Map showing the countries with the largest Greek population around the world.
The Greek diaspora or Hellenic diaspora, also known as Omogenia[1][2] (Caucasus (Caucasus Greeks). Members of the diaspora can be identified as those who themselves, or whose ancestors, migrated from the Greek homelands.[3]
Contents
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History 1
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Ancient times 1.1
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Middle Ages 1.1.1
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Fall of Byzantium and exodus to Italy 1.1.2
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Modern times 1.2
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Ottoman Empire 1.2.1
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19th century 1.2.2
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20th century 1.2.3
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Greek nationality 2
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Today 3
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Demographics 4
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Notable Greeks of the diaspora 5
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See also 6
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References 7
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External links 8
History
Ancient times
A map showing the Greek territories and colonies during the
Archaic (800 BC – 480 BC) period.
In ancient times, the trading and colonising activities of the Greek tribes from the Balkans and Asia Minor spread people of Greek culture, religion and language around the Mediterranean and Black Sea basins, establishing Greek city states in Sicily, southern Italy, northern Libya, eastern Spain, the south of France, and the Black Sea coasts. Greeks founded more than 400 colonies.[4] Alexander the Great's conquest of the Achaemenid Empire marked the beginning of the Hellenistic period, which was characterized by a new wave of Greek colonization in Asia and Africa, with Greek ruling classes established in Egypt, southwest Asia and northwest India.[5]
Many Greeks migrated to the new Hellenistic cities founded in Alexander's wake, as far away as what are now Uzbekistan, the northern Indian subcontinent (including modern-day Pakistan),[6] and Kuwait.[7] The Hellenistic cities of Seleucia, Antioch and Alexandria were among the largest cities in the world during Hellenistic and Roman times.[8] Under the Roman Empire, movement of people spread Greeks across the Empire and in the eastern territories Greek became the lingua franca rather than Latin. The Roman Empire became Christianized in the fourth century AD, and in the late Byzantine period, practice of the Greek Orthodox form of Christianity became a defining hallmark of Greek identity.[9]
Middle Ages
In the seventh century, Emperor Heraclius adopted Medieval Greek as the official language of the Byzantine Empire. Greeks continued to live around the Levant, Mediterranean and Black Sea maintaining a Greek identity amongst local populations as traders, officials and settlers. Soon after, the Arab-Islamic Caliphate conquered the Levant, Egypt, North Africa and Sicily from the Byzantine Greeks during the Byzantine–Arab Wars. The Greek populations generally remained in these areas of the Caliphate and helped translate ancient Greek works into Arabic, thus contributing to early Islamic philosophy and science in medieval Islam, which in turn contributed to Byzantine science. Members of the Greek diaspora living under Islamic rule occasionally converted to Islam, most notably Al-Khazini in the 12th century.
Fall of Byzantium and exodus to Italy
A street of
Cargèse (Karyes) in
Corsica, which was founded by
Maniots refugees, with the Greek church in the background.
After the Byzantine–Ottoman Wars, which resulted in the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the Ottoman Empire's conquest of Greek lands, many Greeks fled Constantinople and found refuge in Italy, bringing with them many ancient Greek writings that had been lost in the West. These helped contribute to the European Renaissance. Most of these Greeks settled in Venice, Florence and Rome.
Modern times
View of the Greek Orthodox church of
Vienna.
Ottoman Empire
Greeks were spread through many provinces of the Ottoman Empire and took a major role in its economic life, particularly through the Phanariots who emerged as a class of moneyed ethnically Greek merchants (they commonly claimed noble Byzantine descent) in the latter half of the 16th century and went on to exercise great influence in the administration in the Ottoman Empire's Balkan domains in the 18th century - some of them settling in the territory of the present-day Romania and considerably influencing its political and cultural life.
