Demographic situation

The demography of Greece concerns the study of the population of Greece both in terms of statistics and in qualitative terms.  In Greece censuses examining other statistics as well other than the total population and place of residence are normally conducted every ten years since 1920. The body responsible for these, as well as for other censuses of population statistics as well, such as indicators of employment, education etc., is the Hellenic Statistical Authority.

Population

Greece is located at the southern end of continental Europe, covering a surface of 131.957 square kilometers. 

According to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) data, based on the 2001 census, the actual population in the country stands at 10.934.080 inhabitants: 5,41 mn. (49,51%) were males and 5,52 mn. (50.49%) females.

According to the revised results of the Population and Housing Census of 2011, the resident population of the country was 10,816,286 individuals of which 5,303,223 are men (49.0%) and 5,513,063 are women (51.0%).

The resident population refers to the number of persons whose regular residence is located in each region, regional unit, municipality, municipal section, municipal or local community and village of the country.  The resident population includes all people regardless their nationality, who in the framework of the Population - Housing Census 2011 declared their regular residence as being within the Greek territory.

Source: Hellenic Statistic Authority(ELSTAT), Greece in Figures, October-December 2020.

Source: Hellenic Statistic Authority(ELSTAT), Greece in Figures, October-December 2020.

Population trends

According to the population figures for, 2016 the average life expectancy at birth stood at 78,9 years for men and 84 years for women (Hellenic Statistical Authority – ELSTAT( data taken from the official site of ELSTAT).  In fact, in comparison with the 1985 figures, an increase in life expectancy has been observed by  7,35% for men and  7,14% for women.  However, the participation rate of the age group 0-14 in the total population has dropped, while on the contrary, the participation rate of the age group over 65 years has increased.  The proportion of the population of productive age (15-64 years) increased significantly during the last two decades, particularly among men, almost exclusively due to the mass influx of economic immigrants in the country.

Based on population  forecasts of ELSTAT, the population structure per age groups will be rather different in the upcoming decades due to adverse demographic changes and the trends of low birth rate and population ageing.  In particular, by virtue of the last available population projections, the total population of Greece shall stand at circa 8.920.000 individuals by 2050.

The population structure, however, will be different from the one of 2000, i.e the rate of children at the age of 0-14 is set to dwindle from 15,44% in 2001 to 12,1% in 2050, while the rate of over 65 age group is set to increase from 17,07% in 2001 to 36,5% by 2050.  The financially active population group rate aged 15-64 is forecasted to decrease by 16,112% and from 67,5% in 2000 to drop at   51,45% by 2050.

Census results show a total of  9.904.286 Greek nationals, 199.121 other EU-country nationals, 530.244 other European country nationals, 175.930 African, Caribean, South- or Central American, North American, Asian and Australian nationals and 6.705 residents without nationality or of unclear identity. The majority of foreign nationals (52,7%) residing in Greece are Albanian nationals, 8,3% are Bulgarian nationals, 5,1% are Romanian nationals and finally 3,7% are Pakistani nationals and 3,0% are Georgian nationals. (Population and Housing Census, 2011, ELSTAT 2016).

In Greece internal immigration, particularly in the postwar period, led to urban growth and the depopulation of rural areas.  Similarly, in recent years the urbanisation of the population continues to display an increasing trend.  Indeed, the participation of urban and suburban areas in the total population reached 76.6% in 2011 from 72.8% in 2001.  The rate of urbanisation, however, shows a marked slowdown in recent years, perhaps because it has already reached values that are already high for the Greek reality.

Urbanization in Greece 2001-2011

Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority 2014

Unemployment

In the context of the Labor Force Survey, the following tables present the percentage of the labor force in the total population, as well as the percentage of the unemployed in the total labor force, for the years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and 2019.

Source: Hellenic Statistic Authority(ELSTAT), Greece in Figures, October-December 2020.

Source: Hellenic Statistic Authority(ELSTAT), Greece in Figures, October-December 2020.

