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Countries of the World (Very mixed A considerable)

very mixed. A considerable portion of the soil of ancient Greece, both within as well as without the frontiers of the new kingdom, is occupied by the Albanian race. With the exception of the 2 towns of Athens and Megara, it occupies the whole of Attica and Messenia, and is in possession of a great part of Bœotia and a small part of Laconia. The S. of Eubœa, the N. of Achaia, part of Elis, and the whole of Salamis, are also peopled by Albanians. In the Peloponnesus the Albanian element occupies the whole of Corinth and Argolis, the N. of Arcadia, the E. of Achaia, and stretching into Laconia down the slopes of Taygetus, towards the plain of Helos it crosses the Eurotas, and holds possession of a large district around Monemvasia. Its numerical strength in the kingdom, amounting to about 250,000 souls, is less notable than its social and industrial activity. The Albanian race furnishes to the Greek soil the greatest number of cultivators, and to the maritime population of Greece its most enterprising element.

AGRICULTURE. While 12 of the population of Greece are agriculturists, only 1-6th of the soil is cultivated, the rest, though to some extent good for agricultural purposes, lying waste. The whole surface of Greece has been estimated at 12,762,- 240 acres, and of this total but 2,478,633 acres are under cultivation. The land is chiefly in the hands of a few proprietors, but many of the peasants hold little patches of their own, which from generation to generation shrink in size, in consequence of the existing law of subdivision, which is the same as that of France. Agriculture on the whole, is in a very backward state. The climate is temperate and healthy, with the exception of along some portions of the coast. In the winter rain falls on the plains and snow on the mountains. In the mountains there is little vegetation beyond 5500 ft., but below this line the hillsides are clothed with luxuriant forests, principally of pine and oak; lower, the walnut and chestnut abound; and below, 1500 ft., a great variety of valuable timber is found, equalling that of any other part of the world. All the fruits of the latitude grow vigorously and produce abundantly, and if cultivated would afford a large and valuable surplus for export. The most important products are olives and currants, the latter being cultivated most extensively on the coast of Peloponnesus and on the islands of Corfu, Zante, and Kephalonia. Wine culture is an important industry. Among other products are cotton, figs, melons, oranges, citrons, and pomegranates. Not enough wheat is grown for home consumption, and supplies are drawn from Southern Russia. The principal resource of the Greeks has always been in maritime commerce. The country is favorably situated for this, and its principal ports are Athens (the Pireus), Patras, Hydra, Corfu, Nauplia, Syra, Kalamata, and Navarino. Almost all the trade of the kingdom is carried on by sea, and there is very little inland traffic owing to want of roads. The manufactures of the country are unimportant.

GOVERNMENT. - A constituent assembly, in 1863, elaborated the constitution of Greece, and it was adopted in 1864. The whole legislative power is vested in a single chamber of representatives, known as the Boulé, the members of which are elected by manhood suffrage, for the term of 4 years. The elections take place by ballot, and each candidate must be put in nomination by the requisition of at least 1-30th of the voters of each electoral district. Balloting is done with balls, which are dropped into a ballot-box, there being a box for each candidate, and every voter being at liberty to vote for or against each, so that he has as many votes as there are candidates in his district. The Boulé meets annually; one-half the members must be present, and no bill can pass without an absolute majority. The Assembly, however, has no power to alter the constitution; "fundamental principles" are inviolable, but it may review particular provisions after a lapse of 10 years. The number of members of the Boulé is dependent upon the population. The executive power is vested in the king and his responsible ministers, the heads of 8 departments. They are the presidency of the council, the ministries of the interior, finance, justice, education and ecclesiastical affairs, war, marine, and foreign affairs. Since the present sovereign ascended the throne, in 1863, ministerial changes have been very frequent, the average duration of ministers' tenure of office being less than a year. The constitution of Greece provides for a council of state which has power to review or amend any bills passed by the deputies, but the council in recent years has not been formed..

CHURCH AND EDUCATION.-A great majortiy of the inhabitants of this kingdom are adherents of the Greek Orthodox Church. At the taking of the last census, over 1,400,000 were found professing this religion; there were about 12,500 other Christians, mainly Roman Catholics, 2500 Jews, and less than 1000 Mohammedans. The Greek Orthodox Church is the religion of the State, having been so declared by the constitution of 1864, but there is complete toleration, and liberty of worship is guaranteed to all other sects. Nominally the clergy of the Greek Church owe allegiance to the Patriarch of Constantinople, who is elected by the votes of the bishops and optimates subject to the Sultan, and his jurisdiction extends over Thrace and other countries including Wallachia, and Moldavia, as well as the greater portion of Asia Minor. The jurisdiction of the patriarch exists in theory, and has frequently been challenged, and the real ecclesiastical authority, formerly exercised by him, was annulled by the resolution of a National Synod, held at Naupalia in 1833, which vested the government of the Orthodox Church, within the limits of the kingdom, in a permanent council called the Holy Synod, consisting of the Metropolitan of Athens and four archbishops and bishops, who must, while in office, reside at the seat of the executive. The Orthodox Church differs from the Church of Rome as to the honor given to the later general councils, the number of the sacraments, the use of both kinds by the laity in the Eucharist, the time of observing Easter, the doctrine of purgatory, making the sign of the cross, the celibacy of the clergy, and the use of the scriptures by the laity. While differing from the Church of Rome on all these points the Greek Church agrees with it in the doctrine of transubstantiation, in praying to the Virgin and saints, and in a modified form of priestly absolution. Public instruction has been much attended to of recent years, but the educational state of the people is nevertheless very low.