Qatar said it estimated gross domestic product in the fourth quarter of last year at 129.67 billion riyal ($35.59 billion), up 28.7 per cent from the year-earlier period and up 9.2 per cent from the third quarter.

The mining and quarrying sector, which accounts for 53 per cent of GDP, was estimated at QR74.42 billion in the quarter, up 39.4 per cent from the year-earlier period, and up 13.9 per cent from the previous quarter.

'The increase in value is mainly explained by the higher volume of production of natural gas liquids, condensates and liquefied natural gas as well as the rise in the prices for crude oil and natural gas,' the statistics authority said.

The manufacturing sector registered an increase of 36.6 per cent over the corresponding quarter of 2009, with gross value added estimated at QR9.65 billion. However, compared to the previous quarter, the increase was 3.7 per cent.-Reuters