Greece Neighbouring Countries and Mediterranean Borders

Greece’s Bordering Countries

Albania

Greece and Albania cozy up to each other in the northwest, brushing shoulders along a border stretching about 81.8 miles. Since Albania waved its independence flag in 1912, these two neighbors have been sharing not just a boundary but a bustling avenue for commerce and cultural vibes (World Atlas). Want to dive deeper into the dance at the Greece-Albania border? We’ve got pages full of stories.

Bordering Country	Length of Border (miles)
Albania	81.8

Bulgaria

To the north of Greece is Bulgaria, stretching their handshake for a solid 293 miles. This is no straight line; think mountains mingling with plains. Political, religious, and cultural connections run deep here, with both sides often shaking hands over projects and good times. Check out more tales from the Greece-Bulgaria border.

Bordering Country	Length of Border (miles)
Bulgaria	293

North Macedonia

North Macedonia is another northern neighbor with a border that packs 145 miles of history with Greece. And yes, they’ve had their squabbles over names and things, notably sorted by the Prespes Agreement of 2018. Greece keeps a keen eye on North Macedonia to ensure things stay chill. Want all the juicy details? Our article on the Greece-North Macedonia border has you covered.

Bordering Country	Length of Border (miles)
North Macedonia	145

Turkey

Eastward lies Turkey, sharing a 119-mile-long playground with Greece. This boundary has seen its share of debates, especially concerning who-owns-what in the Aegean Sea (World Atlas). While both have sat at the peace table, figuring out whose turf extends where isn’t always easy. Curious? Check out more on the Greece-Turkey border.

Bordering Country	Length of Border (miles)
Turkey	119

For more on how Greece vibes with other countries, don’t miss our articles on Egypt’s neighboring borders, as well as Ecuador, and Eritrea.

Borders and Relations

Greece’s borders with its next-door neighbors play a big part in its spot on the global map. It’s nudged up against Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east.

Greece-Albania Border

The line that divides Greece from Albania stretches about 82 miles, a setup that’s been around since Albania became independent back in 1912. Over time, the relationship between these two has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, with history, politics, and ethnicity all throwing their hats in the ring. Even with the occasional bump in the road, they swap a good deal of goods and culture, especially near their meeting points.

Greece-Albania Border	Length (miles)
Border Length	82

Greece-Bulgaria Border

There’s a 293-mile-long stretch that Greece shares with Bulgaria. This border has been a bridge between them for political, religious, and cultural ties over the years. These two have found common ground as part of the European Union and NATO, becoming real friendly neighbors.

Greece-Bulgaria Border	Length (miles)
Border Length	293

Greece-North Macedonia Border

The border Greece shares with North Macedonia runs around 145 miles. They’ve had their fair share of back-and-forth over the “Macedonia” name, but the 2018 Prespa Agreement smoothed things over, adding “North” to Macedonia. Nowadays, they enjoy a healthy bit of trade between them.

Greece-North Macedonia Border	Length (miles)
Border Length	145

Greece-Turkey Border

Greece and Turkey’s shared line is about 119 miles long. This relationship’s been a bit like a soap opera, full of highs and lows, even starring in four major wars in the past. Tensions usually bubble up around issues like Aegean squabbles, maritime limits, and minority discussions.

Greece-Turkey Border	Length (miles)
Border Length	119

Putting Greece’s borders and relationships under the magnifying glass tells a lot about its role on the international stage. If you’re curious and want more info on how other countries neighbor up, take a peek at articles like those about the Dominican Republic’s neighbors, Ecuador’s neighboring countries, and Egypt’s neighbors.

Maritime Boundaries

Greece sits where Europe, Asia, and Africa kinda meet up and mingle, surrounded by a bunch of important seas that outline its maritime borders. We’re talking about the Ionian Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the darn big Mediterranean Sea.

Ionian Sea

Hanging out west of Greece, the Ionian Sea is a key part of Greece’s maritime territories and is big on shaping the place’s geography and economy. It’s home to some stunner islands like Corfu, Kefalonia, and Zakynthos — tourist hotspots, no doubt.