19th century
During and after the Greek War of Independence, Greeks of the diaspora were important in establishing the fledgling state, raising funds and awareness abroad. Greek merchant families already had contacts in other countries and during the disturbances many set up home around the Mediterranean (notably Marseilles in France, Livorno, Calabria and Bari in Italy and Alexandria in Egypt), Russia (Odessa and St Petersburg), and Britain (London and Liverpool) from where they traded, typically in textiles and grain. Businesses frequently comprised the whole extended family, and with them they brought schools teaching Greek and the Greek Orthodox Church.[10] As markets changed and they became more established, some families grew their operations to become shippers, financed through the local Greek community, notably with the aid of the Ralli or Vagliano Brothers. With economic success the diaspora expanded further across the Levant, North Africa, India and the USA.[11]
After the Treaty of Constantinople the political situation stabilised somewhat, and some of the displaced families moved back to the newly independent country to become key figures in cultural, educational and political life, especially in Athens. Finance and assistance from overseas were channelled through these family ties, and helped provide institutions such as the National Library, and sent relief after natural disasters.
20th century
In the 20th century, many Greeks left the traditional homelands for economic reasons resulting in large migrations from Armenia, Italy, Russia, Chile, Argentina, Mexico and South Africa, especially after World War II (1939–45), the Greek Civil War (1946–49) and the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in 1974.[3]
After World War I most Greeks living in the territory of modern Turkey were forced or coerced into leaving their homes as part of the population exchange programs between Turkey and Greece. Many came to modern Greece, but The Russian Empire (later USSR) was also a major destination.
After the Greek Civil War many communist Greeks and their families were forced to flee to neighboring Yugoslavia and the Soviet dominated states of Eastern Europe, especially the USSR and Czechoslovakia. Hungary even founded a whole new village, Beloiannisz for Greek refugees, while a large concentration of such Greeks were resettled in the former Sudeten German region of northern Czechoslovakia centred around Krnov (Jegendorff).
Another country to admit Greeks in large numbers was Sweden, where today over 15,000 Greek-Swedish descendants live (see Greeks in Sweden). While many immigrants returned later, these countries still have numerous first and second generation Greeks who maintain their traditions.[3]
The Arab nationalism of President Nasser of Egypt led to the expulsion of a large Greek population from that country in the 1950s. Until that point Alexandria had been an important centre of Greek culture since antiquity, with the business life of the city dominated by Greeks.
With the
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Traditional areas of
Greek settlement
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Map of countries with the largest Greek communities
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Western and
Central Europe
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Former Soviet Union
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Asia
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Sub-Saharan Africa
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Americas
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Oceania
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General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad
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Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs
External links
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^ Anagnostou, Yiorgos (2009). Contours of white ethnicity popular ethnography and the making of usable pasts in Greek America. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press. p. 174.
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^ Tziovas, Dimitris (2009). Greek diaspora and migration since 1700 society, politics and culture. Farnham, England: Ashgate Pub. p. 125.
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^ a b c d e Richard Clogg, The Greek diaspora in the twentieth century, 2000, Macmillan, ISBN 0-333-60047-9
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^ Jerry H. Bentley, Herbert F. Ziegler, "Traditions and Encounters, 2/e," Chapter 10: "Mediterranean Society: The Greek Phase" (McGraw-Hill, 2003)
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^ Hellenistic Civilization
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^ "Menander became the ruler of a kingdom extending along the coast of western India, including the whole of Saurashtra and the harbour Barukaccha. His territory also included Mathura, the Punjab, Gandhara and the Kabul Valley", Bussagli p101
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^ Failaka Island
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^ "Growth of the Greek Colonies in the First Millennium BC (application/pdf Object)". www.princeton.edu. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
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^ Peregrine Horden, Nicholas Purcell, The Corrupting Sea: A Study of Mediterranean History,2000, Blackwell Publishing, ISBN 0-631-21890-4
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^ Ina Baghdiantz McCabe, Gelina Harlaftis, Iōanna Pepelasē Minoglou, Diaspora Entrepreneurial Networks: Four Centuries of History, 2000, p.147, Macmillan, ISBN 0-333-60047-9
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^ Vassilis Kardasis, Diaspora Merchants in the Black Sea: The Greeks in Southern Russia, 1775-1861,2001, Lexington Books, ISBN 0-7391-0245-1
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^ "Citizenship". allthegreeks.com.
