YEREVAN, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Real GDP of Armenia in January-May 2009 made up 84.3% of the country's GDP in the same period of last year (that is, it dropped by 15.7%) and amounted to 839bn 356m drams (over 2bn 439m USD as calculated at the average exchange rate of 344.31 drams per dollar in January-May). The index-delator of GDP made 101.4%. According to RA National Statistical Service, industrial production fell by 10.5% to 226bn 890m drams in Armenia in January-May 2009 on the same months of 2008. The gross agricultural output fell by 2.9% to 81bn 129m drams, construction - by 56.1% to 72bn 971m drams, retail trade grew by 0.2% to 335bn 508m drams, and services declined by 1.7% to 274bn 733m drams. The foreign trade of Armenia fell by 33.7% compared with January-May 2008 and made 1bn 312m USD, with exports falling by 47.8% to 220.1m USD and imports declining by 29.9% to 1bn 92m USD. The foreign trade turnover in May made up 84.1% of the foreign trade in April, with imports making 83.8% respectively. Consumer prices rose by 2.5%, while industrial production prices fell by 4.3% in January-May 2009 on the same period of 2008. The number of officially registered unemployed grew by 9.8% to 83.9 thousand in late May 2009 as compared with the same month of 2008. The average monthly nominal salary amounted to 97,527 drams in January-May 2009 (a 13.4% growth on the same period of 2008), including the average salary of 80,857 drams in the state sector (17.6% growth) and the salary of 121,990 drams in the non-state sector (7.9% growth).

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