Colombia’s GDP increased 5.9% in 2011 compared to the previous year, according to government statistics agency DANE.
The biggest increase was registered in mine and quarry exploitation, while the smallest increase was seen in the electricity, city water and gas sector, which grew just 1.8%.
The economy’s 2011 growth is a 1.9% improvement on the 2009 to 2010 4% GDP increase.
The DANE figures show the growth of the economy was 1.9% higher than 2010 which saw more subtle growth of 4%.
The 5.9% figure fits with central bank president Jose Dario Uribe’s February prediction that 2011’s growth was between between 5.6% and 6%.
This is the biggest increase since 2007, when the economy grew 6.9%, the highest growth in the last ten years, and significant improvement on the decade’s lowest growth figure of 1.7% in 2001 and 2009.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said, “This figure (…) is very good news because it translates into more employment less poverty, and more prosperity for everybody.”