More information about Greece is available on the Greece Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet.

U.S.-GREECE RELATIONS

The United States appointed its first Consul to Greece in 1837, following Greece’s independence from the Ottoman Empire, and established diplomatic relations with Greece in 1868.  After World War II, the United States contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild Greece’s buildings, agriculture, and industry as part of the Marshall Plan.  Today, an estimated three million American residents of the United States claim Greek descent.  This large, well-organized community cultivates close political and cultural ties with Greece.  The U.S. Embassy in Athens and the Consulate General in Thessaloniki host numerous U.S. agencies in support of a robust bilateral agenda.

The United States and Greece launched a Strategic Dialogue in December 2018 that focuses on the areas of regional cooperation, defense and security, trade and investment, energy, law enforcement and counterterrorism, and people-to-people ties.  As a leader in the region and longstanding North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Ally, Greece has been an important partner to the United States in promoting regional security, stability, and economic development, creating a pathway for EU enlargement for the western Balkans, and supporting the diversification of Europe’s energy supplies.  Greece’s geostrategic position and its participation in multilateral diplomatic initiatives, such as the “3+1” with the Republic of Cyprus and Israel plus the United States, also makes it an important partner in encouraging development and dialogue throughout the Eastern Mediterranean.

Greece occupies a strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean on NATO’s southern flank.  The enhanced U.S.-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, updated in January 2020, supports the operation by the United States of a naval support activity at the deep-water port and airfield at Souda Bay in Crete, as well as U.S. forces present at several other locations in Greece.  Greece contributed to NATO operations in Afghanistan and contributes to NATO operations in Kosovo as well as to counterterrorism and law enforcement efforts.

Greece celebrates its bicentennial in 2021, and U.S. Mission Greece launched a year-long campaign to commemorate it entitled “USA & Greece:  Celebrating 200 Years of Friendship.”  The campaign includes educational and cultural events across Greece that highlight our two countries’ historic relationship and the ties that bind us:  democracy, partnership, and shared values.

U.S. Assistance to Greece

U.S. assistance fosters strong bilateral military-to-military relations and contributes toward the interoperability of Greek forces within NATO.

Bilateral Economic Relations

Greece is a member of the European Union and the Eurozone.  Greece’s tech sector has experienced significant growth in recent years with major cloud infrastructure investments from Microsoft, Digital Realty, and Amazon Web Services.  Greece’s focus on energy transition and security and the country’s central location as a transportation hub for Europe offer additional opportunities in renewables, gas, refinery, logistics, and related sectors.  In recent years, Greece has attracted investment by U.S. multinational firms like Pfizer, Cisco, and Deloitte, especially in Thessaloniki, in northern Greece, which is becoming a tech hub for the Balkans.  U.S. companies are interested and involved in Greece’s privatization, government services digitalization, and energy transition efforts. The top U.S. exports to Greece are defense articles, although U.S. business activity is expected to continue growing in the high-tech, biomedical, tourism development, medical, construction, food processing, specialty agriculture and packaging, and franchising sectors.  There are no significant non-tariff barriers to U.S. exports.   Greece participates in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for certain business or tourism purposes for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

Greece’s Membership in International Organizations

Greece and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.  Greece is also a permanent observer to the Organization of American States.

Bilateral Representation

Principal embassy officials are listed in the Department’s Key Officers List.

Greece maintains an embassy  in the United States at 2217 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008; tel: (202) 939-1300.

More information about Greece is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:

CIA World Factbook Greece Page
U.S. Embassy
U.S. Security Cooperation with Greece
History of U.S. Relations With Greece
U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics
Export.gov International Offices Page
Travel Information

U.S. Department of State

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