Also, a graph is presented with the evolution of the unemployment rate in the month of December from 2004 to 2020.

Immigration

Another interesting element in the demographic picture of Greece is the extensive inbound immigration flow, which is identified since the 1990s.

[1] A Categorization of countries by the UN according to the Human Development Index

Source: ELSTAT “Estimation of population per citizenship group of the year 2017”

The education of all pupils that reside in Greece is a national issue.  Immigrant pupils are also included.  The existence of different groups of pupils with various linguistic and cultural characteristics (repatriates, Roma, Thrace muslims) has led to the development of educational interventions within the framework of Cross-cultural education.  The latter helps the smooth integration of these pupils and combats the phenomenon of school dropout.

Educating the refugees’ Children

Issues on the education of refugees are determined in Law 4415/2016 'Regulations on education in the Greek language, cross-cultural education and other provisions' and Law 4547/2018.

Reception Structures for the Education of Refugees (DYEP) have been created for underaged refugees.  Education is provided to refugees through the school units of Primary and Secondary Education of the mainstream educational system.  Furthermore, taking into consideration the specific features of the refugee population, such as mobility, time of arrival and duration of stay in the hosting structure, as well as the size of the student population, Reception Structures for the Education of Refugees (DYEP) may be  formed which will function in the framework of mainstream educational system and apply specified courses of study of a short duration.

To support the education of refugees, the Institute of Educational Policy has created an online platform for collecting and disseminating the approved teaching material.

Additionally, staff instruction actions on issues of cross-cultural education,  reception class functioning and the production of educational material (Interventions on  instruction for reinforcing school structures of the educational system” have been put to effect in the framework of the OP. “Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong Learning 2014-2020”, which is an action co-funded by the ESF and National resources.

Languages

Greek is the official language of the Greek State, used in the entire territory and at all levels of education.

The Muslim minority, which accounts for approximately 1% of the total population of Greece residing in Thrace, numbers approximately 100,000 members, who are of Turkish, Pomak and Roma origin.  Minority schools are operating for the Muslim minority, where the teaching takes place in the Turkish and the Greek language at the same time.

Religions

The relations between the state and the religious communities in Greece are defined by the Constitution, international conventions and executive laws.  The Greek Constitution states (Article 13) that:

1. Freedom of religious conscience is inviolable. The enjoyment of civil rights and liberties does not depend on the individual’s religious beliefs.
2. All known religions are free and their rites of worship shall be performed unhindered and under to the protection of the law. The practice of rites of worship must not offend public order or the good usages. Proselytism is forbidden.
3. Ministers of all known religions are subject to the same supervision of the State and to the same obligations towards it as  those of the prevailing religion.
4. No person shall be exempt from fulfilling his obligations to the State or may refuse to comply with the laws by reason of his religious convictions.
5. No oath shall be imposed or administered except as specified by law and in the form determined by law also specify its type.

Also, according to the Constitution of Greece (article 3) the main religion in Greece is the religion of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ. It is pointed out that this recognition is purely affirmative, due to the fact that the great majority of Greeks are affiliated with the Orthodox Church and is therefore not a "state religion" or "official religion".

Education, in accordance with Article 16 of the Constitution, is a fundamental mission of the State and is aimed at the moral, spiritual, professional and physical education of Greeks, the development of national and religious consciousness and their formation as free and responsible citizens.

The Greek education system includes:

1. Ecclesiastical Secondary Education Units (Ecclesiastical Gymnasiums and Ecclesiastical Upper High Schools), with the main purpose of promoting and training Clergy and the laymen of the Greek Orthodox Church in Greece of high educational level and Christian ethics, as well as
2. Muslim Medresses in Thrace, Secondary Religious Schools (Gymnasium -Upper High School) where only pupils members of the Thrace Muslim minority can attend to fulfill the needs of their religious education. There are two Medresses , one in Komotini and one in Xanthi.