The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) at market prices accumulated in the year 2006 increased by 2.9% in relation to 2005.  This rate resulted from the hike of 2.7% of the value added at basic prices and of the increase of 4.4% in the taxes on products.  The hike in value added was a consequence of the performance of the three sectors which form it: agriculture (3.2%), industry (3.0%) and services (2.4%).
As a consequence of these results, the GDP per capita (1)  had a real growth of 1.4% in the last year.
The rate of the GDP of the fourth quarter in relation to the third quarter of 2006, with seasonal adjustment, reached 1.1%, and, in relation to the same quarter of the previous year, it increased by 3.8%.
The table below shows the main results of the GDP of the last five quarters.

SUMMARY TABLE – Main results of the GDP at market prices
From the 4th quarter of 2005 to the 4th quarter of 2006

The following graph shows the annual growing rates of the GDP and the GDP per capita since 1995.

Agriculture had, in 2006, a growth of 3.2%, recovering in relation to the previous year, when it had grown by 0.8%.

Among the sub-sectors of industry (3.0%), the major increase occurred in mining and quarrying (5.6%).  Following are sectors of construction (4.5%) and public utilities (3.3%).  Manufacturing industry increased by 1.9%.

Among services (2.4%), the highest hikes were registered in the sub-sectors trade (4.0%), financial institutions (2.6%) and other services (2.5%).  Following are the sub-sectors transportation (2.2%), rents (2.2%) and public administration (2.1%).  The sub-sector of communications was the only one with negative change (-0.9%).

In the analysis of demand, family consumption increased, in 2006 by 3.8%, growing for the third consecutive year. This performance was favored by the increase in the overall wages and by the growth in the balance for credit operations of the financial system.  Government consumption increased by 2.1%; and gross fixed capital formation increased by 6.3% in relation to 2005.

Considering the foreign sector, the exports of goods and services increased by 5.0% in 2006, and the imports of goods and services increased by 18.1%,  showing a strong acceleration in comparison with  2005, when the growth of exports (11.6%) had been higher than the growth of imports (9.5%).

GDP changed by 1.1% in relation to the 3rd quarter

The GDP at market prices increased 1.1% between the third and the fourth quarter of 2006, considering the seasonally adjusted series.

In the same comparison, industry and the sector of services had growths of 1.6% and 0.8%, respectively, while agriculture registered change of 0.2%.

In relation to the components of demand, the positive highlights were the growth of family consumption (1.5%) and the hike of the gross fixed capital formation (2.0%).  Government consumption registered change of 0.6%.  The exports of goods and services had a negative change of -0.6%; while the imports of goods and services increased by 2.2%.

In relation to Q4, 2005, GDP increased by 3.8%

In the fourth quarter of 2006, GDP increased by 3.8%, in relation to the same period of 2005.  The value added at basic prices increased by 3.6%, and the taxes on products, increased by 5.6%.

Among the sectors which contribute to the generation of value added, stood out agriculture (6.0%).  Industry increased by 3.7%, while services had an increase of 2.6%.

In the industrial activity stood out mining and quarrying, with growth of 5.5% in the fourth quarter of 2006 in relation to the same quarter of 2005.  Following were public utilities  (4.2%).  Manufacturing industry and construction increased by 3.4% and by 3.1% respectively.

The sector of services increased by 2.6%.  The highlights were trade (wholesale and retail), with a rate of 5.3%, followed by financial institutions (2.7%), public administration and rents (each one with 2.5%).  The other sub-sectors had the following performances: other services (1.9%), transportation (1.5%) and communication (0.2%).

Among the components of domestic demand, family consumption had a positive rate of 4.0%.  Government consumption had growth of 2.5% in the fourth quarter of 2006, in the comparison with the same period of 2005.  The gross fixed capital formation registered growth of 6.9%.
Regarding the foreign demand, the exports of goods and services maintained growth, with a rate of 4.3% in the period.  The imports of goods and services registered growth of 23.7%.

Note:  (1) The GDP per capita is the division of the total GDP by the resident population.  In 2006, the resident population of the country reached approximately 186.8 million inhabitants.