Greece - Transportation



Greek transportation was completely reconstructed and greatly expanded after World War II. The length of roads in 2002 was 117,000 km (72,704 mi), of which 107,406 km (66,742 mi) were paved. Toll highways connect Athens with Lamía and Pátrai. In 2000 there were 4,279,524 motor vehicles, including 3,195,065 passenger cars and 1,084,459 trucks, buses, and taxis.

The Hellenic State Railways, a government organ, operates the railroads, which in 2002 had a total length of 2,571 km (1,597 mi). The agency also operates a network of subsidiary bus lines connecting major cities. The privately owned Hellenic Electric Railways operates a high-speed shuttle service between Piraiévs and Athens.

LOCATION: 34°48′ 2″ to 41°45′ 1″ N; 19°22′ 41″ to 29°38′ 39″ E. BOUNDARY LENGTHS: Macedonia, 228 kilometers (142 miles); Bulgaria, 494 kilometers (308 miles); Turkey, 206 kilometers (128 miles); Albania, 282 kilometers (176 miles); total coastline, 13,676 kilometers (8,496 miles). TERRITORIAL SEA LIMIT: 6 miles.
LOCATION: 34°48′ 2″ to 41°45′ 1″ N ; 19°22′ 41″ to 29°38′ 39″ E. BOUNDARY LENGTHS: Macedonia, 228 kilometers (142 miles); Bulgaria, 494 kilometers (308 miles); Turkey, 206 kilometers (128 miles); Albania, 282 kilometers (176 miles); total coastline, 13,676 kilometers (8,496 miles). TERRITORIAL SEA LIMIT: 6 miles.

Principal ports are Elevsís, Thessaloniki, Vólos, Piraiévs, Iráklion, and Thíra. In 2002 the Greek merchant fleet had 802 ships (down from 2,893 in 1982) at a total GRT of 27,998,523. In addition, Greek shipowners had many other ships sailing under Cypriot, Lebanese, Liberian, Panamanian or other foreign registries. The Greek fleet was hard hit by the international shipping slump of the 1980s. The inland waterway system consists of three coastal canals and three inland rivers, for a total of 80 navigable km (50 mi).

Greece had 79 airports in 2001, 66 of which had paved runways. Athens Main Airport connects the capital by regular flights to major cities in Europe, the Middle East, and North America. The new Athens airport at Spata opened March 2001. Olympic Airways, nationalized in 1975, operates a large internal domestic network as well as international flights. In 2001,

7,302,600 passengers were carried on domestic and international flights. Also during 2001, Greek aircraft performed 99 million freight ton-km (61.5 million freight-ton mi) of service.

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