Athens

== Economy ==
[[File:OTE_Headquarters_(20-12-2021).png|thumb|[[OTE]] headquarters in [[Marousi]], the largest [[technology company]] in Greece]]
[[File:Μέγαρο_Γεωργίου_Στράτου_-_Εθνική_Τράπεζα_1249.jpg|thumb|[[National Bank of Greece]], the largest Greek bank by total assets<ref>{{Cite web |title=Economy and Banking Sector of Greece |url=https://thebanks.eu/countries/Greece/major_banks |website=The European Banks}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=List of Banks in Greece – Overview of Top 10 Greek Banks |url=https://www.advratings.com/europe/top-banks-in-greece |access-date=10 March 2023 |website=ADV Ratings }}</ref>]]
[[File:Ermou_Street_in_the_evening._In_the_distance_the_Byzantine_Church_of_Panagia_Kapnikarea.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Ermou Street (Athens)|Ermou street]], the main commercial street of Athens]]

Athens is the financial capital of Greece. According to data from 2014, Athens as a metropolitan economic area produced US$130&nbsp;billion as GDP in [[Purchasing power parity|PPP]], which consists of nearly half of the production for the whole country. Athens was ranked 102nd in that year's list of global economic metropolises, while GDP per capita for the same year was 32,000 [[United States dollar|US-dollars]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Parilla |first2=Alan |last2=Berube |first3=Jesus |last3=Leal Trujillo |first4=Tao |last4=Ran |first1=Joseph |date=22 January 2015 |title=Global Metro Monitor |url=https://www.brookings.edu/research/global-metro-monitor/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107040203/https://www.brookings.edu/research/global-metro-monitor/ |archive-date=7 January 2019 |access-date=23 February 2019 |website=Brookings}}</ref>

Athens is one of the major economic centres in south-eastern Europe and is considered a regional economic power. The port of Piraeus, where big investments by [[COSCO Shipping|COSCO]] have already been delivered during the recent decade, the completion of the new Cargo Centre in Thriasion,<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 October 2017 |title=CARGO CONTAINER CENTERS |url=http://www.gaiaose.com/en/cargo-container-centers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224121331/http://www.gaiaose.com/en/cargo-container-centers/ |archive-date=24 February 2019 |access-date=24 February 2019 |website=GAIA OSE}}</ref> the [[Line 4 (Athens Metro)|expansion of the Athens Metro]] and the [[Athens Tram]], as well as the [[Hellenikon Metropolitan Park|Hellenikon metropolitan park]] redevelopment in Elliniko and other urban projects, are the economic landmarks of the upcoming years.

Prominent Greek companies such as [[Hellas Sat]], [[Hellenic Aerospace Industry]], [[Mytilineos Holdings]], [[Titan Cement]], [[Hellenic Petroleum]], [[Papadopoulos (biscuits)|Papadopoulos E.J.]], [[Folli Follie]], [[Jumbo S.A.]], [[OPAP]], and [[Cosmote]] have their headquarters in the metropolitan area of Athens. Multinational companies such as [[Ericsson]], [[Sony]], [[Siemens]], [[Motorola]], [[Samsung]], [[Microsoft]], [[Teleperformance]], [[Novartis]], [[Mondelez]] and [[Coca-Cola]] also have their regional research and development headquarters in the city. The banking sector is represented by [[National Bank of Greece]], [[Alpha Bank]], [[Eurobank Ergasias|Eurobank]], and [[Piraeus Bank]], while the [[Bank of Greece]] is also situated in the City Centre. The [[Athens Exchange|Athens Stock Exchange]] was severely hit by the [[Greek government-debt crisis]] and the decision of the government to proceed into [[Capital controls in Greece|capital controls]] during summer 2015. As a whole the economy of Athens and Greece was strongly affected, while data showed a change from long recession to growth of 1.4% from 2017 onwards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Report for Selected Countries and Subjects |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2018/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=1980&ey=2023&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=174&s=NGDP_R,NGDP_RPCH,NGDPRPC,PCPIPCH,LUR,GGXWDG_NGDP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=26&pr.y=12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224173413/https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2018/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=1980&ey=2023&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=174&s=NGDP_R,NGDP_RPCH,NGDPRPC,PCPIPCH,LUR,GGXWDG_NGDP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=26&pr.y=12 |archive-date=24 February 2019 |access-date=24 February 2019 |website=International Monetary Fund }}</ref>

Tourism is also a leading contributor to the economy of the city, as one of Europe's top destinations for city-break tourism, and also the gateway for excursions to both the islands and other parts of the mainland. Greece attracted 26.5&nbsp;million visitors in 2015, 30.1&nbsp;million visitors in 2017, and over 33&nbsp;million in 2018, making Greece one of the [[World Tourism rankings#Europe|most visited countries]] in Europe and the world, and contributing 18% to the country's GDP. Athens welcomed more than 5&nbsp;million tourists in 2018, and 1.4&nbsp;million were "city-breakers"; this was an increase by over a million city-breakers since 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Εξαπλασιάστηκαν σε μία πενταετία οι τουρίστες στην πρωτεύουσα, Του Ηλία Μπέλλου {{!}} Kathimerini |url=http://www.kathimerini.gr/952595/article/oikonomia/ellhnikh-oikonomia/e3aplasiasthkan-se-mia-pentaetia-oi-toyristes-sthn-prwteyoysa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224173447/http://www.kathimerini.gr/952595/article/oikonomia/ellhnikh-oikonomia/e3aplasiasthkan-se-mia-pentaetia-oi-toyristes-sthn-prwteyoysa |archive-date=24 February 2019 |access-date=24 February 2019 |website=www.kathimerini.gr|date=8 March 2018 }}</ref>

=== Tourism ===
Athens has been a destination for travellers since antiquity. Over the past decade, the city's infrastructure and social amenities have improved, in part because of its successful bid to stage the [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Olympic Games]]. The Greek Government, aided by the EU, has funded major infrastructure projects such as the state-of-the-art [[Athens International Airport|Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=AIA: Finance |url=http://www.aia.gr/UserFiles/File/235956_Englishl.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205201638/http://www.aia.gr/UserFiles/File/235956_Englishl.pdf |archive-date=5 February 2009 |access-date=5 April 2007 |website=Athens International Airport, S.A. |publisher=AIA.gr}}</ref> the expansion of the [[Athens Metro]] system,<ref name="EUfund">{{Cite web |title=Olympic Games 2004: five major projects for Athens |url=http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/themes/olympe/pages/focus_en.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520043310/http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/themes/olympe/pages/focus_en.htm |archive-date=20 May 2007 |access-date=5 April 2007 |website=European Union Regional Policy |publisher=ec.europa.eu}}</ref> and the new [[Attiki Odos]] Motorway.<ref name=EUfund/>
{{Wide image|Athens4 tango7174.jpg|800px|Panorama from Mount Lycabettus, with a view of the [[Panathinaiko Stadium]], the [[Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens|Temple of Olympian Zeus]], the [[Hellenic Parliament]] and the [[Acropolis of Athens]]}}