The outnumbered and lesser-equipped Greek forces were able to hold off the Italian invasion and then push them backwards into Albania, marking the first Allied victory in the war. Following a series of Italian failures, Greece was eventually overrun when Hitler launched a German and Bulgarian invasion in April 1941, taking Athens within three weeks. Germany's involvement in Greece meant that Hitler's planned invasion of the Soviet Union was delayed, and Hitler cited this as the reason for it's failure (although most historians disagree with this). Over the course of the war approximately eight to eleven percent of the Greek population died due to fighting, extermination, starvation and disease; including over eighty percent of Greece's Jewish population in the Holocaust. Following the liberation of Greece in 1944, the country was then plunged into a civil war (the first major conflict of the Cold War), which lasted until 1949, and saw the British and American-supported government fight with Greek communists for control of the country. The government eventually defeated the Soviet-supported communist forces, and established American influence in the Aegean and Balkans throughout the Cold War. Post-war Greece From the 1950s until the 1970s, the Marshall Plan, industrialization and an emerging Tourism sector helped the Greek economy to boom, with one of the strongest growth rates in the world. Apart from the military coup, which ruled from 1967 to 1974, Greece remained relatively peaceful, prosperous and stable throughout the second half of the twentieth century. The population reached 11.2 million in the early 2000s, before going into decline for the past fifteen years. This decline came about due to a negative net migration rate and slowing birth rate, ultimately facilitated by the global financial crisis of 2007 and 2008; many Greeks left the country in search of work elsewhere, and the economic troubles have impacted the financial incentives that were previously available for families with many children. While the financial crisis was a global event, Greece was arguably the hardest-hit nation during the crisis, and suffered the longest recession of any advanced economy. The financial crisis has had a consequential impact on the Greek population, which has dropped by 800,000 in 15 years, and the average age has increased significantly, as thousands of young people migrate in search of employment.

This horizontal bar chart displays population (people) by country and is filtered where the country is Greece. The data is about cities.

This horizontal bar chart displays land area (km²) by capital city using the aggregation sum and is filtered where the country is Greece. The data is about countries per year.

In 2022, the population density in Greece remained nearly unchanged at around 80.97 inhabitants per square kilometer. But still, the population density reached its lowest value of the observation period in 2022. Population density refers to the number of people living in a certain country or area, given as an average per square kilometer. It is calculated by dividing the total midyear population by the total land area.Find more key insights for the population density in countries like Italy.

Greece is one of the countries most affected by the current financial crisis. Since 2010, when the Greek government and IMF/EU/ECB agreed on the largest loan ever received by a single country, Greece has seen sweeping transformations in the character of its polity and state functions. The Greek version of the crisis has produced a rupture in the modus operandi of the state in question and in its relationship with its citizenry. The main axis of this rupture is the systemic challenge and reconfiguration of the category 'public' - which of course includes public spaces. This research focuses on the newly emerging public socialities in reference to public urban spaces. The idea of emphasizing spontaneous and unspontaneous socio-spatial practices, public urban materialities and spatialities in the capital city of Greece appears as an ideal way in which to study the wide variety of the social consequences of the financial crisis.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Athens, Greece metro area from 1950 to 2025. United Nations population projections are also included through the year 2035.

This horizontal bar chart displays proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (%) by capital city and is filtered where the country is Greece. The data is about countries per year.

Abstract

The Household Budget Survey (HBS) is a national survey collecting information from a representative sample of households, on household composition, members employment status, living conditions and, mainly, focusing on their members expenditure on goods and services as well as on their income. The expenditure information collected from households is very detailed.

The main purpose of the HBS is to determine in detail the household expenditure pattern in order to revise the Consumer Price Index. Moreover, the HBS is the most appropriate source in order to:

• Complete the available statistical data for the estimation of the total private consumption;
• Study the households expenditures and their structure in relation to their income and other economic, social and demographic characteristics;
• Analyze the changes in the living conditions of the households in comparison with the previous surveys;
• Study the relationship between households purchases and receipts in kind;
• Study low income limits in the different socio-economic categories and population groups;
• Study the changes in the nutritional habits of the households.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Households,
• Individuals.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Frequency of data collection

The frequency of data collection is continual spread within the reference year.

