Most of us know that Greece is the original cradle of European civilization. It is here that the conditional border between Europe and Asia is outlined, as well as the beginning of such important concepts as culture, democracy and European values.
In this country, everywhere it smells of rich history, and under each stone you can find a beautiful legend that dates back to ancient times. It is this (as well as an amazing climate, delicious food, many holy places, etc.) that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world here every year.
Although, of course, the country's popularity is due not only to its historical heritage, but also to picturesque beaches, fascinating mountain routes and luxury hotels.
We present to you a list of 10 interesting facts about Greece for children, students of grade 3: Ancient Hellas, its history and traditions.
10. The Greeks call the country "Hellas"
Greek republic - the correct name of the country, which we used to call simply “Greece”. In addition, this state has its own German name, inherited from the Romans: Magna graecia (originally it was the name that the Romans gave to the Greek colony of Graia). The term Greece and the Greeks comes from this name. The Greeks themselves call themselves the Greeks, and their country Hellas.
9. Considered the cradle of Western civilization
Athens is considered not only one of the most beautiful and ancient cities of Europe, but also the cradle of the very concept of "democracy." It was here that equality was born, and the political struggle became rival in nature. The most important discoveries in the field of mathematics, physics, astronomy, literature and philosophy were made precisely by the Greek sages and philosophers.
8. Unofficial national drink - coffee
In Greece, everyone drinks coffee, so it is sold everywhere. By the way, the Greeks invented frappuccino. If a foreign tourist asks at the coffee shop: “What is frapuccino? ”then they are sure to get angry. There is also Greek coffee that does not look like Turkish or Arabic.
In fact, in Greece it is also a social drink. The Greeks come together to “drink coffee”, and coffee is synonymous with having a good time together, that's why they drink it slowly and walk with it around the city.
7. Respectfully to elders
In Greece, you will not see a single nursing home. The very idea of creating such an institution for the Greeks may seem blasphemous. Elderly family members live in a place with their children or grandchildren, often forming a large noisy family, deeply honoring the family hierarchy and traditions.
Respect for the elders is inculcated here from birth, so here you will not see a rude or indifferent attitude towards older people. So when you come to visit a Greek family, the guest needs to show respect to the oldest members. Thus, he deserves the location of all household members.
Interesting fact: the life expectancy of the population of Greece is 26th in the world. Here, this indicator is 82 years for women and 77 for men.
6. Greece includes more than 2,000 islands and a large number of mountains
Greece is one of the richest islands in Europe - more than 3,000 islands belong to Hellas. The islands of Kos, Santorini, Crete and Rhodes are perhaps the most popular Greek islands.
Greece is known for its many beautiful islands, but more than two thirds of the country are mountains! Olympus (according to local mythology - the habitat of the gods) - the highest mountain in Greece.
5. Sirtaki
Who does not know the famous Sirtaki melody from the film by Alexis Sobrash. Most people thought it was the most traditional Greek dance. However, this is not quite true. Sirtaki was specifically designed for the film and is designed for the main actor Anthony Quinn (supposedly to facilitate his performance).
Nevertheless, Sirtak dance has rather traditional Greek roots - it goes back to the Sirtos dance, which dance on all Greek islands and partly also on mainland Greece. Sirtaki is also a linguistic miniature form of Sirtos.
In addition to Sirtaki, in Greece officially there are more than 4,000 different dances, with each region developing its own dance culture that reflects regional traditions.
4. 15 - 20% of the country's GDP comes from tourism
Greece is considered to be one of the most visited tourist countries in the world.. Every year, 16.5 million people from all over the world come to visit this beautiful country with a wonderful climate, welcoming local people and a rich history. Despite this indicator, tourism revenues in Greece account for just over 16% of the state’s total GDP.
Interesting fact: Greece has the largest number of airports compared to other countries in the world.
3. Healthy Greek Food
High-quality olive oil, a wide selection of fruits and vegetables, fresh fish and amazing seafood. So fine and healthy local cuisine.
Scientists claim that people living in the Mediterranean region live longer than others and have better health. For example, there is a much lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes compared with residents of other European countries.
In addition, here even for vegans there is a good selection of products called nistisimo. The question of vegan products in the supermarket or about food in the restaurant is largely nullified, since the declared nistisimo products are almost all vegan.
During the 40-day Lent, Orthodox Greeks consume only those products that do not contain any products of animal origin, i.e. milk, butter, cheese, meat and olive oil (at this time only seafood is allowed).
2. Greek is one of the oldest
Greek is very rich and has very ancient roots.. Many of the words we all know that seem original Russian to us are actually of Greek origin. Although many of us do not even suspect this.
In this country, the native language (as in all countries with their own language and alphabet) is a matter of national pride. However, despite this, here almost everyone speaks English, this applies to people of both the older generation and youth. According to statistics, 51% of the Greek population speaks English. First of all, this is due to the influence that England had on the politics of modern Greece, and today in this country the tradition of the universal study of the English language is strongly supported.
1. Orthodoxy is the leading religion of the country
A birthday in Greece is not a great occasion for a party - instead, a birthday is celebrated. Why? About 97% of Greeks belong to the Greek Orthodox Church.
Most of the names here are given in honor of some Christian saint, whose days of death are marked by the Greeks as days of remembrance. At the same time, everyone who bears the name of the saint celebrates this day.
In the east of the Halkidiki peninsula is Mount Athos, an independent monastic republic under Greek sovereignty.
By the way, 20 of the monasteries in the monastic republic of Athos were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Thousands of Orthodox pilgrims from all over the world come here every year. However, there is one caveat only men have access to this small republic, women, unfortunately, are forced to stay outside.