Debt crisis
2009 December - Greece's credit rating is downgraded by one of world's three leading rating agencies amid fears the government could default on its ballooning debt. PM Papandreou announces programme of tough public spending cuts.
2010 January- March - Government announces two more rounds of tough austerity measures, and faces mass protests and strikes.
2010 April/May - Fears of a possible default on Greece's debts prompt eurozone countries to approve a $145bn (110bn euros; £91bn) rescue package for the country, in return for a round of even more stringent austerity measures. Trade unions call a general strike.
2011 June - 24-hour general strike. Tens of thousands of protesters march on parliament to oppose government efforts to pass new austerity laws.
Crisis deepens
2011 July - European Union leaders agree a major bailout for Greece over its debt crisis by channelling 109bn euros through the European Financial Stability Facility.
All three main credit ratings agencies cut Greece's rating to a level associated with a substantial risk of default.
2011 October - Eurozone leaders agree a 50% debt write-off for Greece in return for further austerity measures. PM George Papandreou puts the deal in doubt by announcing a referendum on the rescue package.
2011 November - Faced with a storm of criticism over his referendum plan, Mr Papandreou withdraws it and then announces his resignation.
Lucas Papademos, a former head of the Bank of Greece, becomes interim prime minister of a New Democracy/Pasok coalition with the task of getting the country back on track in time for elections scheduled provisionally for the spring of 2012.
New bailout plan
2012 February - Against a background of violent protests on the streets of Athens, the Greek parliament approves a new package of tough austerity measures agreed with the EU as the price of a 130bn euro bailout.
2012 March - Greece reaches a "debt swap" deal with its private-sector lenders, enabling it to halve its massive debt load.
2012 May - Early parliamentary elections see support for coalition parties New Democracy and Pasok slump, with a increase in support for anti-austerity parties of the far left and right. The three top-ranking parties fail to form a working coalition and President Papoulias calls fresh elections for 17 June.
2012 June - Further parliamentary elections boost New Democracy, albeit leaving it without a majority. Leader Antonis Samaras assembles a coalition with third-placed Pasok and smaller groups to pursue the austerity programme.
Anti-austerity protests
2012 September - Trade unions stage 24-hour general strike against government austerity measures. Police fire tear gas to disperse anarchist rally outside parliament.
2012 October - Parliament passes a 13.5bn-euro austerity plan aimed at securing the next round of EU and IMF bailout loans; the package - the fourth in three years - includes tax rises and pension cuts.
2013 January - Unemployment rises to 26.8% - the highest rate in the EU.
2013 April - Youth unemployment climbs to almost 60%.
Public broadcaster closed
2013 June - Government suspends state broadcaster ERT in effort to save money.
2013 August - New state broadcaster EDT is launched.
2013 September - Government launches crackdown on far-right Golden Dawn party. Party leader Nikolaos Michaloliakos and five other Golden Dawn MPs are arrested on charges including assault, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organisation.
2013 December - Parliament passes 2014 budget, which is predicated on a return to growth after six years of recession. Prime Minister Samaras hails this as the first decisive step towards exiting the bailout.
2014 February - Greek unemployment reaches a record high of 28%.
2014 March - Parliament narrowly approves a big reform package that will open more retail sectors to competition, part of a deal between Greece and its international lenders.
2014 April - Eurozone finance ministers say they'll release more than 8bn euros of further bailout funds to Greece.
Greece raises nearly four billion dollars from world financial markets in its first sale of long-term government bonds for four years, in a move seen as an important step in the country's economic recovery.
Left in power
2014 May - Anti-austerity, radical leftist Syriza coalition wins European election with 26.6% of the vote.
2014 December - Parliament's failure to elect a new president sparks a political crisis and prompts early elections.
2015 January - Alexis Tsipras of Syriza becomes prime minister after winning parliamentary elections, and forms a coalition with the nationalist Independent Greeks party.
2015 February - The government negotiates a four-month extension to Greece's bailout in return for dropping key anti-austerity measures and undertaking a eurozone-approved reform programme.
2015 June - European Central Bank ends emergency funding. Greece closes banks, imposes capital controls and schedules referendum on European Union bailout terms for 5 July. Government reinstates former state broadcaster ERT as promised in Syriza manifesto.
Greece misses €1.6bn payment to International Monetary Fund.
2015 July - Greek voters overwhelmingly reject EU bailout terms in referendum.
Following tense talks with Greek government, eurozone leaders approve third bailout - on condition that Greece implements new austerity measures, and without agreeing any write-off of Greek debt. The terms agreed are tougher than those rejected in the 5 July referendum.
Greece goes further into arrears by missing second debt repayment to IMF, which leaves it owing €2bn to the Washington-based fund.