Ukraine posts highest CIS growth in 2004

Ukraine posted the highest economic growth among CIS nations in 2004, with GDP rising 12%, the CIS Interstate Statistical Committee said. Russia and Kyrgyzstan had the lowest growth of 7.1% in both cases, the committee said. GDP grew 11% in Belarus, 10.6% in Tajikistan, 10.2% in Azerbaijan, 10.1% in Armenia, 9.4% in Kazakhstan, 8.4% in Georgia and 7.3% in Moldova, the committee said. The committee did not give GDP growth figures for Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan. GDP grew 8% in the CIS as a whole in 2004, as in 2003. Industrial output was up 7%, compared with 8% in 2003, retail grew 13%, compared with 10%, and capital investments increased 14%, compared with 16%.