Colombia’s GDP Grew 2.7% in 201 February 2019

Colombia’s national economics statistics agency (DANE, Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadistica) on February 28 revealed that its latest studies indicate national gross domestic product (“PIB” in Spanish initials) hit 2.7% for full-year 2018, up from a feeble 1.4% in 2017.

Meanwhile, Fedesarollo – Colombia’s leading economic think-tank – now foresees a continuing rebound in the national economy, with GDP likely hitting about 3.3% this year and gradually increasing to around 3.8% GDP by 2022.

For 2018, relatively strong growth (4.1%) came in public administration and defense; compulsory social security plans; education; health care activities and social services, according to DANE.

Wholesale and retail sectors, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, transportation and storage, lodging and food service sectors meanwhile grew by 3.1%, according to DANE.

Professional, scientific and technical activities, as well as administrative and support services activities grew by 5.0%, according to DANE.

Mining and quarrying, however, declined by 0.8% year-on-year, including a 12% drop in extraction of metalliferous minerals and a 6.7% drop in extraction of coal and lignite.

Extraction of crude oil and natural gas and support activities grew by 1.4%

In manufacturing, this sector grew by 2.0%, mainly thanks to a 3.7% hike in manufacture of furniture, mattresses and mattresses, and a 3.2% hike in production of food products, beverages and tobacco products.

The study also found a 2.2% hike in sectors including manufacture of basic metallurgical products; manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment; manufacture of electrical apparatus and equipment; manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products; manufacture of machinery and equipment; manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers; manufacture of other types of transport equipment, and installation, maintenance and specialized repair of machinery and equipment.

Manufacture of textile products; clothing; tanning and retanning of hides; footwear manufacturing; manufacture of travel articles, suitcases, handbags and similar articles; and manufacture of saddlery and saddlery articles decreased by 0.2% year-on-year.

In construction, growth came-in at a relatively weak 0.3% year-on-year, with residential and non-residential building growth at 1.0%, while “specialized activities for the construction of buildings and civil engineering works (rental of machinery and construction equipment with operators) decreased by 0.9%,” according to DANE.

Construction of roads and railways, public service projects and other civil engineering works also decreased by 0.6%.

The information and communications sector grew by 3.1% year-on-year, identical to the growth in the financial and insurance sector, according to DANE.

As for real estate activities, this sector grew 2.0% year-on-year, according to DANE.