Comparing Two Nations
Last updated: Wednesday March 19th, 2025
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Welcome Fellow JetPunkers!
We Present To You:
- Greece vs. United States -
Before We Begin:
An Introduction To Our Idea!
This isn't going to be your ordinary blog. Instead, it is a joint blog shared between myself, LuckyCat, and great friend Gademotsili99! I'm glad we got to work together on this, as each perspective shared is from our own country, making this blog easier to write.
Hello guys, Gademotsili99 here! So, the blog will go like this: we are going to write and compare our thoughts on certain aspects of our respective countries, with many different categories to go through. The left side of the page will be the Greek perspective, and the right side will be the American perspective.
We hope you enjoy this little idea of ours, and if you do like it, comment what you think!
- Food -
Greece
United States
Greece's food is internationally well-known! We have the famous moussaka, being a mix of layers, with bechamel sauce on top of the ground meat, eggplant and potatos. Similarly, pastitsio also has bechamel on a block of spaghetti. I forgot to mention that we do eat a lot of spaghetti and pizza, due to being close to Italy. Greece also has a variety of great desserts, though some have controversial origins, being a subject of discussion between Greeks and Turks. Anyway, these desserts include yoghurt and baklava. Then there's also souvlaki, which is like a sandwich with meat and other ingredients you can choose, such as onion, fried potatos, tomatos and tzatziki, which is a sauce of yoghurt with garlic and cucumber sometimes, making a very chilly, but spicy sauce. Souvlaki pretty much is the Greek-made fast food. Additionally, just like the rest of the Western World, we too have adopted the fast food that is prospering in America, like McDonald's, KFC and others.
America is a well known country in general, but our food is also globally recognized. From a simple hamburger and hot dog, to hundreds of candy brands, to famous companies like McDonalds and KFC, America is known for it's quite unhealthy food selections. And yes, this is completely true. Every street you drive down will have some fast food restaurant calling your name. If you want a simple history lesson, fast food became popular after the World War II economy crash, when people needed quick and easy access to food. On top of this, the new highway system developed around the same time allowed people to drive for just a few minutes to pick up something to eat, rather than cooking themselves. This changed the way Americans would eat, and has continued until today. If I had to name a popular non-fast food American dish, Jambalaya comes to mind. Try making it yourself! It's a simple rice dish with a mixture of meats like sausage or shrimp topped with your favorite vegetables.
In comparison, both nations have well known food dishes. No surprises there. However, Greek food is considerably more healthy than American food. This is partially because of the aforementioned Mediterranean diet that Greece also possesses, which, if followed right, is known to help elongate peoples' lives. On the flip side, American food contains many unnecessary fats and carbs, which can lead to obesity and unhealthy activities. Of course, the United States has healthy food too mainly from Europe, but not as plentiful as it is in Greece.
- Healthcare -
Greece
United States
In Greece, like most of Europe, healthcare is generally free or at least not as expensive as the USA, but insurances do play a big role here too, in lowering the prices, especially in private hospitals. Apart from that, unfortunately, Greece doesn't have the best hospital infrastructure lacking some facilities, especially on many islands.
We all know that the United States' healthcare is not free, as it is in much of Europe. However, this does not mean better service. Our healthcare is pretty lackluster, especially compared to many other well developed countries across the world ("high income nations"). Our hospital infrastructure is solid at least. That being said, health insurance isn't cheap either, but can definitely help with prices.
In comparison, the healthcare of these nation is not vastly different. Yes, the people in Greece have access to free healthcare, something which an American can't fathom. Yet, the care that is actually provided is somewhat similar. The greater economy of the United States does aid in better infrastructure and decently better service, but this is mainly due to Americans having to pay large sums of money. Similarly, insurances are the best way to help minimize the cost of healthcare, while theoretically improving the quality.
- Tourism -
Greece
United States
Greece is a beautiful country, full of islands, sceneries and landmarks. For that reason, Greece attracts all types of different tourists from every country. Tourism is an essential part of Greece's economy, pretty much being its greatest industry. For reference, last year, Greece hit a record of almost 36 million tourists throughout the year (3x the actual population). While that is supposedly good for the economy, it also has great consequences for the local population, mainly the prices rising unreasonably and even making some islands, like Mykonos untouchable for us!
The United States has one of the highest tourism rates of any nation in the world. This is not only because we are a popular country, but also because we have many notable landmarks and amazing natural beauty. The United States is a huge country, and the geography will change vastly if you travel across the states. From towering mountains in Colorado, to swamps in Florida, there is so much to see here. Like Greece, tourism is an essential part of our economy, and many large cities grow substantially every year through tourist spending. The great amount of tourism does lead to crowded cities, such as New York City, but the experience is still worth a visit!
