ARMENIAN GDP GROWS 9.7% IN FOUR MONTHS OF 2006

Armenpress
May 22 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS: In the first four months of this year
Armenia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose 9.7 percent from a year
ago to almost 395 billion Drams. The GDP growth rate in April was 26.6
percent against March, Armenia’s National Statistical Committee said.

The committee said according to preliminary data, almost 188 billion
Drams worth industrial goods, not counting indirect taxes, were
manufactured in this period of time, 3 percent down from figures of
the first four months of 2005, but the industrial growth in April of
2006 was 12 percent higher against March.

Armenian power generating facilities produced in this period of time
2.144 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, down 11 percent from a
year ago.

The Statistical Committee also said population’s incomes in
January-April of this year amounted to 431.4 billion drams and their
expenditures rose to 443.2 billion drams, of which 356.1 billion were
spent on purchase of goods and payments for services.

Compared with figures from a year ago incomes and expenditures grew
respectively 17 and 20 percent.

By the end of April the army of officially registered unemployed man
and women made 91,000 people, 12 percent down from a year ago. The
committee also said the average wage was 58,000 drams, 21 percent
higher from a year ago. Wages in public sector made 41,000 drams
and 71,000 drams in private companies, the growth against 2005 was
respectively 23 and 20 percent.