Key Characteristics	Details
Location	West of Greece
Notable Islands	Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos
Economic Activities	Tourism, Fishing, Shipping

Besides hauling in tourists, the Ionian’s a major player in shipping, connecting Greece with Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean gang.

Aegean Sea

Sprawling out east of mainland Greece, the Aegean Sea is sprinkled with Greek islands galore, like Crete, Rhodes, and the Cyclades. This sea? It’s drenched in historical and cultural significance for Greece.

Key Characteristics	Details
Location	East of Greece
Notable Islands	Crete, Rhodes, Cyclades
Economic Activities	Tourism, Fishing, Shipping

The Aegean also stars in Greece-Turkey relations talk — mainly around who owns which bits of water and air. Those Greek islands being so close to Turkey stirs up some age-old tiffs. Got you curious? Check out Greece-Turkey relations.

Mediterranean Sea

Floating southwards, the vast Mediterranean’s Greece’s southern buddy. It’s not just the “biggest sea in the hood,” but a historical heavyweight in trade, culture, and politics.

Key Characteristics	Details
Location	South of Greece
Area	970,000 square miles
Economic Activities	Trade, Tourism, Fishing

The Mediterranean’s got its fingers all over Greece’s geopolitical pies, tying it up with Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa partners, says the World Atlas.

Getting what makes Greece’s water borders tick reveals more than geography hints. It opens up Greece’s strategic chops and its dicey diplomatic dance with neighbors, like Turkey. Curious about Greece’s next-door dynamics? Dive deeper into our regional relations pieces and explore what’s shaking things up today.

Greece’s Regional Relations

Geopolitical Role

Greece kinda finds itself in an interesting spot on the global map, serving as a bridge among the world’s main players. Thanks to its prime location, it’s smack in the middle of some key circles. With ties in almost every direction — think the UK, France, Italy, and Cyprus, but also regional and international groups like the EU, NATO, and even Saudi Arabia and Serbia; Greece’s handshake stretches far and wide. It’s not just old friends either, as Greece’s buddy list spans to countries in Asia, Africa, and top-notch collaborations with other global councils and groups.

Relations with Various Countries

United States

The bond between Greece and the United States is solid, thanks in part to the robust Greek-American community that keeps the transatlantic lines buzzing. The U.S. holds the title of biggest overseas investor in Greece, dropping a cool $1.5 billion as of ’94. Uncle Sam’s also thrown over $11.1 billion Greece’s way in support since 1946. Add in over a million stateside folks tracing their roots back to Greece, and you’ve got a pretty tight diplomatic dance.

Middle East

Greece has an eye on the Middle East, not just because of geography, but due to historical and economic ties in the sand. The country’s leadership is all about shaking hands and building peace pathways in this region. Back in the late ’90s, Greece even rolled out the welcome mat for Israeli and Palestinian leaders, aiming to smooth out some bumps in the peace trail.

Prominent Foreign Policy Issues

Greece-Turkey Relations

Greece and Turkey have their fair share of squabbles, mainly over the Aegean Sea. From who gets which piece of the underwater pie to whose air is whose, these neighbors aren’t always on the best terms. Nearer to throwing hands at times during the late ’80s and ’90s, their disagreements often feel like a heavyweight showdown.

Want to dig deeper into these stormy waters? Swing by our section on Greece-Turkey Relations.

Issue	Description
Delimitation of Continental Shelf	Who owns what under the Aegean’s waves
Territorial Waters	Divvying up the sea itself
Airspace	Air squabbles over the Aegean skies

Check out how Greece’s tug-of-war with Turkey stacks up against border tales from other nations. Curious about how places like Israel and Estonia handle their own rocky neighborly ties? Israel’s neighboring countries or Estonia’s neighboring countries might hold some insights for you.

Historical Context

Greece and its neighbors ain’t just about olive oil, ancient ruins, and that mouth-watering feta cheese. Nope, this region’s story comes from a big ol’ melting pot of cultures, peoples, and moments in history that have all come together like a great big world salad… with olives, of course.

