Monday, February 15, 2010

The Greek Economy - A Glance

From the CIA FactB Book 2009:

- Greece violated the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criteria in 2007-08, before exceeding it again in 2009 by 12.7%. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average; debt and unemployment rose in 2009,
- GDP - real growth rate: -2.5% (2009 est.)
- nvestment (gross fixed): 15.6% of GDP (2009 est.)
- Budget: revenues: $108.7 billion expenditures: $145.2 billion (2009 est.)
- Public debt:108.1% of GDP (2009 est.) 97.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
- Exports: $18.64 billion (2009 est.) $29.14 billion (2008 est.)
- Imports: $61.47 billion (2009 est.) $93.91 billion (2008 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $NA (31 December 2009 est.) $3.473 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
- Debt - external: $552.8 billion (30 June 2009 est.) $504.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
- The public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP

You don't need a PhD in economics from MIT to conclude Greece is flat broke.
Wny is it broke? There can only be one answer: years of mismanagement by the "leaders" of the country voters kept electing to public office.

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