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^ "Loss of Citizenship". allthegreeks.com.
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^ "Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2012 Supplemental Table 2". U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
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^ "Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2011 Supplemental Table 2". U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
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^ "Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2010 Supplemental Table 2". U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
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^ "Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2009 Supplemental Table 2". U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
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^ Alexander Kitroeff & Stephanos Constantinides, 'The Greek-Americans and US Foreign Policy Since 1950' Etudes helléniques/ Hellenic Studies, vol.6,no.1, Printemps/Spring 1998
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^ "Greece (08/09)".
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^ http://www.cystat.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/All/732265957BAC953AC225798300406903?OpenDocument&sub=2&sel=1&e=
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^ Cole, Jeffrey (2011), Ethnic Groups of Europe: An Encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, p. 92, ISBN 1-59884-302-8
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^ https://www.dss.gov.au
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^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay Greeks around the Globe (they are quoting the statistics of the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad as on October 12, 2004)
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^ http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/taxonomy/index.html?nscl=International+Migration
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^ Duff, Oliver (3 April 2008). "Pandora: It's all Greek to Boris".
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^ a b c d e f "Population by sex, age group and citizenship".
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^ Germany: Greek population in Germany
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^ "Ethnic Origin (247), Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses (3) and Sex (3) for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census - 20% Sample Data". Statistics Canada. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
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^ Albanian census 2011
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^ "Albania," The World Factbook, CIA (24 August 2012). Ethnic groups: (…) Greek 3% (…) note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 15% (from a Greek organization).
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^ Greek Foreign Ministry
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^ http://www.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/en-US/Policy/Geographic+Regions/Sub-Saharan+Africa/Bilateral+Relation/South+Africa/
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^ Norwegian Institute of International Affairs: Centre for Russian Studies: 2002 census
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^ State Statistics Committee of Ukraine: 2001 census
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^ (Spanish) Embajada Griega en Chile.
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^ a b Γενικα Στοιχεια Διασπορασ
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Brazil: The Greek Community
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^ "Histórico de Hospedaria" (in Portuguese). Memorial do Inmigrante, government of (click on "Estatísticas Gerais: Imigrantes e Descendentes")
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: France: The Greek Community
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^ (Spanish) Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INDEC): Censo Nacional de Población, Hogares y Viviendas 2001: País de nacimiento. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
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^ ONI: Colectividad Griega (Spanish)
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Argentina: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Italy: The Greek Community
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^ Comunidad Helenica de Mexico: The Greek side of Mexico
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^ Eurominority: Greeks in Georgia
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^ "Попис становништва, домаћинстава и станова 2011. у Републици Србији Становништво према националној припадности" [Census of Population, Households and Dwellings for 2011. in the Republic of Serbia Population by ethnicity]. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
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^ Glas Javnosti: Nama su samo Srbi braća
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^ Japan External Trade Organization: Institute of Developing Economies: Ethnodemographic situation in Kazakhstan
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Sweden: The Greek Community
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^ Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года. Национальный состав населения Узбекской ССР [1989 all-Soviet census: Ethnic structure of Uzbek SSR] (in Русский). Demoscope Weekly. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
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^ Central Asia – Caucasus analyst: Greeks in Uzbekistan
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^ "Ständige und nichtständige Wohnbevölkerung nach detaillierter Staatsangehörigkeit" (in Deutsch). Swiss Federal Statistical Office. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Switzerland: The Greek Community
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^ ClubAfaceri: 2002 (Romanian) census
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Austria: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: New Zealand: The Greek Community
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^ According to the Netherlands Statistical Service, quoted by: Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Netherlands: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Egypt: The Greek Community
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^ Republic of Bulgaria: National Statistical Institute: 2001 census
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Bulgaria: The Greek Community
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^ Office of the Czech Republic Government: Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in 2001
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^ According to the Association of Greek Communities in the Czech Republic quoted by the Office of the Czech Republic Government: Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in 2001
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Moldova
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^ Hungarian Central Statistical Office: 2011 census
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^ History of Hungarian Greeks
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^ However according to the Human Rights Watch the Greek population in Turkey is estimated at 2,500 in 2006. "From “Denying Human Rights and Ethnic Identity” series of Human Rights Watch" Human Rights Watch, 2 July 2006.
