Bulgaria's gross domestic product in the first half of 2007 grew by 6.4 percent over the same period last year, AP quoted National Statistics Institute as saying today, according to DPA. The country's GDP in the first half stood at 24.47 billion leva (¤12.5 billion; US$16.6 billion), the institute said in a statement. The growth was achieved mainly through the 9.1 percent expansion of industry and 8.8 percent increase in the services sector over the same period of 2006, it said. According to the institute, GDP per capita in the first quarter was 3,179 leva (¤1,625; US$2,159). Bulgaria's economy last year grew by 6.1 percent, and the government has projected 5.8 percent growth for 2007. The current unemployment rate in the EU newcomer is 7 percent, according to government data released on Tuesday. That compares with last year's average unemployment rate of 9.61 percent.
