EUROPE TO-DAY

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 12369, 7 June 1938, Page 2

EUROPE TO-DAY

GREEK STATISTICS Greece is a maritime kingdom in the south-east of Europe. Its adjacent countries are Albania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Turkey and its shores are washed by the lonian and the Aegean Seas. Its area is estimated at 50,000 square miles, or almost exactly the size of England. Its population of a little over six million is about two million less than Greater London. There is a wonderful ship canal through the Isthmus of Corinth, vessels up to 5,000 tons being able to pass through. The Post Office has charge of 5000 miles of telegraph. The merchant navy comprises nearly GOO ships. The chief harbours are Piraeus for Athens, Syra, Patras, Salonica, X'oio, Corfu and Calamata. The capital is Athens with ft population of no less than 450,000. Education is free and compulsory, but secondary education is somewhat backward. Service in the army is universal and compulsory between 21 and 57. Agriculture is the chief occupation of the people, many thousands of whom are engaged in growing fruit trees, including the olive, the vine, oranges, lemons, figs and almonds. The citron and pomegranate are extensively cultivated. The chief manufactures are smelting, textiles, and shipbuilding. The exports include wine, olives, olive oil, tobacco, currants, figs, cognac, emery, sponges and carpets. Greece became independent iu 1930. The legislature consists of a Senate (Gerousia) of 120 members, and a Chamber of Deputies of 250 members.