In comparison, both countries are popular tourist destinations, being full of both natural and historical sights. Tourism does seem to have negative consequences for both countries, though, creating crowded cities and higher prices, respectively. But of course, tourism has benefits, like bringing in money for the economy and distributing the local culture of the country all across the world.
- Economy -
Greece
United States
Statistically, Greece has a GDP of $243 billion, which amounts to $41,076 per capita, both very mid, landing at 54th and 52nd place respectively. As I already mentioned, Greece's economy is heavily relied on tourism, rather than any actual industries and exports. It also has a great debt problem dating back to the 80's, with the 2004 Olympics only making the situation worse and then later, the cherry in the pie, the 2008 economic crisis. Greece was severely hit, with the consequences still being seen in one way or another. Many companies were closed and even 1/4 of Greece's total working force ending up unemployed. The EU also made it difficult for Greece, due to the aforementioned debts, creating an Anti-EU feeling, with Greece defaulting on payment. Thankfully, the situation has got better over the last few years, but Greece is still occasionally seen as a poor country, especially compared to its wealthier western allies.
The United States tops the world GDP rankings with a little less than $30 Trillion. We easily have the biggest economy, mainly due to large periods of uninterrupted growth in history, support from other countries, and geographic advantages for trade. The United States makes up around 25% of the global economy just by itself. Major exports that contribute to our wealth include oil and other fuels, natural gas and other Petroleum gases, and aircraft and auto parts. These exports are essential in world trade, which makes the United States a vital player. As previously mentioned, tourism does benefit our economy, contributing roughly $2.5 Trillion in 2024. This is a substantial amount, but industries and exports are a larger factor in our economic growth.
In comparison, these countries are quite different on economic terms. They are both well off when looking at global standards, but the United States in #1, while Greece is #54 (#19 in Europe only). Tourism is a larger factor in the economy of Greece than it is for the United States, but still an important sector of income for both countries. International and civil conflicts dampened Greece's economic growth, while the United States was able to advance easier.
- Safety & Crime -
Greece
United States
As mentioned already, Greece was in a great economic crisis. Additionally, there have been tons of illegal immigrants from everywhere you can think of, coming from the Aegean. These two things sum the criminality of Greece perfectly. Millions of crimes happen and most big cities of Greece, and especially Athens, are filled with criminals with knives and guns ready to do anything. While we are at it, hooliganism is very usual in Greece, with rival organised armies of fans getting at it with everything they have. People have been murdered like that in the, not too distant, past. In contrast to the USA, the police of Greece are pretty inactive and usually aren't of much help. Also, they aren't allowed to shoot in most cases. Then again, positively, gun ownership in Greece is illegal and there thankfully aren't many mass murders or any school shootings, in that regard. In the whole history of Greece, I think only 1 or 2 have ever happened.
LuckyCat: 1 or 2 school shootings likely happen every month in the United States. Minor cases may not make news headlines, but major shootings occur roughly ever other month or so. Quite terrible, but is what will happen when you give people guns.
The United States ranks at a whopping #131 on the safety index. Out of the 196 countries recognized by JetPunk, the United States ranks only above 65 of them. We are one of the most developed nations on earth but can't keep control of crime. To be fair, our borders are completely open right now open to everyone from around the world, and anyone has the chance to enter the United States. We also have 350 million people to keep an eye on. Now, it must be said that we are neither actively at war with another country nor with ourselves. However, our country is full of people from around the world, coming from not so friendly places. We also have a major gun control problem that is hard to solve (probably because of our right as a citizen to bare arms), and many people decide to be violent for no reason at all, exploiting these privileges. Why you ask? Ask the guy who just shot your friend, not me. The number of school shootings in this country is horrific, and many major cities, like New York City (or even the damn capital city) are infested with criminals who should be in jail, but aren't. Apart from the crazy crime rates, we do have liberties, something that not too many countries have these days. Our first amendment gives us freedoms as a citizen, and directly after that is the amendment which lets us own a gun. The United States is a complicated mess right now, and will likely never calm down. I'm sure the Founding Fathers of our great nation had no vision of "united people" shooting each other. Oh well.
In comparison, both countries face illegal immigration problems, something which is hard to combat nowadays. Criminals are active, and while both countries try to stop illegal activities, not much has been done to try and counter the effects already taken. Greece is a much safer country when taking into account gun control, murders, etc. However, crimes are few and far between, and even with bad things happening every day, both countries are still good places to live.
