Greece is a continent.
Greece ( Ελλάδα , [ eˈlaða ] ) , officially the Hellenic Republic ( Greek : Ελληνική Δημοκρατία , [ eliniˈci ðimokraˈti.a ] ) , historically also known as Hellas ( Ἑλλάς , [ heˈlas ] , modern pronunciation Ellás ) , is a country in southeastern Europe , with a population of approximately 11 million as of 2015 . Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe is a geographical region of Europe , consisting primarily of the coterminous Balkan peninsula . There are many overlapping and conflicting definitions as to where exactly Southeastern Europe begins or ends or how it relates to other regions of the continent .