GreecehaslandborderswithAlbania,theRepublicofMacedoniaandBulgariatothenorth,andTurkeytotheeast.TheAegeanSealiestotheeastofmainlandGreece,theIonianSeatothewest,andtheMediterraneanSeatothesouth.Greecehasthetwelfthlongestcoastlineintheworldat13,676km(8,498mi)inlength,featuringavastnumberofislands(approximately1,400,ofwhich227areinhabited),includingCrete,theDodecanese,theCyclades,andtheIonianIslandsamongothers.EightypercentofGreececonsistsofmountains,ofwhichMountOlympusisthehighestat2,917m(9,570ft).

　　ModernGreecetracesitsrootstothecivilizationofancientGreece,generallyconsideredthecradleofWesterncivilization.Assuch,itisthebirthplaceofdemocracy,[11]Westernphilosophy,[12]theOlympicGames,Westernliteratureandhistoriography,politicalscience,majorscientificandmathematicalprinciples,universityeducation,coinage,andWesterndrama,[13]includingbothtragedyandcomedy.ThislegacyispartlyreflectedintheseventeenUNESCOWorldHeritageSiteslocatedinGreece,rankingGreece7thinEuropeand13thintheworld.ThemodernGreekstatewasestablishedin1830,followingtheGreekWarofIndependence.

　　Adevelopedcountrywithanadvanced,[14][15]high-incomeeconomy[16]andveryhighstandardsofliving(includingthe22ndhighestHumanDevelopmentIndexintheworldasof2010[update]),[17][18][19]GreecehasbeenamemberofwhatisnowtheEuropeanUnionsince1981andtheeurozonesince2001,[20]NATOsince1952,[21]andtheEuropeanSpaceAgencysince2005.ItisalsoafoundingmemberoftheUnitedNations,theOrganisationforEconomicCo-operationandDevelopment,andtheOrganizationoftheBlackSeaEconomicCooperation.

　　Athensisthecapitalandthelargestcityinthecountry