Greece Population

Greece has an extensive history and has had a major impact on the cultural and political development of many European countries. After years of economic and social turmoil, the country’s economy has once again begun to grow.

Key figures and facts

• Capital: Athens
• Ethnic groups: Greeks 91.6%, Albanians 4.4%, others 4% (2011)
• Language: Greek (official) 99%, other (including English and French) 1%
• Religion: Greek Orthodox (official) 81-90%, Muslims 2%, other/unspecified 3%, none 4-15%, (2015)
• Population: 11 142 161 (2018)
• Control Form: Democratic Republic
• Area: 131 960 Km2
• Currency: euro
• GNP per capita: 26 779 PPP $
• National Day: March 25th

Population of Greece

The last official census in Greece from 2011 showed a population of 10,816,286. In 2018, it is estimated that the population has increased to 11,143,313. The next census is in 2021.

Emigration, especially post-emigration to the industrialized countries of Western Europe and to the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries, has helped to keep population growth at a relatively low level. Population development is otherwise characterized by low birth and death rates (8.8 per milliliter and 10.2 per milliliter respectively, Eurostat 2013). Life expectancy is estimated at 83 years for women and 78 years for men.

Population of Greece by Year (Historical)

Year	Population	Annual Growth Rate	Population Density	Global Rank
2020	10,422,943	-0.480%	80.8615	87
2019	10,473,344	-0.460%	81.2526	87
2018	10,522,135	-0.450%	81.6311	87
2017	10,569,339	-0.430%	81.9973	86
2016	10,615,074	-0.420%	82.3521	85
2015	10,659,639	-0.420%	82.6978	83
2010	10,887,526	-0.610%	84.4658	77
2005	11,224,680	0.260%	87.0814	73
2000	11,081,993	0.620%	85.9744	71
1995	10,745,392	1.000%	83.3631	66
1990	10,225,881	0.510%	79.3328	68
1985	9,968,127	0.700%	77.3331	63
1980	9,626,891	1.320%	74.6858	62
1975	9,013,974	0.800%	69.9308	62
1970	8,663,460	0.490%	67.2116	61
1965	8,453,710	0.430%	65.5843	57
1960	8,273,518	0.650%	64.1864	51
1955	8,011,013	0.880%	62.1499	49
1950	7,668,683	0.000%	59.4941	48

