The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) reported that the Country recorded a sharp slowdown in GDP growth during 2018, reaching 0.7 percent compared to 3 percent in 2017, resulting in a decline in the GDP per capita by 1.5 percent.
The industrial sector recorded the highest increase in value added compared to 2017, the preliminary estimates showed an increase by 5%, which was due to a 6% increase in the number of workers in this sector. It was then followed by Agriculture, with a gross value added rising by 4%, and construction activity by 0.7%, whereas services and other branches declined by 1% compared with 2017.
The total number of workers in the labor market rose by 2 percent in 2018 compared to 2017. The increase was attributed to the high increase in the number of employed persons in construction and industry activities. Unemployment rate increased to 31% in 2018 compared to 29% in 2017.
Source (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat Newspaper, Edited)
