Greece: History

1830 Greece gains independence from the Ottoman Empire after the 8-year Greek War of Independence.

1941

Germany invades and conquers Greece. The resulting occupation resulted in rapid inflation, along with a severe famine during which over 100,000 Greeks died.

1944 Greek and British forces unite to force the Nazis out of Greece.

1946 Civil war breaks out between the Greek Provisional Democratic Government and the Greek Communist Party over the power vacuum left at the end of the German-Italian occupation. The American and British-backed government forces defeat the communists in 1949. The civil war resulted in over 100,000 killed and significant economic disruption.

1952 Greece joins NATO.

1981

Greece joins the European Union.

2002

The Euro replaces the Drachma as the national currency.

2004

Summer Olympic Games was hosted in Athens.

 

2010 Eurozone members approve a 110 billion euro rescue package, amid fears of Greece potentially defaulting on its debt.

2011

All three main credit rating agencies cut Greece's debt rating to junk status. Eurozone members approve an additional 109 billion euro bailout package and later agree to a 50% debt write-off for Greece in return for further austerity measures.

2012

Greece reaches an agreement with the European Union for an additional 130 billion euro bailout in return for tough austerity measures. In addition, a debt swap deal is made with private-sector lenders, effectively halving Greece's massive debt load.

February 2014 Greek unemployment reaches a record high of 28%.

April 2014 Greece raises nearly 3 billion euros from world financial markets, in its first sale of long-term government bonds in four years. This is seen as an important step towards the country's economic recovery.

2015

Greece's location on the Mediterranean Sea and its border with Turkey has made it a destination for refugees and asylum seekers. The increase in migrants from Northern Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East has caused a crisis in Greece and throughout Europe. 

2018

Macedonia, Greece signs an agreement resolving a 27-year dispute over the official name of Macedonia.