Sampling procedure

The two-stage area stratified sampling was adopted for the HBS survey based on the rotational integrated design method and on the Population Census of 2011 as well. This method was judged as the most appropriate for both cross -sectional and longitudinal comparisons.

The primary sampling units (PSUs) are the areas (one or more unified city blocks), the secondary sampling units selected in each primary unit are the households and their members. In each Region (NUTS 2), the stratification of primary units was conducted by allocating the Municipalities and Communes according to the degree of urbanization (urban, semi-urban, and rural regions). Except for the two former Major City Agglomerations (Athens and Thessaloniki).

The Greater Athens Area was divided into 31 strata of about equal size (equal number of households) on the basis of the lists of city blocks of the Municipalities that constitute it and taking into consideration socio-economic criteria. Similarly, the Greater Thessaloniki Area was divided into 9 equally sized strata. The two former Major City Agglomerations account for 37% of the total population and for even larger percentages in certain socio-economic variables.

1st stage of sampling

In this stage, from any stratum (crossing of Region with the degree of urbanisation), primary units were drawn. The number of draws is approximately proportional to the population size of the stratum (number of households in the last population census of the year 2011).

2nd stage of sampling

In this stage from each primary sampling unit (selected area) the sample of secondary units (households) was selected. Actually, in the second stage we drew a systematic sample of dwellings. However, in most cases, one household corresponds to each dwelling. If in the selected dwelling lives more than one household, all of them were interviewed. The sampling frame containing the secondary units (households) in the selected sampling primary units was updated before the selection of households. The total number of the primary sampling units was 1023. Due to non-response, the actual total number of primary sampling units was 1004.

The survey was conducted on a sample of 6150 private households throughout the Country.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

This statistic depicts the age distribution of Greece from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, about 13.59 percent of the Greek population fell into the 0-14 year category, 62.93 percent into the 15-64 age group and 23.48 percent were over 65 years of age.

GR：最大城市人口在12-01-2017达3,157,451.000人，相较于12-01-2016的3,159,302.000人有所下降。GR：最大城市人口数据按年更新，12-01-1960至12-01-2017期间平均值为3,062,740.500人，共58份观测结果。该数据的历史最高值出现于12-01-2001，达3,187,197.000人，而历史最低值则出现于12-01-1960，为1,813,686.000人。CEIC提供的GR：最大城市人口数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于World Bank，数据归类于全球数据库的希腊 – Table GR.World Bank.WDI：人口和城市化进程统计。

The number of international air arrivals in Athens increased sharply in 2023 over the previous year, also surpassing the figures reported before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Overall, inbound air arrivals in the Greek city peaked at nearly 7.1 million in 2023.

The number of inbound visits in Greece rose significantly in 2023 over the previous year, nearly catching up with the figure reported before the impact of COVID-19. Overall, the Attica region, which comprises the city of Athens, recorded the most inbound visits in 2023, at nearly 7.9 million. Southern Aegean, Central Macedonia, and Crete followed in the ranking that year. What are the leading inbound travel markets in Greece? In 2023, Germany was the leading inbound tourist market in Greece, with around 4.8 million arrivals in the country. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom reported the second-highest figure, with approximately 4.6 million arrivals. Overall, the total number of international tourists in Greece was roughly 36 million in 2023, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. How many Greek tourists travel abroad? In 2023, the number of outbound tourists from Greece experienced a sharp annual increase, surpassing six million. That said, the volume of outbound travelers remained still below the figures recorded before the onset of the health crisis, when almost eight million Greek travelers made a trip abroad.

This graph displays the distribution of Greek diaspora living throughout Europe, by country in 2009. According to the source, the largest number of Greeks and people with Greek heritage lived in Germany and the United Kingdom.