Major Cities in Greece by Population

Rank	City	Population
1	Athens	663,935
2	Thessaloniki	354,179
3	Patra	167,923
4	Piraeus	163,577
5	Larisa	144,540
6	Peristeri	139,870
7	Irakleion	137,043
8	Kallithea	100,530
9	Acharnes	99,235
10	Kalamaria	91,506
11	Nikaia	89,269
12	Glyfada	87,194
13	Volos	85,937
14	Ilion	84,682
15	Ilioupoli	78,042
16	Keratsini	76,966
17	Khalandrion	74,081
18	Nea Smyrni	72,965
19	Marousi	72,222
20	Agios Dimitrios	71,183
21	Zografos	70,915
22	Aigaleo	69,835
23	Nea Ionia	67,023
24	Ioannina	65,463
25	Palaio Faliro	63,910
26	Korydallos	63,334
27	Trikala	61,542
28	Vyronas	61,197
29	Agia Paraskevi	59,593
30	Galatsi	59,234
31	Chalkida	59,014
32	Petroupolis	58,868
33	Serres	58,176
34	Rodos	56,017
35	Kalamata	53,989
36	Kavala	53,916
37	Chania	53,799
38	Katerini	53,182
39	Alexandroupoli	52,868
40	Lamia	51,895
41	Irakleio	49,531
42	Xanthi	48,110
43	Kifisia	47,221
44	Agrinio	46,788
45	Chaidari	45,531
46	Komotini	45,520
47	Sykies	44,844
48	Drama	44,712
49	Veroia	44,353
50	Alimos	41,609
51	Polichni	39,654
52	Kozani	36,370
53	Agioi Anargyroi	34,057
54	Argyroupoli	33,986
55	Ano Liosia	33,454
56	Karditsa	32,678
57	Nea Ionia	32,550
58	Rethymno	32,357
59	Cholargos	30,729
60	Vrilissia	30,630
61	Aspropyrgos	30,140
62	Korinthos	30,065
63	Ptolemaida	29,934
64	Gerakas	29,828
65	Metamorfosi	29,780
66	Voula	28,253
67	Kamateron	28,250
68	Mytilene	28,211
69	Giannitsa	27,706
70	Neapoli	26,973
71	Corfu	26,892
72	Tripoli	26,450
73	Agia Varvara	26,439
74	Kaisariani	26,259
75	Nea Filadelfeia	25,623
76	Moskhaton	25,330
77	Perama	25,278
78	Salamina	25,259
79	Elefsina	24,799
80	Chios	23,842
81	Pylaia	23,383
82	Megara	23,345
83	Dhafni	22,802
84	Melissia	22,630
85	Pyrgos	22,288
86	Argos	22,098
87	Thivai	21,915
88	Arta	21,784
89	Livadeia	21,381
90	Artemida	21,377
91	Pefki	21,241
92	Aigio	20,311
93	Naousa	19,776
94	Kilkis	19,623
95	Kos	19,133
96	Koropi	19,053
97	Edessa	18,558
98	Florina	17,575
99	Nea Erythraia	17,268
100	Preveza	17,172
101	Elliniko	17,148
102	Amaliada	16,652
103	Panorama	16,440
104	Sparti	16,128
105	Orestiada	16,110
106	Peraia	15,956
107	Agios Ioannis Rentis	15,939
108	Vari	15,744
109	Menemeni	15,595
110	Nea Makri	15,443
111	Oraiokastro	14,895
112	Tavros	14,861
113	Pallini	14,697
114	Paiania	14,484
115	Nafplio	14,471
116	Kalyvia Thorikou	14,313
117	Thermi	14,262
118	Drapetsona	13,857
119	Papagou	13,588
120	Alexandreia	13,554
121	Nafpaktos	13,304
122	Kastoria	13,276
123	Mesolongi	12,674
124	Gazi	12,495
125	Ierapetra	12,244
126	Kalymnos	12,213
127	Rafina	12,057
128	Nea Alikarnassos	11,775
129	Loutraki	11,453
130	Zakynthos	11,430
131	Ialysos	11,362
132	Agios Nikolaos	11,310
133	Ermoupolis	11,240
134	Mandra	11,216
135	Triandria	10,971
136	Ymittos	10,889
137	Tyrnavos	10,685
138	Grevena	10,452
139	Farsala	10,269
140	Diavata	10,105
141	Neo Psychiko	10,026
142	Polygyros	9,889
143	Agios Stefanos	9,781
144	Nea Chalkidona	9,711
145	Argostolion	9,709
146	Kiato	9,701
147	Anatoli	9,687
148	Limin Mesoyaias	9,575
149	Lykovrysi	9,539
150	Psychiko	9,418
151	Markopoulo	9,402
152	Igoumenitsa	9,385
153	Nea Artaki	9,378
154	Zefyri	9,343
155	Nea Moudhania	9,231
156	Spata	9,087
157	Chrysoupolis	8,774
158	Sitia	8,596
159	Lefkada	8,562
160	Didymoteicho	8,225
161	Nea Peramos	8,222
162	Koufalia	8,194
163	Sindos	8,117
164	Kalampaka	8,027
165	Epanomi	8,010
166	Gastouni	8,003
167	Almyros	7,844
168	Nea Michaniona	7,797
169	Giannouli	7,774
170	Keratea	7,382
171	Argos Orestiko	7,362
172	Chalastra	7,249
173	Filothei	7,191
174	Nea Kallikrateia	7,127
175	Trilofos	7,116
176	Agios Pavlos	7,110
177	Lagkadas	7,104
178	Nea Penteli	7,087
179	Drosia	7,075
180	Marathonas	7,059
181	Lavrio	6,967
182	Naxos	6,959
183	Elassona	6,949
184	Filiatra	6,859
185	Polykastro	6,850
186	Karpenisi	6,777
187	Aegina	6,756
188	Amfissa	6,743
189	Krya Vrysi	6,728
190	Messini	6,662
191	Souda	6,618
192	Litochoro	6,598
193	Neon Karlovasion	6,597
194	Vasilikon	6,460
195	Aridaia	6,450
196	Ayios Konstandinos	6,423
197	Anoixi	6,399
198	Asvestochori	6,293
199	Moires	6,268
200	Paralia	6,225
201	Gargalianoi	6,171
202	Anavyssos	6,091
203	Thrakomakedones	6,089
204	Faliraki	5,889
205	Ampelona	5,850
206	Leondarion	5,818
207	Orchomenos	5,808
208	Nea Anchialos	5,797
209	Zacharo	5,783
210	Ekali	5,778
211	Ovria	5,727
212	Psachna	5,717
213	Kato Achaia	5,641
214	Avlonas	5,633
215	Palamas	5,608
216	Dionysos	5,540
217	Siatista	5,501
218	Afantou	5,451
219	Agria	5,408
220	Xylokastro	5,389
221	Myrina	5,295
222	Feres	5,292
223	Archangelos	5,287
224	Plagiari	5,281
225	Vrontados	5,212
226	Mournies	5,207
227	Paros	5,178
228	Tympaki	5,174
229	Megalopoli	5,172
230	Skiathos	5,076
231	Aliveri	5,073
232	Sidirokastro	5,066
233	Karystos	4,980
234	Neoi Epivates	4,966
235	Kryoneri	4,929
236	Kyparissia	4,922
237	Dhrosia	4,909

