ABSTRACT
Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the nineteenth and the rst half of the twentieth century, the liberation of almost all Greek territories was gradually completed. Greece was involved in both World Wars; during World War II it was occupied by Germany, Italy, and Bulgaria, resulting in the total destruction of its infrastructure. In 1981 Greece joined the European Union and in 2001 it became the twelƒh member of the European Economic and Monetary Union.
