Greece joined the European Union in 1981, and adopted the euro in 2001 in time to be among the first wave of EU countries to launch euro banknotes and coins on 1 January 2002.
Greece at a glance
Surface area: 131 960 km2
Population: 11 170 957 (Eurostat 2007, provisional figure)
Joined the European Union: 1 January 1981
Currency: Euro since 1 January 2001 (formerly Greek drachma, GRD)
Euro information
Status: Euro-area member since 1 January 2001
Fixed conversion rate: 1 = 340.750 GRD
Adoption of the euro: The euro banknotes and coins were introduced in Greece on 1 January 2002, after a transitional period of one year when the euro was the official currency but only existed as ‘book money’. The dual circulation period when both the Greek drachma and the euro had legal tender status ended on 28 February 2002.
Exchange of former national currency: The ???pe?a t?? ????d?? (National Central Bank of Greece) exchanged drachma coins until 1 March 2004 and will continue to exchange drachma banknotes until 1 March 2012.
Documents and publications
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Documents from the euro changeover are available on the Bank of Greece website (also in English)
Opinion polls and surveys
- Public opinion and the single currency (Eurobarometer website)
Websites
Euro websites
- The euro on the Bank of Greece website (also in English)
- Archived websites on the euro
Institutions
- ???pe?a t?? ????d?? (Bank of Greece, also in English)
- ?p????e?? ??????µ?a? ?a? ??????µ???? (Ministry of Economy and Finance, also in English)
Business
- Euro Info Centres in Greece (in English only)
- Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (also in English)
- Hellenic Centre for Investments (also in English and German)
Consumers
- K.E.?.?.?. (Consumers Protection Center, also in English)
