9781422278000

EUROPEAN COUNTRIES TODAY: GREECE

The geographical position of Greece in the ancient world was probably a crucial factor in the development of its richly varied mythology , which absorbed elements from a number of different cultures. Because Greece lies towards the eastern end of the Mediterranean, it is a stepping stone between west and east, between Europe and western Asia; groups of islands in the Aegean form a bridge between Greece and Asia Minor, and the landmass itself stretches southwards into the Mediterranean basin toward Egypt and Libya. Four-fifths of Greece is mountainous, or semi-mountainous, but from the mountains the sea is usually visible. From early times, the rugged nature of the terrain encouraged its inhabitants to travel more easily by sailing round the

ABOVE: The island of Symi, which forms part of the Dodecanese island group, is in the southern Aegean Sea.

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