2,500 years ago, in August or September 480BCE, the Battle of Thermopylae saw a vastly outnumbered Greek force hold out against one of the largest armies ever assembled; in what has been romantically remembered as the last stand of the 300 Spartans. Background Around the turn of the fifth century BCE, the Achaemenid Empire (or the First Persian Empire) was the world's largest and most powerful kingdom, stretching from present-day China to the Balkans and North Africa. In 492 BCE, King Darius launched the first Persian invasion of Greece, as a means of punishing the Greek cities, who had previously aided an Ionian Greek rebellion against Darius in Asia Minor. After two years of war, an alliance of Greek states finally defeated the Persians at the Battle of Marathon in 490BCE. Ten years later, Darius' successor, Xerxes, sought revenge and launched the second Persian invasion of Greece, amassing one of the largest armies the world had ever seen. Ancient sources claimed that the Persian army numbered between 2.5 and four million, however most modern estimates claim that it was a few hundred thousand at most. As the Persian army swept southwards, most Greek states surrendered, although a small number united and sent their armies to head off the Persians at the narrow pass of Thermopylae, while their navies created a blockade at the straits of Artemisium. The build-up Modern estimates claim that there were around 7,000 Greek soldiers sent to defend the narrow pass at Thermopylae, which was described as a 15 meter stretch between sheer cliffs and treacherous waters. This force was led by the Spartans and their king***, Leonidas; Sparta had the only professional army in Greece, however the battle coincided with a period of sacred religious and Olympic celebrations when fighting was not permitted, meaning Sparta sent just 300 veteran warriors to Thermopylae. Other states also sent relatively small numbers for similar reasons, as well as their reluctance to send their armies so far to the north. Despite these vastly inferior numbers, the Greek style of fighting was much better suited to the terrain at Thermopylae. Persian armies favored mobile battles, using archers to inflict most damage before sending in a combination of lightly armored soldiers and cavalry units to clean up remaining forces. The Greeks, however, used heavily armored hoplites in compact, phalanx formations, and preferred close-quarters combat. Battle of Thermopylae When the Persians reached Thermopylae, Xerxes waited four days before attacking, assuming that the Greeks would disperse at the sight of his army; when they did not, Xerxes ordered them to surrender their weapons, to which Leonidas famously replied "molon labe" or "come and take them". Xerxes then launched his attack, however, his archers inflicted little damage against the heavily armored Greeks and their heavy, bronze shields. Persian foot soldiers and cavalry, including the professional, heavily armored "Immortals", then suffered heavily at the hands of the Greek defenders. It was only after two days of fighting when the Persians gained the upper hand; a local shepherd, seeking reward, led a Persian force around a hidden path in the mountains, where they outflanked the Greeks. Surrounded, Leonidas ordered most of his forces to fall back, while the Spartans, Thebans, Thespians and helots remained. Eventually, King Leonidas and the rear guard were defeated as they protected their comrades' retreat (there are some reports of the Thebans surrendering). Despite losing the battle, the actions of the Greeks delayed the Persian advance into Greece, and bought their comrades enough time to regroup. The Greek armies and navies were then able to organize further defenses, and eventually defeat the invasion at the battles of Salamis and Plataea. By winning this war, the Greeks prevented the Persians from extending their empire and influence across Europe, in a war that likely altered the course of human history and development for all time.

The annual number of passengers of the Athens streetcar network reported an overall decline between 2015 and 2019. In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the ridership of the Athens tram lines dropped by 54 percent and stood at approximately six million passengers. Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece.

Monaco is the country with the highest median age in the world. The population has a median age of around 56 years, which is around six years more than in Japan and Saint Pierre and Miquelon – the other countries that make up the top three. Southern European countries make up a large part of the top 20, with Italy, Slovenia, Greece, San Marino, Andorra, and Croatia all making the list. Low infant mortality means higher life expectancy Monaco and Japan also have the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, which contributes to the calculation of a higher life expectancy because fewer people are dying in the first years of life. Indeed, many of the nations with a high median age also feature on the list of countries with the highest average life expectancy, such as San Marino, Japan, Italy, and Lichtenstein. Demographics of islands and small countries Many smaller countries and island nations have populations with a high median age, such as Guernsey and the Isle of Man, which are both island territories within the British Isles. An explanation for this could be that younger people leave to seek work or education opportunities, while others choose to relocate there for retirement.