Qatar's economy will perform better this year than in 2009 and the Gulf country's financial position is good, the state's central bank chief was quoted as saying on Thursday.

The world's largest natural gas exporter is expected to outperform the oil region's key players - Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - this year due to massive expansion of its gas facilities.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud al-Thani told an opening ceremony that he expected the 2010 financial year to be better than the one that just ended, according to the state news agency QNA.

He also said that the country's financial situation in terms of the size of assets and reserves was 'good', QNA reported, but did not give details.

Sheikh Abdullah said last week that Qatar's economy could surge by around 16 per cent in real terms in the fiscal 2010/11, up from 9 per cent in the previous fiscal year, echoing previous government estimates.

A Reuters poll showed last week Qatar growth prospects improved with analysts expecting 16.1 per cent expansion in the calendar 2010, after 9.5 per cent growth last year.

The Qatar Statistics Authority is yet to release the gross domestic product figures for 2009.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah said last month the economy grew 11 per cent in 2009.

The central bank assets stood at QR76.6 billion ($21.06 billion) at the end of November 2009, up from QR43.6 billion in the same period of the previous year.

Qatar's net international reserves totalled QR72.2 billion at the end of November, almost doubling from QR37.3 billion in the same period of 2008, the central bank data showed.-Reuters