ls (1998)

Imports--partners: EU 61% (Italy 16%, Germany 16%, France 8%, UK
7%, Netherlands 5%) US 11% (1997)

Debt--external: $40.8 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient: $5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.)

Currency: 1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta

Exchange rates: drachmae (Dr) per US$1--278.78 (January 1999),
295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997), 240.71 (1996), 231.66 (1995), 242.60
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 5,571,293 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: adequate, modern networks reach all areas;
microwave radio relay carries most traffic; extensive open-wire
network; submarine cables to off-shore islands
domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and submarine cable
international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 17 (repeaters 20), shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 64 (in addition, there are about
1,000 low-power repeaters and two stations in the US armed forces
network) (1997)

Televisions: 2.3 million (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 2,548 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 23 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack type
railway for steep grades)

Highways:
total: 117,000 km
paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,594 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 80 km; system consists of three coastal canals;
including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of
Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and
shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by
325 km; and three unconnected rivers

Pipelines: crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km

Ports and harbors: Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete),
Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs
(Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos

Merchant marine:
total: 810 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,798,431
GRT/44,056,618 DWT
ships by type: bulk 307, cargo 66, chemical tanker 19, combination
bulk 9, combination ore/oil 12, container 45, liquefied gas tanker
5, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 229, passenger 15,
passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 17,