Capital

Griechenland

name: Athens

geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: Athens is the oldest European capital city; according to tradition, the city is named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom; in actuality, the appellation probably derives from a lost name in a pre-Hellenic language

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

name: Vientiane (Viangchan)

geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the meaning in Pali, a Buddhist liturgical language, is "city of sandalwood"

Citizenship

Griechenland

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Greece

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Laos

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Legal system

Griechenland

civil legal system based on Roman law

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

civil law system similar in form to the French system

Suffrage

Griechenland

17 years of age; universal and compulsory

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

18 years of age; universal

Area

Griechenland

total: 131,957 sq km

land: 130,647 sq km

water: 1,310 sq km

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 236,800 sq km

land: 230,800 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

Land use

Griechenland

agricultural land: 63.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 19.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 8.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 34.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 30.5% (2018 est.)

other: 6.1% (2018 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

agricultural land: 10.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.7% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 3.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 67.9% (2018 est.)

other: 21.5% (2018 est.)

Location

Griechenland

Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Age structure

Griechenland

0-14 years: 14.02% (male 758,311/female 713,794)

15-64 years: 62.66% (male 3,285,484/female 3,292,524)

65 years and over: 23.31% (2023 est.) (male 1,086,188/female 1,361,294)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

0-14 years: 30.63% (male 1,218,731/female 1,186,156)

15-64 years: 64.73% (male 2,527,643/female 2,555,029)

65 years and over: 4.65% (2023 est.) (male 169,142/female 195,676)

Birth rate

Griechenland

7.5 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

20.4 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Griechenland

12 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Griechenland

Greek (official) 99%, other (includes English and French) 1%

major-language sample(s):
Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages

major-language sample(s):
ແຫລ່ງທີ່ຂາດບໍ່ໄດ້ສຳລັບຂໍ້ມູນຕົ້ນຕໍ່” (Lao)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Griechenland

total population: 81.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 79.2 years

female: 84.4 years

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total population: 68.6 years (2023 est.)

male: 67 years

female: 70.3 years

Major urban areas - population

Griechenland

3.154 million ATHENS (capital), 815,000 Thessaloniki (2023)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

721,000 VIENTIANE (capital) (2023)

Median age

Griechenland

total: 46.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 44.3 years

female: 47.9 years

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 25 years (2023 est.)

male: 24.6 years

female: 25.3 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Griechenland

30.7 years (2020 est.)

Net migration rate

Griechenland

1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

-1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Griechenland

one-third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia

Population growth rate

Griechenland

-0.35% (2023 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

1.3% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Griechenland

1.4 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

2.3 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Griechenland

urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

urban population: 38.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Griechenland

4.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

2.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Griechenland

total: 20 years

male: 20 years

female: 20 years (2020)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 10 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Griechenland

0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

-5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Griechenland

10.67% (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

7.61% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Griechenland

4.619 million (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

3.915 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Griechenland

17.9% (2018 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

18.3% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate

Griechenland

14.8% (2021 est.)

16.3% (2020 est.)

17.31% (2019 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

1.26% (2021 est.)

1.03% (2020 est.)

0.85% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Griechenland

252.29% of GDP (2020 est.)

212.38% of GDP (2019 est.)

208.84% of GDP (2018 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

63.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

58.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Griechenland

1.22% (2021 est.)

-1.25% (2020 est.)

0.25% (2019 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

3.76% (2021 est.)

5.1% (2020 est.)

3.32% (2019 est.)

Exports

Griechenland

$87.521 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$59.022 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$81.184 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

$7.82 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$6.461 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$6.985 billion (2019 est.)

Exports - partners

Griechenland

Italy 10%, Germany 7%, Turkey 5%, Cyprus 5%, Bulgaria 5% (2019)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

Thailand 33%, China 27%, Vietnam 13%, Australia 8%, Switzerland 3% (2021)

Imports

Griechenland

$103.532 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$71.758 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$83.192 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

$6.527 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$5.816 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$7.518 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

Griechenland

Germany 11%, China 9%, Italy 8%, Iraq 7%, Russia 6%, Netherlands 5% (2019)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

Thailand 53%, China 26%, Vietnam 10% (2019)

Airports

Griechenland

77 (2021)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

41 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Griechenland

total: 4,257,026 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2020 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 128,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Griechenland

total: 7.8 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 78% (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 4.588 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 62% (2021 est.)

Railways

Griechenland

total: 2,345 km (2020) 731 km electrified

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 422 km (2023)

standard gauge: 422 km (2023) 1.435-m gauge (422 km overhead electrification)

Roadways

Griechenland

total: 117,000 km (2018)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 39,586 km (2009)

paved: 5,415 km (2009)

unpaved: 34,171 km (2009)

Telephones - fixed lines

Griechenland

total subscriptions: 4,913,036 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total subscriptions: 1,300,195 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Griechenland

total subscriptions: 11,494,008 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total subscriptions: 4,822,973 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 65 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Griechenland

6 km (2012) (the 6-km-long Corinth Canal crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; it shortens a sea voyage by 325 km)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

4,600 km (2012) (primarily on the Mekong River and its tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m)

Disputes - international

Griechenland

Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Greece has a security wall along a portion of its land border with Turkey to deter border crossings by migrants and has announced intentions to extend the wall along the entire border

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

Laos-Burma: none identified

Laos-Cambodia: in 2021, the two countries agreed to increase efforts to combat drug trafficking and other transnational crimes and to complete the last 14% of their border demarcation

Laos-Cambodia-Vietnam: Cambodia and Vietnam are concerned about Laos' extensive plans for upstream dam construction and the potential harm it poses to fisheries and farming downstream

Laos-China: concern among Mekong River Commission members that China's construction of eight dams on the Upper Mekong River and construction of more dams on its tributaries will affect water levels, sediment flows, and fisheries

Laos-Thailand: talks continue as of 2018 on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River

Laos-Vietnam: Laos and Vietnam completed border demarcation in 2016