Greece in Numbers | The hub for data about Greece

Greece in Numbers is a hub for publicly available data on Greece’s economy and society, aiming to facilitate access to statistics that can inform public debate, policy-making and research οn Greece.

The hub, which was launched on February 25, 2025 collects up-to-date data from official and other sources – such as the Hellenic Statistical Authority – ELSTAT, the Bank of Greece, ministries and other public institutions – and organizes the data into a structured, coherent format. The data is visually presented through graphs, each accompanied by clear and concise explanations to enhance accessibility and understanding. By doing so, Greece in Numbers enriches, amplifies, and extends the reach of official data. All data and graphs are freely available for individual and non-commercial use, with options for easy access and download. Over time, Greece in Numbers will expand its data coverage and functionalities.

Greece in Numbers is a project of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research – IOBE, developed in collaboration with the Hellenic Observatory of the London School of Economics and the Hellenic Studies Program of Yale University

The origin and creation of Greece in Numbers

The idea for Greece in Numbers originated during the public debates in the period of the Greek debt crisis. Often, these debates lacked a foundation of essential data. Professor Manolis Galenianos conceived the idea of creating a data hub that would collect, structure, and present data in a way that is easily accessible, and this vision was shared by a number of academics. The need for such a data hub is becoming more evident as, over time, new sources of data become available and new uses for data are emerging.

On February 25 IOBE organized a press conference for the launch of Greece In Numbers. The event began with a greeting from the chairman of the board of directors of IOBE, Yannis Retsos, who stated that primary goal of the portal is to address the historical lack of readily available and consolidated data concerning the Greek economy, “a perennial problem for Greek businesses but also for Greek and foreign investors who aspired or aspire to invest in Greece.”

Professor and General Director of IOBE Nikos Vettas made a brief presentation of the project, explaining that the data is organized thematically, featuring visualizations such as graphs, and including explanations of the metrics (explaining for example what is inflation=. Prof. Vettas noted the portal is not simply a data dump, but features underlying databases and a comprehensive information system, in order to promote transparency and informed public discourse and to assist academics and policymakers. As he emphasized, all data in the portal is free and publicly available; the portal’s added value lies in bringing different sources together in a uniform and accessible manner for specialists and the general public alike.

Manolis Galenianos, Professor at Royal Holloway and the project’s director, stated that Greece in Numbers currently includes over 650 individual graphs comprising 6,000 separate variables, from 20 different data sources. These data are continuously updated to reflect the most current information, and there are plans to incorporate more data sources in the future. The portal covers a wide array of categories, ranging from the labor market and justice system statistics to public order, tourism, public finances, and various other socio-economic data.

As prof. Galenianos noted, a key feature of the portal is its ability to consolidate data from multiple sources to provide a more complete picture of a particular aspect of the Greek economy. For example, in the case of labor market data, the portal combines data from ELSTAT’s Labor Force Survey with data from the Ministry of Labor’s Ergani system, the e-EFKA (Unified Social Security Fund), and the public sector payroll. This integration offers a more nuanced view of the labor market, explaining the differences between the sources and clarifying their specific focus.

Svetoslav Danchev, Head of Microeconomic Analysis & Policy Unit at IOBΕ, presented the portal from a user perspective; as he pointed out the portal is designed to be intuitive, with information organized into 12 main areas and a search function to quickly find specific data. The data is presented with long-term historical series to provide perspective, and users can focus on specific periods for detailed analysis. The ability to combine data from different sources allows for a comprehensive understanding of complex issues, like the impact of the energy crisis on consumer prices and household purchasing power.

In the round table discussion that followed, president of ELSTAT Athanasios Thanopoulos noted that ELSTAT is committed to transparency and is very invested in its collaboration with Greece in Numbers. He added the ELSTAT and provides detailed metadata to facilitate data interpretation and comparison, while it is also working to ensure that the data is traceable using blockchain technology.

The Governor of the Bank of Greece, Yannis Stournaras pointed out the Bank’s support of the initiatives, stressing the importance of reconciling data from different sources to enhance credibility and usability. He added that the Bank of Greece has offered its resources to assist ELSTAT in integrating data from various sources.

It was mentioned in the round table discussion that, despite the improvements in data quality and accessibility, there remains some public skepticism towards Greek statistics. To counter this, as mr Thanopoulos underlined, the focus now is on transparency, automation, and adherence to international standards.

Overall, he speakers emphasized that the platform compiles existing public data from various sources, into a user-friendly format. They highlighted the portal’s goal to promote transparency, inform public discourse, and support evidence-based policymaking.

Ultimately, the creators envision “Greece in Numbers” becoming a go-to resource for anyone seeking a clear understanding of the Greek economy and society.

All in all, the “Greece in Numbers” portal represents a significant step towards improving data accessibility and transparency in Greece. By centralizing and simplifying access to key economic and social indicators, the initiative has the potential to support more informed decision-making, public discourse, and research on the country’s development. Continued efforts to update data, expand coverage, and promote data literacy will be crucial for the long-term success of the project.

Greece in Numbers is governed by a Steering Committee composed by: Manolis Galenianos (who is leading the project as Director; Professor at Royal Holloway, University of London), Nikos Vettas (General Director of IOBE and Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business), Vassilis Monastiriotis (Director of the Hellenic Observatory and Professor, LSE), Costas Arkolakis (Director of the Hellenic Studies Program and Professor, Yale University), Christos Genakos (Professor, Cambridge University), and Dimitris Vayanos (Professor, LSE).

I.L.