Launch of UPI Services in Greece and Overview of Greece Geography

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India's Union Minister of Commerce and Industry recently observed the live launch of **Unified Payments Interface (UPI)** services in Greece through a partnership between **Eurobank** and **NIPL**.

Greece is a sovereign multi-party parliamentary republic with a rich maritime history. It serves as a political and cultural link connecting Classical Greece, the **Byzantine Empire**, and nearly four centuries of **Ottoman rule**.

Greece sits at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa at the southern tip of the **Balkan Peninsula**. It is bordered by the **Aegean Sea** to the east, the **Mediterranean Sea** to the south, and the **Ionian Sea** to the west.
The national capital of Greece is **Athens**.
Greece shares land borders with four countries, which are **Albania**, **Republic of North Macedonia**, **Bulgaria**, and **Turkey**.

Greece lies in an active tectonic zone where tectonic plates collide, leading to regular earthquakes and geological changes.
The islands of **Santorini (Thíra)** and **Mílos** feature active volcanoes that show continuous tectonic activity.
The **Píndos Range** forms the main mountain chain across the mainland, characterized by deep gorges and rugged valleys.
Mount **Olympus** at **2,917 m** is the highest peak in Greece, while Mount **Parnassós** is another crucial geographical landmark.
The **Peloponnese Peninsula** is separated from the mainland by the **Corinth Canal**, giving it an island-like geography.
Fertile plains like **Thessaly** and **Drama** support most of the agricultural activities in the country.
Greece has over **2,000** islands that cover one-fifth of its land area, divided into the **Ionian**, **Aegean**, and **Cyclades** groups.
**Crete** is the largest Greek island, famous for its limestone mountains and Mount **Psiloritis**.

Greece is known as the birthplace of democracy, philosophy, the **Olympic Games**, and classical civilization.
The country owns one of the largest merchant shipping fleets in the world, making it a powerful global maritime power.