The country is bordered to the northwest by Albania, to the north by Macedonia and Bulgaria and to the east by Turkey.

Clearly visible is the southern Greek island of Crete to the lower right, and a constellation of islands throughout the Aegean Sea.

Sailors have been able to take refuge from storms in many of the islands in the Aegean, which have safe harbours and bays.

Many of the islands are volcanic, with mines that have produced marble and iron for centuries. The larger islands have some fertile valleys and plains.

The Aegean Sea has about 1,415 islands and islets, of which 1,395 belong to Greece.

The Peloponnesus peninsula, connected to the mainland by the Isthmus of Corinth, can be seen to the west and southwest of Athens.

Smoke from wildfires burning in western Greece appears to be blowing westward over the Ionian Sea.

Full story and image: NASA