Trade of Galicia

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GALICIAN ECONOMY

All cifres what it describes following are congregated in website for Internationalisation of Galician Economy, [http://www.bygalicia.eu Bygalicia] . Official Office of Galician Government:

GDP

Throughout 2006 Galician economy has sustained growth and creation of employment at an excellent rhythm. GDP growth has been very positive and has strengthened the economy, exceeding the Spanish average.

The Consellería de Economía e Facenda situated real GDP growth in 2006 at 4.1%

Services is the branch of activity that has most driven economic growth: 45% of the aggregated growth of the economy is due to third-party private activities.

However, the role of industry in the growing economy of 2006 is the most notable with an expansion of 7.7% with respect to 2005 and doubling the Spanish average (3,7%). The most significant industrial sectors are:

* Production and distribution of energy (electricity, gas, steam and hot water) is the activity with the greatest relative weight in IPI representing an increase of 15.2%.
* Furs and clothes making experienced a growth of 24%.
* Food, drinks and manufacture increased 15.3%
* Motor vehicles and trailers represent 13.8%, increasing in 2006 by 9.9%.

With respect to company creation, in 2006 nearly 7,000 companies were created in Galicia, 4.07% of the Spanish total, implying a substantial growth rate with respect to previous years.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Overland transportGalicia has an extensive road network, with nearly 80 thousand kilometres of roads connected to all points of the country. The northern and southern zones have highways connecting Galicia to the rest of Spain. There is an Atlantic coastal highway running from the northern tip down to Portugal.

Port infrastructureGalicia has a total of 126 ports and harbour facilities, where fishing and shellfish harvesting take place commercially and there are yacht clubs or marinas. The fishing sector, with a turnover of over 2.4 billion Euro, is one of the most important sectors of the Galician economy and generates a great deal of business for harbour facilities.

There are also 5 government-owned ports: Marín, Vilagarcía, Ferrol, A Coruña, and Vigo. The latter two are key points in international maritime transport between Europe, the Americas, and Asia. The port of Vigo has another competitive advantage: it is one of Spain's three Free Trade Zones. Visit the web page of the Vigo Free Trade Zone.

Due to their historical importance and strategic position, Galician ports generate a great deal of business activity associated with the transport of passengers and goods, including the loading and stowage of containers.

Airport infrastructureGalicia has three international airports: Peinador in Vigo, Lavacolla in Santiago de Compostela, and Alvedro in A Coruña. AENA is the organisation in charge of administrating them.

RailwailsIn Galicia today, there are nearly 900 kilometres of railway lines used by RENFE and around 150 used by FEVE. The regional railway network transports passengers and goods between different points of Galicia and the rest of Spain and Portugal.

Concerning infrastructure, it is worth noting that the proximity to Portugal and the integration with it under the same Euroregion allow shared use of Portuguese infrastructure.