- Landmarks -
Greece
United States
Greece is a country with rich history, dating back to circa 3000 BC. Of course, that is made apparent by its many landmarks, which have made cities, like Athens, popular tourist destinations. More specifically, the remnants of ancient landmarks include the Parthenon of Athens, the Sanctuary of Delphi, the Temple of Poseidon in South Attica, the Palace of Knossos in Crete, the Theater of Epidaurus, the Panathenaic stadium, the Temple of Apollo (Portara) in Naxos, the Ancient Agora in Plaka and plenty more. Ruins of ancient cities are also great landmarks, such as Mycenae or Olympia. In addition, Greece has numerous castles, fortresses and towers, built mainly during Venetian and Ottoman rule, such as the White Tower of Thessaloniki. Lastly, Greece is home to many nice sceneries, especially in islands, great example being the Caldera of Santorini
The United States is a large country which much space for landmarks. Over our 250 years of being a country, we have built (or been given) some notable landmarks. Some of the famous builds include the Statue of Liberty (gifted by France), Empire State Building, Gateway Arch, Golden Gate Bridge, Hollywood Sign (don't waste your time it's just words), and the Space Needle. Some landmarks around Washington D.C. include the White House, Capitol Building, Lincoln Memorial, National Mall, and the Washington Monument. We also have many natural wonders, like the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Niagara Falls, Mount Rushmore (kinda natural), or dozens of natural parks such as Redwood, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Mammoth Cave, Everglades, and so much more. Personally, I think Charleston, South Carolina (my home city) has some of the best historic sights you could possibly see in the United States.
In comparison, while both countries have great landmarks, most Greek sights are around 2 millennia or even older than those of the United States, that are mostly of the last 2 centuries. As for natural sceneries, they are pretty equal, with them having different climates and biomes that appeal to millions, respectively.
- Sports -
Greece
United States
Greece is the birthplace of the Olympics, which is the reason Athens has hosted the Olympics twice (in 1896 and 2004). However, in the modern era, having such a small population makes Greece unable to compete with bigger countries, such as the United States or China. Anyway, Greece is traditionally good in basketball, (having also defeated the USA in 2006) and I think waterpolo too, to some extent. Despite that, the passion of Greeks is football (⚽) and that's where our greatest pride took place. Euro 2004 Champions, against all odds! I didn't live to see it back then, and when I think about it, I feel unlucky...
The United States plays a wide range of sports. Our most popular, American Football, is of course only played in this country. It's entertaining for our populous, but costs way too much and pays way too much. Baseball is also very popular here, being considered "America's Pastime". However, American Football is recently taking over baseball as the most popular sport to watch here. Basketball is one of our favorite sports, originating in Massachusetts. It has spread influence across the world, and now many other countries participate as well. We also play soccer, and are decent at it. But without any true desire to be the best, we sit back and let the rest of the world play with each other. We take part in other less common sports like Ice Hockey, Tennis, and Golf, but these sports are not the most watched. My personal favorite sport is baseball, and I'm sure all my European Punkers love baseball too!
In comparison, both countries take pride in the sports they play. Greece's passion is soccer football, while the United States has their own football ('Murican) to enjoy. Other sports, like basketball, are widespread, and many countries get to play and participate too. The Olympics brings the world together for entertainment in athletics, and a strong passion for your country emerges when they stand victorious on the podium.
- Conclusion -
Gademotsili99
LuckyCat
I think this is it for the blog! It was a wonderful idea that worked out well, despite the differences, both in timezones and also in cultural tolerance, handling it well without even coming close to culture war or making this look like a conflict. It was essentially a friendly comparison and I can tell you, we both liked writing our parts! After all, I learnt a lot about the States and their peoples' mindset, or at least Lucky's, and I am sure Lucky did too! So, a huge thank you to Lucky and another one for everyone that read all the way!
Εις το επανιδείν!
I think making a shared blog worked out well! Some things were difficult, like communicating between time zones, but overall things went smoothly besides that one time Gadem lost all his work for the Landmarks category and I had a fantastic time not only writing my part, but also reading what Gadem had to say for his own country! Thanks Gadem for your help, and it should be said that even though the blog is released under my name, we both contributed equally and it is published from both of us. It was Gadem's idea to write a blog together, but I was the one who collabed :)
We hope you've enjoyed discovering more about these two countries!
Wanna do Poland vs US of A loI?
I think you could do Poland and idk Germany with someone else?
Great blog from both of you! Very cool idea and nicely executed.
Also, to ruin your life, around 10 children die due to gun violence in the USA every day, or one every 2.5 hours.
School shootings...there are too many. Someone actually threatened to shoot my own school, everyone was going crazy and we were all saying our goodbyes like we were going to die. Everyone was getting picked up to leave as well, people even bringing tennis rackets and golf clubs in case we needed to fight back...it was insane.
Well done, and why not do a sequel where you each describe your thoughts on the other rather than your own country?
Also thanks for the compliments! Really happy to know such a great blogger in geography liked the Collab!
A huge well done to both of you!
u know anyone who can do Azerbaijan?
You can do Armenia/Azerbaijan if you want, and if azerifactory wants.