Attica
Ranks 1st in doing in business in Greece
Attica accounts for almost half of Greece’s national economy
Located in central Greece, Attica is the country’s commercial and cultural hub, the seat of government, and home to almost 40% of the population and 50% of economic activity.
Attica has the most diversified economy in Greece and is a major destination for foreign investment. The drivers of the region’s economy include tourism, manufacturing, mining, real estate, maritime services, logistics, financial services, hi-tech and life sciences, agribusiness, along with wholesale and retail trade.
The Port of Piraeus, located just a few miles south of the city centre, is Greece’s largest port, the second busiest container terminal in the Mediterranean, and one of the top 10 container ports in Europe. Investments in road and rail, port facilities, logistics, and warehousing are positioning the region as a major transhipment centre for Southeast Europe.
The region’s rich cultural heritage, which includes UNESCO world heritage sites like the Acropolis, is a major tourism draw, while there has been increasing investment – both by international companies and individual investors – in real estate and tourism assets.
Recent landmark privatisations have included the redevelopment of the old Athens airport in Hellinikon, the privatisation of the Astir Vouliagmeni resort complex south of the city, and the privatisation of the Alimos Marina – the largest marina in southeastern Europe.
Key Facts
Attica
Home to almost 40% of the Greek population and half of economic activity
Piraeus Port is the second largest and fastest growing container terminal in the Mediterranean
A key tourism market draws more than 5.5 million visitors a year
Tourism
Regional Opportunities
Tourism
Infrastructure and Logistics
Real Estate
The number of international visitors to Attica has more than doubled in the last few years to 5.5 million.
Athens is the country’s tourist capital, thanks to its rich cultural heritage, mild climate, and status as Greece’s transport hub. According to the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), the capital attracted more than 5.5 million tourists in 2018, up from 2.6 million in 2012 and accounting for 16% of tourist arrivals and 15% of tourism receipts. More than a dozen hotel investments by major travel and hospitality operators like Marriot, The Four Seasons, Hyatt, and Wyndham, have opened their doors or are under development.
Learn more about Tourism in Greece
Attica
In Numbers
Following Greece’s financial crisis, Attica has seen incomes and asset prices recover and unemployment decline.
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€87,378 million
GDP in 2018, in current prices
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€23,300
Per capita GDP in 2018, in current prices
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47.3%
Contribution to national GDP (2018
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47.7%
Percentage of active regional population with tertiary education and/or employed in science and technology (2018)
Attica Demographics
About three quarters of Attica’s population is in the working-age group of 20-59 years.
Attica, the most populated region in Greece, encompassing the capital city Athens, is home to 35% of the country’s total population. The region has a total population of 3.7 million permanent residents. Athens is Greece’s largest city and one of the oldest in the world, with a recorded history that goes back 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a centre for philosophy, art, and learning and is considered the cradle of Western civilisation and democracy. Today, Athens is a cosmopolitan metropolis that is the financial, political, cultural, and economic centre for the country.
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3,742,235
Population (2019)
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34.89%
Share of Greek population (2019)
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39.3%
Tertiary Educational Attainment of population aged between 25-64 (2018)
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989.8/km2
Population Density (2018)
Sources: Eurostat, Hellenic Statistical Authority, European Commission, Regional Governments, SETE, Enterprise Greece, and HWEA
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