The national animal of Greece is the dolphin, which is associated with the Greek god Delphinus. Greece's national bird is the mythical phoenix; its national flower is the violet; and the national tree is the olive tree.
Greece's coat of arms features a blue background that has a white cross emblazoned in the center, and two laurel branches surrounds the cross. Similarly, the Greek flag contains the colors blue and white that represent the sea surrounding Greece. This flag design became official in 1978. The national anthem contains 158 verses.
Another interesting fact about Greece is that the first Olympic Games were held in Olympia in 776 B.C. The country also produced some of the greatest mathematicians, such as Diocles and Pythagoras.
