Editing Greeks (section)

===Diaspora===
{{Main|Greek diaspora}}
[[File:50 largest Greek diaspora.png|thumb|upright=1.25|Greek diaspora (20th century)]]

The total number of Greeks living outside Greece and Cyprus today is a contentious issue. Where census figures are available, they show around three million Greeks outside Greece and Cyprus. Estimates provided by the [[SAE – World Council of Hellenes Abroad]] put the figure at around seven million worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|title=Speech by Vasilis Magdalinos|access-date=19 December 2008|publisher=SAE|date=29 December 2006|url=http://www.sae.gr/?id=12566&tag=%CE%95%CE%B9%CF%83%CE%AE%CE%B3%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B7%20%CE%92%CE%B1%CF%83%CE%AF%CE%BB%CE%B7%20%CE%9C%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%B4%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B7%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%8D|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721090732/http://www.sae.gr/?id=12566&tag=%CE%95%CE%B9%CF%83%CE%AE%CE%B3%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B7%20%CE%92%CE%B1%CF%83%CE%AF%CE%BB%CE%B7%20%CE%9C%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%B4%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B7%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%8D|archive-date=21 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to George Prevelakis of [[Sorbonne University]], the number is closer to just below five million.<ref name=Prevelakis/> Integration, intermarriage, and loss of the Greek language influence the self-identification of the Greek diaspora (''omogenia''). Important centres include [[Greek Americans|New York City]], [[Chicago]], [[Boston]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Greek Australian|Sydney]], [[Greek community of Melbourne|Melbourne]], [[Greeks in the United Kingdom|London]], [[Greek community of Toronto|Toronto]], [[Greek Canadian|Montreal]], [[Vancouver]], [[Greek New Zealander|Auckland]], and [[Greek Brazilian|Sao Paulo]].<ref name=Prevelakis/> In 2010, the Hellenic Parliament introduced a law that allowed members of the diaspora to vote in Greek elections;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/Articles/en-US/15072008_SB1306.htm|title=Meeting on the exercise of voting rights by foreigners of Greek origin|work=Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs|date=15 July 2008|access-date=19 December 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216034948/http://www.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/Articles/en-US/15072008_SB1306.htm|archive-date=16 February 2012}}</ref> this law was repealed in early 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Non-Greeks and diaspora lose out on voting rights|publisher=Ekathimerini.com|date=8 February 2014|access-date=13 January 2015|url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_08/02/2014_537214|archive-date=13 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113222826/http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_08/02/2014_537214|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Ancient====
{{See also|Colonies in antiquity}}
[[File:Griechischen und phönizischen Kolonien.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|right|Greek colonization in antiquity]]

In ancient times, the trading and colonizing activities of the Greek tribes and city states spread the Greek culture, religion and language around the Mediterranean and Black Sea basins, especially in [[Southern Italy]] (the so-called "[[Magna Graecia]]"), Spain, the [[History of Marseille|south of France]] and the [[Pontian Greeks|Black sea coasts]].<ref name=Apoikiai>{{harvnb|Boardman|1984|pp=199–289}}.</ref> Under Alexander the Great's empire and successor states, Greek and Hellenizing ruling classes were established in the [[Seleucid Kingdom|Middle East]], [[Indo-Greek Kingdom|India]] and in [[Ptolemaic dynasty|Egypt]].<ref name=Apoikiai/> The [[Hellenistic period]] is characterized by a new wave of Greek colonization that established Greek cities and kingdoms in [[Dayuan|Asia]] and [[Cyrene, Libya|Africa]].<ref>{{harvnb|Horden|Purcell|2000|pp=111, 128}}.</ref> Under the Roman Empire, easier movement of people spread Greeks across the Empire and in the eastern territories, Greek became the [[lingua franca]] rather than [[Latin]].<ref name=Haldon50/> The modern-day [[Griko people|Griko community]] of southern Italy, numbering about 60,000,<ref name="Grecia-Salentina"/><ref name=Bellinello/> may represent a living remnant of the ancient Greek populations of Italy.

