Greece is a country in southeastern Europe where one of the world's most influential ancient civilizations developed. For over a thousand years, ancient Greece was a collection of independent city-states like Athens, Sparta, and Corinth, each with its own government and culture.

The ancient Greeks gave us ideas and inventions we still use today. They developed democracy in Athens, where citizens voted on laws and policies. Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle asked fundamental questions about truth, justice, and how to live a good life. Greek mathematicians like Euclid and Pythagoras developed principles of geometry you'll learn in school. Greek playwrights created theater as we know it, writing comedies and tragedies that are still performed today.

Ancient Greeks also created magnificent architecture, like the Parthenon in Athens, and produced epic poems like Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece as a competition between athletes from different city-states.

Modern Greece is a democracy of about 10 million people. Its capital is Athens, named after the ancient city. Greece is known for its thousands of islands, beautiful coastlines, and delicious food like olives, feta cheese, and baklava. The Greek language has its own alphabet, which you might recognize from math symbols like π (pi).