•    Population: 10.4 million (2024)
•    GDP: $257 Billion (2024)
•    Per Capita: $24,716 (2024)
•    Unemployment Rate: 8.3% (2025)
 
Greece’s economic trajectory in the years following the financial crisis and the pandemic is nothing short of remarkable. Greece’s expected GDP growth in 2025 is 2.3 percent, outpacing many of its neighbors and following sustained growth over the past few years. This growth was driven by a series of reforms implemented by Greece to attract investment, cut red tape, boost innovation and entrepreneurship, and digitize government services. Following 13 years of financial crisis and recovery, all major credit ratings agencies have returned Greece to an investment-grade sovereign debt credit rating.  

Prime Minister Mitsotakis began a second term in June 2023, following his center-right New Democracy (ND) party’s victory in national parliamentary elections and formation of another single-party majority government. The administration is committed to comprehensive economic reforms, which involve the widespread digitization of financial transactions and public services and the privatization of state-owned assets, as well as increases in taxes. Since 2021, the Greek government has secured €35.9 billion in Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) funds—comprising €18.2 billion in grants and €17.7 billion in loans—to implement ambitious reforms in energy, labor, and digitalization through 2026.

Greece is quickly becoming a regional energy hub and guarantor of energy security and diversification in southeast Europe, with major investments in natural gas infrastructure, electricity grid interconnections and upgrades, and renewable energy. The Floating Storage Regassification Unit (FSRU) in Alexandroupoli provides Greece sufficient import capacity to replace nearly 20-25 percent of Russian gas still consumed in southeast and central Europe with U.S. LNG. With some investment and infrastructure upgrades, Greece could export this U.S. natural gas to Moldova, Ukraine, and Central Europe via the “Vertical Corridor” project, which would leverage reverse-flow capability through the existing Trans-Balkan pipeline system in cooperation with Bulgaria and Romania.  

Exponential increases in tourism following the pandemic have driven Greece’s economic growth, resulting in a primary budget surplus in 2024. The number of direct flights between the United States and Greece grew to 103 per week during the summer in 2025, operated by 5 airlines through 9 routes. American Airlines launched a direct Charlotte - Athens flight this year and several U.S. carriers have extended direct flights for longer periods to facilitate increased two-way tourism flows. Athens is connected to 9 destinations in the U.S. during peak travel season in the summer. There is only one direct flight from Athens to JFK that operates year-round by Delta.

Greece is an import-dependent economy with no significant non-tariff barriers to U.S. exports. In 2024, U.S. exports to Greece totaled $2.5 billion, while Greek exports to the United States totaled $2.2 billion according to Census USA Trade Online data. Major U.S. export industries to Greece include energy (oil & gas, LNG), defense articles, scientific instruments, aviation (aircraft, engines, parts), and telecommunications equipment. Greek exports to the United States include chemicals, construction and building materials, and agricultural products.

Since 2019, the Greek government has prioritized modernization initiatives and the internationalization of its public university system, which has created new partnership and investment opportunities for the United States as well as new opportunities for U.S. students. Greek students contribute over $100 million to the American economy annually. Greece remains a top ten study abroad destination for U.S. students and has attracted an increasingly large number of Americans pursuing overseas educational opportunities.

From 2013 to 2023, the United States was the 7th largest source of foreign direct investment in Greece. Investments by U.S. companies, including Applied Materials, AWS, Chubb, Deloitte, Digital Realty, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Pfizer, leverage local digital and technology services operations to grow their global businesses. Greece continues to seek additional U.S. investment, especially in the fields of energy, defense, tech innovation, healthcare, shipping, and tourism.

Greek consumers appreciate U.S. products and services which are known for innovation and quality. The keys to being successful in Greece include having a skilled local partner, the ability to source financing from outside the country (if needed), and commitment to the market via localization and physical presence. Stiff competition does exist from European and Asian suppliers, but there are areas where U.S. firms are competitive.