Historical development

Greece’s population has always been characterized by great ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity, due to migrations, invasions and conquests. In ancient times, Greece was populated by various Greek-speaking peoples. During the history of the Byzantine Empire, Slavic people invaded the northeast, and Christian Albanians settled in the southeast. In the 16th century, many Sephardic Jews immigrated from Spain. During the Balkan wars of 1912–1913, Greece achieved enlargements in the north and northeast, where the population was very composed. In 1919, a large number of ethnic Bulgarians were exchanged with Greeks, following an agreement between the two countries. Following the Lausanne agreement with Turkey In 1923, around 400,000 Muslims from Greece were exchanged for between 1.1-1.5 million Orthodox Christians from Turkey. These exchanges, as well as strong state-inspired assimilation, have led to a homogenization of the population.

The Greek state recognizes only one minority, the Muslim minority in Thrace. Nevertheless, there are groups of people who identify themselves as Turks, Pomaks, Macedonians, Albanians, aromuner (Vlak) and rooms.

Population Density

The population density is on average 86 per square kilometer. Compared to the area cultivated, the population density is high. This is particularly true of the Ionian Islands and many of the islands in the Aegean Sea, while Ipiros and the mountain regions are by far the thinnest. The mountainous regions inland have been subject to depopulation for centuries. This has been reinforced by emigration and Athens’ strong growth. In 2011, the metropolitan area (Greater Athens) had 3.73 million residents. The largest cities (after Athens) are: Thessaloniki, Piraeus and Patra.

Language

The official language and mother tongue of the vast majority of the population is Greek. In 1976, the Greek vernacular form called dimotiki was declared official language. This has formed the starting point for standard Greek, the language used today and which is less purist than dimotiki. There are smaller groups that speak Albanian (Arvanitic), Turkish, Armenian and Romanesque.

Religion

More than 95 percent of the population confess to the Orthodox Church. The largest religious minority are Muslims (around 4 percent), especially in Thrace and the Dodecanese. Furthermore, there are Catholics, Protestants and Armenian Christians, as well as smaller groups. The Orthodox Church has been a state religion since 1864. The church is independent (autocephalous) and is led by the Archbishop of Athens. Crete and the Athos monastery are directly under the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, based in Istanbul. There are theological faculties at the universities of Athens and Thessaloniki.

Biggest cities

City	Residents (2011) *
Athens	664 046 **
Thessaloniki	354 290
Piraeus	163 688
Patra	163 360

* The next census is set to 2021. ** With suburbs, Athens has about 3.73 million residents.