Hellas

Hellas, commonly known in English as Greece, is a country in southeastern Europe. In Greek, the land is called Hellas (Ελλάς) or Elláda (Ελλάδα), and its official long form is the Hellenic Republic (Elliniki Dimokratia). It lies at the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula and comprises a mainland region plus thousands of islands, with coastlines on the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean seas. The capital and largest city is Athens.

The country has a population of about 10.5 million and a developed economy focused on services, tourism, and shipping. Greece is a member of the European Union and the eurozone. Its government is a parliamentary republic with a largely ceremonial president and a prime minister as head of government. The 300-member Hellenic Parliament is elected to four-year terms.

Greece has a long historical legacy dating to ancient civilizations and classical Greece, which contributed to the foundations of Western philosophy, politics, literature, and the arts. The area passed through Roman and Byzantine rule, later Ottoman domination, and achieved full independence in the 19th century. In the modern era, Greece joined the European Union in 1981 and adopted the euro in 2001. The country is known for its archaeological sites, islands, cuisine, and maritime heritage, and remains culturally influential through its language and Orthodox Christian traditions.