Gross domestic product (GDP) of Uzbekistan made up 4.205 trillion soums in January-March 2007 or increased by 9.1% year-on-year, the Uzbek State Statistics Committee said.

The committee said the industrial output of the country rose by 12% to 4.086 trillion soums in the first quarter.

The country produced consumer goods worth 1.1 trillion soums (up 20.7%) in the first three months of 2007.

Agriculture output of Uzbekistan grew b 5.5% to 742.4 billion soums in the reporting period.

Investments in fixed capital rose by 36.4% to 967.2 billion soums in January-March, the committee said.

The volume of construction works comprised 386.5 billion soums (up 12.8%). The volume of retail trade comprised 2.017 trillion soums or up 16.5%. The volume of paid services to population made up 564.5 billion soums, which is 25% up year-on-year.

Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover comprised US$2.758 billion or up 15.6%. The volume of exports rose by 21.1% to US$1.678 billion and the imports grew by 7.9% to US$1.079 billion. Current trade balance surplus was US$599.8 million.

Monetary income of population increased by 29.3% to 3.45 trillion soums in the reporting period, the committee said. It added that the expenses and savings of population rose by 34.4% to 3.506 trillion soums.

Uzbek population spent 2.556 trillion soums (up 32% year-on-year) in January-March 2007.

The committee said some 29,200 people were registered as searching for jobs, of which 24,400 were registered officially as unemployed.