Armenian GDP Grows By 9% In January-March 2008 On Same Period Of Las

ARMENIAN GDP GROWS BY 9% IN JANUARY-MARCH 2008 ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
April 21, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-March 2008, Armenia’s GDP
grew by 9% as compared with the same months of 2007 and made 483 bln
102.9 mln drams (over 1 bln 578.3 mln USD). The GDP index-deflator
made 105.6%.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, industrial production
grew by 0.2% to 168 bln 858.5 mln drams in Armenia in January-March
2008 on the same period of 2007.

Gross agricultural output increased by 0.5% to 44 bln 799.8 mln drams,
construction – by 22.5% to 40 bln 772.8 mln drams, retail trade –
by 4.5% to 184 bln 341.6 mln drams, while services increased by 10.8%
to 123 bln 282.7 mln drams.

Foreig trade of Armenia grew by 23.6% as compared with January-March
of 2007 and amounted to 1 bln 82.9 mln USD, with exports growing by
1.6% to 234.7 mln USD, imports – by 31.5% to 848.2 mln USD.

Consumer prices rose by 7.9%, industrial production prices – by 4.3%
in January-March 2008 on the same period of 2007.

The number of officially registered unemployed declined by 12.7% in
the first quarter of 2008 on the same period of last year and made
74.7 thousand.

The average monthly nominal salary made 86.503 thousand drams (25.1%
growth), including the salary of employees of budgetary institutions –
60.618 thousand drams (17.6% growth) and the salary of employees of
nonbudgetary institutions – 109.268 thousand drams (27.4% growth). The
average exchange rate of a US dollar made 308.06 drams in January-March
2008 – against 342.08 drams in the year 2007.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS