Greece Case Study

Greece, or officially referred to as Hellenic Republic, is a country located in southeastern Europe. It’s boarded by Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Greece is also bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. In recent news, Greece has been facing an intense economic crisis, and the country is struggling to pull themselves out of the ground and back onto their feet. Despite their constant turmoil, Greece is a remarkable country with ancient historical significance and a culture unlike many others. In efforts to avoid a financial collapse, Greece is facing its third bailout in six years. Their first part of the bailout is worth 86 billion euros, equal to $95 billion. “Germany and all the other countries that use

Greece is made up of “six major regions: central, northeastern, eastern, southern, and western mainland Greece, along with the islands” (Haldon). The central range of Greece is known as the Píndos Mountains. This area has formed into upland valleys and hills. Natural resources found in this area include limestone and sandstones. Colossal limestone formations are also found in the western part of the northeastern region. Greece’s accessibility to open seas has also inspired their growth. They are able to obtain petroleum in the Aegean Sea near Thasos. Other major natural resources include wheat, cotton, and olives. The popularity of these three items have had an outstanding affect in their economy. Although they are limited on their natural resources, they are still useful trading partners to other countries such as Germany and

A period known as the “Dark Ages” swept across Greece, lasting until 800 BC. This was the beginning of an unstable Greece where “farming was in a state of disorder, trade was almost nonexistent, and there was a general decline in the arts” (Dubois 4). The Dark Ages were ended when the rise of city-states were introduced, marking the beginning of the Archaic Period. “Each city-state had its own system of government, industry, commerce, and culture” (Dubois 5). Important city-states included Athens, Thebes, Sparta, and Olympia. These city-states were also the birthplace of the world’s first democracies. These influences carried onto the way Greece’s government works