After a low growth in 2000, national economic activity grew again in 2001 at a rate of 6 percent. This positive trend is due to a better agricultural year than was experienced the previous year. Value added in this sector grew by 27 percent in 2001 because of good climatic conditions. This growth influenced other sectors and resulted in an improvement of disposable income which allowed demand in the public and household sectors to support growth.
Commercial trade showed stable import and reduced exports. The reduction of growth in the euro zone contributed to a worsening of trade deficit and trade balance from 65 percent in 2000 to 61 percent in 2001. The reorganization of the calculation of the exchange rate, in April 2001, did not affect exports. Inflation is forecast to go down to 1 percent from the 4 percent level in 2000.
The unemployment rate, though decreasing, is still at 20.4 percent for urban centres and 4.8 percent in the countryside, i.e. 13.8 percent for the country as a whole as opposed to 12.7 percent in 2000.
Pulp 2000 2001
Production (thousand t) 129 89
Sales (thousand t) 115 73
Paper and paperboard
Production 109 127