According to Eurostat’s data on 2011 about 31% of Greeks face poverty and social exclusion. Since there has been two further years of recession, the rate is expected to have increased.
The European Union’s statistics authority takes into consideration low income, lacking basic means of sustenance and high unemployment. In total, the number of EU citizens who fulfilled one of these criteria increased by 4.5 million in 2010-2011, for a total of 119 million citizens. Bulgaria and Romania have the greatest poverty rates in the EU, 49.1% and 40.3% respectively
The Eurostat study indicates that of the top five areas in the EU with the greatest GDP drop during the 2000s are in Greece: Kastoria, Imathia, Korinthia and Viotia. Furthermore, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace have he greatest youth unemployment rate, which was 30.6% for 2008-2011.