Slavs in Greece

Back in the day – we’re talking 10th to the 15th century – Slavs made quite the entrance in Greece. Imagine folks described as fierce warriors and, well, folks who weren’t afraid to do a bit of uninvited door-knocking here and there (Britannica). Some Slavs in southern parts got pretty comfy with Greek, whereas those in places like Macedonia and Thessaly decided to hold onto their mother tongues. It’s like a neighborhood where you know everyone, but each street’s got its vibe.

Albanian Influence

The Albanians showed up around the 14th century and decided Greece’s western coastline was the place to be. They worked under both Byzantine and Serbian bosses and sometimes flew solo as rulers themselves. Not just fighters, they worked the land too, doing their bit to mix up the culture pot in Thessaly, Boeotia, Attica, and the Peloponnese (Britannica). Their legacy? Still shaking things up today in those parts.

Aromani Presence

The Aromani, calling themselves Vlachs because why not have two names, strolled into central and southern Thessaly from the 11th century and became known for a lifestyle involving their never-ending sheep parade between Thessaly and mountain pastures. Speaking a mix of late Latin and Slavic, the Aromani were so on the move they were sometimes mistaken for Bulgarians, adding to the region’s ethnic mishmash.

Evolution of Greek Identity

Greek identity, kind of like a teenager discovering who they are, started finding its feet around the 12th century. Folks who thought of themselves as “Romioi” began switching to “Hellenes” as the years rolled toward the Greek War of Independence. This was tied to a new appreciation for their old Hellenic culture, partly spurred by the Byzantine Empire’s waning influence (Britannica). Think of it as the Greeks reconnecting with their roots, just with way more ancient drama.

If you’re thirsting for more about how borders and kinfolk have sculpted identities and politics across other lands, check out these reads:

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Contemporary Challenges

Greece finds itself juggling a few modern-day issues with its neighboring countries, mainly Turkey. The biggies here are territorial disputes and cross-border relationship hiccups.

Greece-Turkey Relations

Greece and Turkey? They’re kind of like frenemies with a long history of squabbling over land. A big bone of contention is sorting out who owns what in terms of space and rights in the Aegean Sea. Both sides kinda eye each other’s territory, be it over the sea lanes or the sky above.

Back in March 1996, Turkey thought it would be a good idea to open up a chat about everything to do with borders and security to see if they could smooth things over as grown-ups do. Even with the sit-downs, expect drama to bubble up now and then.

Aegean Disputes

Get this: both Greece and Turkey can’t quite agree on where theirs starts and the others stop in the Aegean Sea. It’s all about who can dig for riches on the ocean floor, right by their front yard. These disagreements have stirred up confrontations and court cases left and right.

Not helping matters, Turkey’s President Erdoğan whipped out a map in 2019 that colored nearly half of the Aegean Sea, plus a chunk reaching to Crete, in Turkey’s colors. That turned the heat way up (Wikipedia).

Headache Zone	Sticky Issues	Latest Drama
Aegean Sea	Who gets the shelf, sea, and sky rights?	Erdoğan’s 2019 map claims big bits of sea as Turkey’s
Continental Shelf	Rights to sea-bed resources	Epic legal face-offs ongoing

Greece’s Foreign Policy Stances

Greece is all about keeping the peace and keeping its borders where they are. Its go-to move is talking things out, especially when it comes to Turkey.

Buddies like the European Union and NATO are huge for Greece. They help out by having Greece’s back on global stages and helping with security matters, a lot like a friendly neighborhood watch. Big-time alliances are a cornerstone of how they roll with foreign policies.

US-Greece Relations

The U.S. and Greece? They get along just dandy, sharing interests like making sure things stay on an even keel in their neck of the woods. The U.S. plays a major role in supporting Greece’s stance, not just with Turkey but with pretty much any other bumps in the road.

They team up on a bunch, from defense drills to trading goods and sharing cultural values. Working with the U.S. shapes Greece’s game plan for handling current and future issues.

For a deeper look at other countries sharing borders with Greece like the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Egypt, mosey on over to articles like dominican republic neighboring countries, ecuador neighboring countries, and egypt neighboring countries.