Country Background - Greece - Research Paper Example

Country Background - Greece A. Historical Background of Greece The history of Greece is quite elastic owing to its scope of habitation and the various regimes and ages it has had. The Greek’s first tribes, the Mycenaeans, according to various historical sources invaded Greek mainland between 1900 BC and 1600 BC (Chadwick, 1976). Modern Greek has its roots founded on the various ancient ages and periods that occupied a wide expanse of time. Until the beginning of the 19th century, the Ottomans established themselves as rulers of Greek according to Murray and Winnifrith (1983). The Greeks, on 25th of March, 1821 rebelled against the Ottomans rule declaring their independence. This independence however did not become a reality until 1821 with several non-Greeks volunteering to participate in the war that was aimed at liberating the Greeks from their rulers. Countries such as Britain, France and Russia played a significant role in the independence of Greek as they threatened the Ottomans with direct military intervention for suppressing the ensuing revolution. The 19th and 20th centuries saw a series of battles rage between the Ottomans and the Greeks in a bid to expand Greece’s boundaries. During World War One, Greece took its side with the entente powers and fought against the Central Powers. After the war, the Great Powers, as a reward, gave certain parts of Asia to Greece increasing the country’s physical size and population significantly. World War Two saw Greek’s engagement and support of the Allied forces in spite of its limited, ill equipped military force. In the 1940s, Nazi Germany tightened its grip on Greece in direct military combat leading to the deaths of thousands of Greeks. Apart from the two World Wars, the country also experienced a civil war between 1942 and 1949 (Murray & Winnifrith, 1983). The civil war led to the political polarization of Greece with its relationships with some of its northern neighbors experiencing serious strains. The civil war also led the country into joining NATO and forging an alliance with the United States. B. The Geography of Greece Greece comprises a huge mainland located at the southern part of the Balkans, about 3000 islands, and the peninsula of Peloponnesus according to Crystal Links (nd). The country enjoys over 15,000 km of coastline as well as its 1161km of land boundary (Crystal Links, nd). Greece is notably one of the most mountainous countries in Europe as it is made up 80 percent of hills and mountains (Crystal Links, nd). The western part of the Greece is rich in wetlands and lakes, its highest point of the country being 2,920 m above sea level. The country’s major cities include Salonica, Ahens, Larisa and Patra among others. The country has well modernized infrastructure with ferries dominating when it comes to the transportation of people and goods between its islands (Eurotravelling, nd). Apart from a thriving water transport sector, the country’s road, rail and air transport are well developed and greatly support the economy (Eurotravelling, nd). C. The Government of Greece With a population of about 4.5 million, Greece’s capital city is Athens (Greece Travel, nd). The country’s government is democratic and is based on a parliamentary system. The country has a multi-party system with legislative functions being delegated to the government as well as the Hellenic Parliament. The nationals elect 300 parliamentarians who are charged with the responsibility of making the laws that govern the country (Greece Travel, nd). The political party that garners at least 151 seats in the legislative body automatically assumes the country’s administrative office with the party’s president assuming the role of Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, who is in fact head of government, appoints cabinet based on the country’s established laws. The president of the country is elected by the parliamentarians (parliamentary deputies) and serves for five year terms. Greece as a democratic republic is partitioned into thirteen peripheries which are made up of a total of 51 prefectures. Each prefecture is headed by a democratically elected prefect while the peripheries are headed by regional governors. The governors are appointed by the Interior Minister. Even though the country’s villages and municipalities have leaders who are elected by the people, they have they do not have adequate authority to collect taxes and therefore have to rely on the central government for their finances and are subject to its several controls. The country’s judiciary is designed such that it is independent of both the legislature and the judiciary. The judiciary is divided into two; administrative and civil courts according to Photius (nd). While administrative courts attend to administrative issues, the civil courts attend to penal and civil cases. The country has three supreme courts, the Court of State, the Chamber of Accounts as well as the Court of Cassation, each with its special mandate (Photius, nd). D. Greece Economy Greece’s economy is a capitalist economy, the public sector contributing about 40 percent of the GDP – estimated at $338.4 billion (Travel Docs, nd). In 2002, the country has been using the euro as its currency. The adoption, by the country, of the euro saw it get a great boost in its economic growth and consumer spending. The country is predominantly a service oriented economy although agriculture and food processing among other sectors also contribute significantly to its stability. Greece and the United Sates have engaged in bilateral trade relations for a long time. The country imposes no significant non-tariff barriers to international trade (Travel Docs, nd). The country has continued to liberalize its economy and has the European Union as its main bilateral trade partner. International investors are encouraged to invest within the country although they have to meet certain basic requirements, mainly acquiring trade licenses. The country’s tourist sector accounts for at least 15 percent of the GDP, the country’s currency is rated at two-thirds that of Europe’s leading economies (Index Mundi, 2010). The economy of the country between 2003 and 2007 achieved a growth rate of about 4 percent annually. The country is a main beneficiary of the European Union’s aid which accounts for close to 3 percent of its GDP (Index Mundi, 2010). The country, like numerous other European countries, was affected by the global crisis slowing its annual growth rate to about 2.5 percent (Travel Docs, nd). Although the country’s economy is stable, it has faced several challenges especially with the down grading of its international debt rating in 2009 that was prompted by several factors. Owing to these among other factors, Greeks Foreign Direct Investment has reduced over the years. Considering the relative stability of Greece’s economy, liberalized economic environment and thriving tourism industry, foreign businesses can well establish and excel within the country. E. The National Business Culture of Greece In Greece, about 98percent of the population speak Greek, also the national language, making it a most preferred when doing business or making transactions (Kwintessential, 2010). Greeks are generally proud of their culture, heritage and the country’s contribution to global civilization. Greeks value religion much and consider the family a unit from which strength may be drawn. The church significantly plays a role in government, civic and political activities in Greek more than it does in numerous other countries. Greek nationals are hospitable and friendly in nature. Shaking hands firmly, direct eye contact and smiling being norms when relating with people according to Kwintessential (2010). Business deals are commonly sealed between people who have done business together previously. In the country, nepotism is not considered a vice but is in fact a strength as people seek assistance from family, friends and acquaintances. Business meetings are most preferably held face to face in a relaxed atmosphere, pretentiousness being forbidden. Exchanging business cards and adhering to the dressing cord are common features when making business deals in Greece. References Chadwick J. (1976) The Mycenaean world. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Crystal Links (nd) Geography, retrieved 12th September, 2010 http://www.crystalinks.com/greekgeography.html Eurotravelling (nd) Transportation in Greece, retrieved 12th September, 2010 www.eurotravelling.net/greece/transportation.htm Greece Travel (nd) Government in Greece, retrieved 12th September, 2010 http://www.greecetravel.com/mazarakis/wisdom/government.html Index Mundi (2010) Greece Economy: Overview, retrieved 12th September, 2010 http://www.indexmundi.com/greece/economy_overview.html Kwintessential (2010) Greece - Language, Culture and Doing Business Etiquette, retrieved 12th September, 2010 http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/greece-country-profile.html Murray P. & Winnifrith T (1983) Greece Old and New. Macmillan. Photius (nd) Greece: The Judiciary, retrieved 12th September, 2010 http://www.photius.com/countries/greece/government/greece_government_the_judiciary.html Travel Docs (nd) Economy, retrieved 12th September, 2010 http://www.traveldocs.com/gr/economy.htm Read More