The Dominican Republic has registered an economic growth rate of 9.3%, the highest in Latin America, during 2005, according to the Central Bank. A report in Diario Libre indicates that this positive growth is reflected in all areas of the economy except mining, which decreased by 1.7%. During the last quarter of 2005 the economy grew by a spectacular 14.6%. The most dynamic sectors were agriculture (7.2%), manufacturing (5.4%), commerce (19.8%), tourism (7.6%), transportation (10.1%) and communications (26.8%). Central Bank Governor Hector Valdez Albizu said that this vigorous growth, together with the stability of the foreign exchange rate has caused a 54.5% increase in per capita income.
El Caribe reports that during last year, the DR had net availability of RD$858.6 million, whereas the Central Bank’s gross international reserves reached RD$1.929 billion, higher than all forecasts made by national and international authorities.