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^ Statistics Norway: Norway: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Lebanon
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^ "BEF5: Folketal pr 1 januar efter køn, alder og fødeland". Danmark statistik. Danmark statistik. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
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^ Gouvernement du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg - Etat civil et population du Luxembourg [2]
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Venezuela: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Zimbabwe: The Greek Community
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^ National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia: 2011 census
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Zambia
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Kyrgyzstan: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Finland: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Ethiopia: The Greek Community
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^ Census 2002
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^ State Statistical Office of the Republic of Macedonia: Total population, households and dwellings according to the territorial organization of the Republic of Macedonia, 2004.
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Jordan: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Democratic Republic of Congo: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Spain: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Nigeria: The Greek Community
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^ Greek ethnic populations in all countries
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^ Ethnic people groups of the Gambia
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^ Los Griegos en Costa Rica
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Sudan: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Lithuania: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Malawi: The Greek Community
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^ http://www.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/en-US/Policy/Geographic+Regions/Europe/Relationships+with+EU+Member+States/Ireland/
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Peru: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Portugal: The Greek Community
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^ Estonian Statistical Office: Estonia: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Kuwait: The Greek Community
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^ Latvian Statistical Office: Latvia: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Latvia: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Japan: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Bolivia: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China: The Greek Community
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^ "BILATERAL RELATIONS GREECE-PHILIPPINES". www.mfa.gr. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Indonesia: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Iran: The Greek Community
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^ Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia: Census of population, households and housing 2002
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Croatia: The Greek Community
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^ Greece-Thailand relations
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Malta: The Greek Community
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^ Hellenic Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Slovakia
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^ Dominican Republic-Greece relations
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^ Greek-Vietnamese relations
References
See also
Notable people of the Greek diaspora (including also of Greek ancestry):
Notable Greeks of the diaspora
Demographics
To learn more about how factors such as intermarriage and assimilation influence self-identification among young Greeks in the diaspora, and help clarify the estimates of Greeks in the diaspora, the Next Generation Initiative is currently conducting an academically-supervised research study that began in the United States in 2008.
The total number of Greeks living outside Greece and Cyprus today is a contentious issue. Where Census figures are available it shows around 3 million Greeks outside Greece and Cyprus. Estimates provided by the Council of overseas Greeks {SAE} put the figure at around 7 million worldwide. The Greek diaspora is also very active as a lobby defending Greek interests, especially in the USA.[18] Integration, intermarriage and loss of the Greek language also influence the definition and self-definition of Greeks of the diaspora.
The SAE - World Council of Hellenes Abroad is a dependency of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has compiled several studies on the Greeks of the diaspora.
Important centers of the Greek diaspora today are the New York City metropolitan area,[14][15][16][17] Chicago, Boston, London, Melbourne, Sydney, Montreal and Toronto.[3]
Today
Greek citizenship is acquired by birth by all persons born in Greece, and all persons born to at least one parent who is a registered Greek citizen. People born out of wedlock to a father that is a Greek citizen and a mother that is a non-Greek automatically gain Greek citizenship if the father recognizes them as his child before they turn 18.[12][13]
Any person who is ethnically Greek born outside Greece may become a Greek citizen through naturalization, providing he/she can prove a parent or grandparent was born as a national of Greece. The Greek ancestor's birth certificate and marriage certificate are required, along with the applicant's birth certificate, and the birth certificates of all generations in between until the relation between the applicant and the person with Greek citizenship is proven.
Greek nationality
The term Pontic Greeks is used to refer to those who have come from the countries around the Black Sea.
[3]
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