GDP OF ARMENIA DECREASED BY 0,7 PERCENT
By Ara Martirosian
AZG DAILY
24-02-2009
At February 20 press conference, Head of the Armenian National
Statistical Service Stepan Mnatsakanian presented the indexes of
statistical works program of 2008 and the annual indexes of the
Armenian social-economic state in 2008.
Answering the question of "Azg" daily, Stepan Mnatsakanian also
presented the preliminary social-economic indexes of January of 2009.
According to the above-mentioned indexes, in January of this year,
first time during the recent years, a little economic fall is
recorded in Armenia – 0,7 percent. It means that gross domestic
product decreased by 0,7 percent – 99,3 percent of January of last
year exceeding AMD 132 billon.
A fall is recorded in industry, as some of the mining and chemical
industrial plants partially or fully stopped working. Decrease
in industry was 6,5 percent, without electricity – 2,4
percent. Electricity production decreased by 21,2 percent.
Agriculture increased by 0,4 percent, retail trade – 5,9 percent,
services – 1,4 percent.
According to Stepan Mnatsakanian, construction recorded the biggest
growth increasing by 13,4 percent compared with January of 2008.
The number of officially unemployed increased by 4,7 percent, medium
average wages – 14,4 percent to AMD 94 thousand; in the public sector –
AMD 76 thousand, in the private one- AMD 119 thousand.
External trade was USD 254,3 mln – 75,5 percent of the external trade
of January 2008. Export was USD 34,2 mln – 56,1 percent of January
of last year,. import – USD 220,1 mln or 79,8 percent of January of
last year.