Greece
Ελλάδα
Waiting for the first voice
تا مرد سخن نگفته باشد / عیب و هنرش نهفته باشد
Until a man has spoken, his faults and his gifts both stay hidden.
No advice from here yet. Know an elder from this country? Your recording could be the first: 2–3 minutes on a phone.
Did you know
Greece has about 6,000 islands and islets, but only 227 of them are inhabited. (source)
Elders in numbers
- of people are 65 or older
- 24.4%
- people aged 65 or older
- 2.5M
- will be 65 or older in 2050
- 34.6%
- is how long people live after 60, on average
- 24.4 years
- of people 65+ live alone
- 22.2%
- women 31%, men 11.1%
- of people 65+ live in collective quarters: care homes, hospitals, hostels and the like
- 0.9%
Sources: World Bank, 2025; World Bank projection for 2050; WHO, 2023; UN, 2011; UN, 2011 census
Languages
22 languages, 10 of them endangered
- Romano-GreekCritically endangered
- Italiot GreekSeverely endangered
- TsakonianSeverely endangered
- AromanianDefinitely endangered
- Balkan GagauzDefinitely endangered
- Cappadocian GreekDefinitely endangered
- Megleno-RomanianDefinitely endangered
- UrumDefinitely endangered
- ArvaniticVulnerable
- GagauzVulnerable
- Balkan Romani
- Bulgarian
Show all 22
- Carpathian Romani
- Greek Sign Language
- Judaeo-Spanish
- Macedonian
- Modern Greek
- Pontic Greek
- Serbisk
- Tosk
- Turkish
- Vlax Romani
Languages and their status: Glottolog v5.3, CC BY 4.0. Names: Wikidata.
UNESCO intangible heritage
- Messosporitissa Festivity (All-holy Mother of God of the Mid-Sowing Season Festivity), Feast of Our Lady at the Ancient Ruins2024
- Art of dry stone construction, knowledge and techniques2024
- Transhumance, the seasonal droving of livestock2023
- August 15th (Dekapentavgoustos) festivities in two Highland Communities of Northern Greece: Tranos Choros (Grand Dance) in Vlasti and Syrrako Festival2022
- Polyphonic Caravan, researching, safeguarding and promoting the Epirus polyphonic song2020
- Byzantine chant2019
- Rebetiko2017
- Momoeria, New Year's celebration in eight villages of Kozani area, West Macedonia, Greece2016
Show all 11
List and years: ich.unesco.org
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