====Modern====
[[File:Distribution Of Races 1918 National Geographic.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Distribution of ethnic groups in 1918, National Geographic]]
[[File:Constantine Cavafy with cane and hat in hand Photograph dated 1896 Alexandria Egypt.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Poet [[Constantine P. Cavafy]], a native of [[Alexandria]], [[Egypt]]]]

During and after the [[Greek War of Independence]], Greeks of the diaspora were important in establishing the fledgling state, raising funds and awareness abroad.<ref>{{harvnb|Calotychos|2003|p=16}}.</ref> Greek merchant families already had contacts in other countries and during the disturbances many set up home around the Mediterranean (notably Marseilles in [[Greeks in France|France]], Livorno in [[Greeks in Italy|Italy]], Alexandria in [[Greeks in Egypt|Egypt]]), [[Greeks in Russia|Russia]] ([[Odesa]] and [[Saint Petersburg]]), and [[British Greeks|Britain]] (London and Liverpool) from where they traded, typically in textiles and grain.<ref name=Diaspora>{{harvnb|McCabe|Harlaftis|2005|pp=147–149}}.</ref> Businesses frequently comprised the extended family, and with them they brought schools teaching Greek and the [[Greek Orthodox Church]].<ref name=Diaspora/>

As markets changed and they became more established, some families grew their operations to become [[Greek shipping|shippers]], financed through the local Greek community, notably with the aid of the [[Ralli Brothers|Ralli]] or [[Panayis Athanase Vagliano|Vagliano Brothers]].<ref name=Kardasis>{{harvnb|Kardasis|2001|pp=xvii–xxi}}.</ref> With economic success, the Diaspora expanded further across the [[Greeks in Syria|Levant]], North Africa, India and the USA.<ref name=Kardasis/><ref name=Clogg>{{harvnb|Clogg|2000|loc="The Greeks in America"}}</ref>

In the 20th century, many Greeks left their traditional homelands for economic reasons resulting in large migrations from Greece and Cyprus to the [[Greek American|United States]], [[Greeks in the United Kingdom|Great Britain]], [[Greek Australian|Australia]], [[Greek Canadian|Canada]], [[Greeks in Germany|Germany]], and [[Greeks in South Africa|South Africa]], especially after the [[Second World War]] (1939–1945), the [[Greek Civil War]] (1946–1949), and the [[Turkish Invasion of Cyprus]] in 1974.<ref>{{harvnb|Laliotou|2004|pp=85–92}}.</ref>

While official figures remain scarce, polls and anecdotal evidence point to renewed Greek emigration as a result of the [[Greek financial crisis]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Seiradaki|first=Emmanouela|title=As Crisis Deepens, Astoria Finds Its Greek Essence Again|work=Greek Reporter|publisher=GreekReporter.com|date=11 April 2012|access-date=21 May 2016|url=http://usa.greekreporter.com/2012/04/11/as-crisis-deepens-astoria-finds-its-greek-essence-again/|archive-date=25 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225103121/https://usa.greekreporter.com/2012/04/11/as-crisis-deepens-astoria-finds-its-greek-essence-again/|url-status=live}}</ref> According to data published by the [[Federal Statistical Office of Germany]] in 2011, 23,800 Greeks emigrated to Germany, a significant increase over the previous year. By comparison, about 9,000 Greeks emigrated to Germany in 2009 and 12,000 in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Papachristou|first1=Harry|last2=Elgood|first2=Giles|title=Greece Already Close to Breaking Point|agency=Reuters|work=The Fiscal Times|date=20 May 2012|access-date=22 May 2012|url=http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2012/05/20/Greece-Already-Close-to-Breaking-Point.aspx#page1|archive-date=30 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730210903/http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2012/05/20/Greece-Already-Close-to-Breaking-Point.aspx#page1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Hannon|first=Paul|title=OECD Says Euro-Zone Crisis Has Led to Some Emigration|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=27 June 2012|access-date=21 May 2016|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303649504577492411116780178|archive-date=24 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224231522/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303649504577492411116780178|url-status=live}}</ref>