Cristina Índio do Brasil
Reporter Agência Brasil

Rio – Brazil's GDP rose to US$409.3 billion at the end of the first half of this year, according to the government statistical bureau (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) (IBGE). That is an increase of 3.4% over the same period in 2004.

Claudia Dionisio, an economist at the IBGE, explains that while there was growth in the agricultural sector during the period, it was the industrial sector that boosted first half growth with a strong performance in the months of April to June.

Translator: Allen Bennett