Provisional estimates for 2009 indicate that Gozo’s contribution to national Gross Domestic Product at market prices is 5.7 per cent, or €331.7 million the National Statistics Office said.

It said that GDP at a regional level increased last year, when compared to 2008.

However, Gross Value Added for mainland Malta edged down by 0.2 per cent in 2009, while that for Gozo went up by 2.1 per cent, when compared to the previous year.

Service activities contributed positively towards Gozo’s gross value added. Employment in industry, including energy, and in construction declined in both regions.

In 2009, Gozo’s contribution to the agriculture and fishing sector amounted to five per cent of the island’s total GVA, while in Malta this was estimated at 1.9 per cent.

In industry, including energy, the drop in value-added was attributable to the mainland, while both islands registered declines in construction's gross value added, when compared to 2008.

In non-financial services (comprising wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants, transport and communications), gross value added decreased in Malta and in Gozo.

However, both regions registered increases in the financial, real estate, renting and business activities sector.

In other service activities, a rise of 7.3 per cent was registered in Malta’s gross value added, while an increase of 3.7 per cent was recorded in Gozo.

Total employment in both regions edged up in 2009. An increase in the number of people registering for employment was recorded in Malta and Gozo in 2009.

Both regions experienced a marginal decline in total population.