Strong Upswing in 2006 with a Growth Lead in Western Austria

Austria's economy recorded a robust upswing in 2006, with real gross domestic product increasing by 3.2 percent. Growth drivers were exports and rising investment activity, while recent private consumer demand remained rather moderate. Although all Länder registered an upturn, these demand factors had an effect on the regional business cycle pattern. The export dynamic favoured economic expansion in the western Länder, where enterprises have particularly close supply-demand relations with traditional trading partners. Gross value added rose in the western region by 3.6 percent, in the South by 3.3 percent and in the eastern region by 2.7 percent.Bundesländer Bezirke Wirtschaftsbericht 2006